Spring 2012

Comforter Trends

Gone are the days of the thick, heavy comforters with upholstery weight duvet covers. Now days most people prefer a thin, light weight comforter that gives just enough warmth without being smothering. Sometimes these thin comforters are called “down blankets”. Typically the boxes are sewn through rather than baffled. The boxes should be no more than 12” square so that the down stays on top instead of sliding off to the foot and sides. A plain white comforter calls for a duvet cover to keep it clean and minimize laundering to no more than once, maybe twice a year. A duvet cover in sheeting weight fabric can be washed as frequently as you like, and can act as your top sheet.

 

 

Bed Making Trends

Looking through home fashion magazines I see many beautiful and simply made beds. Elegant matelasses and a restrained number of pillows are the new look. There are lots of options for matelasses (also called coverlets) and shams that are washable and don’t require ironing. Fabrics have been engineered to provide washable silks, pre-washed cotton jacquards and shabby chic, inviting linen looks.   

 

Sheets to Dream On

The right sheets are probably the most important thing you put on your bed. Different types of fibers and weaves feel different against your skin. Sateen weaves will be soft and silky. Percale weaves will be crisp and cool. Jacquard weaves have texture (the pattern is woven in as compared to prints where the pattern is printed onto a solid fabric). Cotton is available in both percale and sateen weaves.  Wood fibers such as bamboo and beechwood have a silky feel and may feel warmer than cotton. Silk sheets have a weight and smooth texture that is unique. Linen sheets also have their own unique texture. To find the right sheets ask a salesperson to let you feel the fabric and explain the differences.

 

Accessories - Just the Right Thing

Putting together a room that is welcoming and reflects the personality of the owner calls for the a conscious effort when adding and placing accessories. Some simple rules to follow are:

Place objects in odd numbered groups like three or five.

Vary the height of objects with in the group.

Change accessories with the seasons. Not that your displays need to be seasonal but rather freshened. Keep items you aren’t using in a closet or drawer.

Choose an accent color that makes you happy. Maybe it’s pink or black or chartreuse. Maybe it’s a vase, a pillow or a picture. Let it be a focal point in the room.

Pictures should be hung with the center at a comfortable viewing height when seated. This is usually with the center no more than 5 feet from the floor.

Feel free to move your furniture around and to have things away from the walls.

Have fun accessorizing and move things around as the spirit moves you. It’s your way of expressing yourself and your pride in your home.  

December 16, 2011

Holiday Food Ideas - Keep your sanity and take advantage of a great deli at your local grocery store. You can present a fabulous spread of uncooked items like cheeses, dried fruits, olives, salami and interesting crackers and/or breads. Miniature cupcakes make a fun desert. Pair these with a good bar selection and the party can start. Pick one fancy cocktail recipe to serve as an alternative to beer and wine. It can mixed up without alcohol for our designated drivers and non-drinking friends but still served in a pretty glass with a fun garnish on a toothpick.

May 16, 2011

I apologize for not being a consistent blogger. I like spending time talking to people face to face. Between that, running a brick and mortar store, a web site, having a (wonderful-most-of-the-time) family and trying to find a five minutes alone once a day I find it difficult to keep up with a blog.
But this evening I thought of a very useful tip that you may be interested to know. Take lemon or lime rinds - the ones leftover from the evening cocktail are good - put them in the disposal and run them through with running water.  That will keep your disposal smelling fresh and clean.
Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

What is Oeko-Tex standard?
You may notice that many of the SDH products on our web site are Oeko-Tex certified. Here is an explanation of what that means to you as the end user of those products.

    “As we become increasingly aware of the impact of our daily lives on the environment, we begin to look for ways to reduce our “footprint”. Textiles are of particular concern, as many of the chemicals commonly found in textiles can affect our health and the environment. The textile industry, recognizing their responsibility and impact from their production, is working to design products free from harmful substances. They are adapting recognized environmentally friendly working practices to produce safer products.  The Oeko-Tex Standard 100, developed by a group of European textile institutes, is a global testing and acceditation program for the screening of harmful substances in consumer textiles. Manufacturers whose products meet the requirements set by the standard are licensed to use the registered Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Label on their products.
Since its inception in 1992, Oeko-Tex has come to be recognized as th leader in eco-labeling, with over 36,000 certificates issued to more that 5,000 manufacturers and over 1 million licensed products. Products with the OekoTex label are tested and guaranteed to be free of all harmful substances, including toxins and irritants. Making sure that the fabrics in your home are safe, healthy and natural.”

courtesy of SDH Fine European Linens

Friday, March 11, 2011

Update

Back in January I promised to let you know the results of using Down Wash to soften up Erin’s new SDH organic linen duvet cover.  I am happy to report it worked.  Her duvet cover so crisp when new is now soft and pliable. So when you have a new bedding or clothing item that you want to soften up the Leblanc Down Wash provides a good option to waiting for it to go through multiple washes and is safe to use on delicate fabrics.

Saturday, February 19, 2011
Comforter? Blanket? Decisions, Decisions.
Back in the 90’s the fans of luxury bedding wanted the thickest, fluffiest down comforters available. We sold 800 fill power, arctic weight comforters that made beds look like big piles of whipped cream. Then we discovered what Europeans have known forever. Those thick, super insulating comforters are really meant for unheated bedrooms in freezing climates. The trend has shifted to thinner, lighter weight comforters. Now customers are wondering if down comforters should be banned from their beds entirely.  Many of us live in parts of the country where the seasons change. In Nebraska we don’t wear shorts and flip flops in January or snow boots and wool sweaters in July. Why should we sleep with our beds dressed just one way all year round?
In the winter I still love my down comforter. I use an Ogallala Avalon 800-fill power southernlite.  My linen closet contains a wardrobe of duvet covers but they are all sheeting weight in washable fabrics so that they don’t add too much weight or warmth to the comforter.  The winter bed making recipe is as follows:

Fitted bottom sheet
Coordinated or matching duvet cover with the light weight comforter inside
Down pillows with coordinated or matching cases or shams
European square pillows with coordinated or matching cases or shams (comfy back and neck support when reading in bed)
Boudoir pillows with coordinated or matching cases or shams (great for padding bony knees)

Note - no top sheet in winter. The duvet cover acts as the top sheet so that A) we don’t get too hot and B) our feet don’t get tangled in too much fabric. And if you have trouble with the comforter moving around in the duvet cover sew ties in the corners. Ogallala comforters come with loops on all four corners and even in the middle of each side.

In late spring or early summer the comforters come off the beds. They are washed at home using Leblanc Down Wash and put away till fall. For warmer weather the bed making recipe is:

Fitted bottom sheet
Coordinated or matching top sheet
Coordinated cotton or linen washable coverlet (aka matelasse) or blanket
Down pillows with coordinated or matching cases or shams
European square pillows with coordinated or matching cases or shams (comfy back and neck support when reading in bed)
Boudoir pillows with coordinated or matching cases or shams (great for padding bony knees)

Sleeping comfortably is subjective. The perfect recipe for making your bed is what works for you. Adjust for the climate you live in and, for the change in seasons.  Sweet dreams.
Joan


Saturday January 8, 2011