There’s nothing quite like a beautiful eiderdown and some strategic cushions to finish off your bed with a flourish, and arts n’ crafty Hanoi boasts the motherlode of soft furnishings.
Tucked away in an unassuming little store on the hectic Hang Bac, Mekong Quilts is lined with exquisitely detailed throws, pillow cases, table-runners, placemats and all the decorative trimmings. Even baby can get tricked out with classic pastel blue and pink-hued, or vibrantly multi-coloured collaged quilts, cushion covers, bibs and accessories depicting exotic animals, Vietnamese pastoral scenes, and other aaw-inducing imagery.
Upstairs is more geared towards the conjugal crib, from patterned celebratory bridal quilts and neutral-hued patchwork to crisp white and white-thread embellished contempo bedspreads (also available in navy or plum for more dramatic effect). But best of all, this is a not-for-profit organisation that has all its wares hand-crafted by women from small skilled communities in rural Vietnam. How’s that for guilt-free quilts?!
Mekong Quilts, 13 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, +84 4 3926 4831, facebook: @MekongQuilts