Archive for July, 2009
Become a Cotton Connoisseur
Word has spread in recent years about the supreme softness of Egyptian cotton. Domestic cotton is still produced in the American South, but it’s just not the same. Anyone who doubts that fact should think of the cotton industry from the perspective of a vintner. In France, the finest wines are named for their region of production. Along those same lines, the world’s softest cotton is cultivated in the fertile soil of the Nile River Delta.
Egyptian cotton has a relatively rough texture upon first feel. After a trip or two through the laundry, however, a set of king Egyptian cotton sheets attains a heretofore unseen softness. The difference is visible at the fabric level. Cotton harvested in Egypt contains a long fiber, which is less scratchy and irritating than shorter-fiber domestic fabrics. In many cases it’s better to buy local, but other times a good night’s sleep takes top priority.
Houseboat Living
Many people have lived on houseboats in many different societies and cultures. Houseboat living is not new or radical idea, especially in Europe and Asian countries. Living on board a houseboat started in the 1940’s in the United States.
There are many factors to consider if you are thinking of life on a houseboat. You need to make sure that it is right for you. Houseboat life style has become better over the years because of today’s technology.
Hare a couple of common questions asked about houseboat living.
-How much will it cost to live on a houseboat?
-What size should we buy?
-Can children and pets live on a houseboat?
-What about the weather?
-What about the internet and T.V.?
The costs of houseboat living will depend on a variety of things. The size, amenities, and where the marina is located all play a role in what money you want to spend.
You will discover at most marinas there a lot of families with kids and pets.
When it comes to the weather learn all you can and learn to read the weather. Just be smart and safe is the best way to handle mother-nature.
Most marinas today have all the up to date cable television, satellite and internet.
There s a lot of places to go and people to meet living on a houseboat.
What ever size of houseboat you decide to buy to start your new life living aboard make sure to bring part of home with you. You may what pictures to hang on the walls, your favorite dishes, and maybe you or the kids have your favorite sheets and duvet covers you like to put on your beds.
Houseboat living is an experience that you can’t get any where else.
History of Beds
Comes night time we all look to crawling into our comfortable beds. Did you ever wonder how the bed evolved overtime? Here is a little history lesson on beds from away back in time to modern day.
In Neolithic period 10,000years ago people were sleeping on primitive “beds”.
3400 BCE Egyptian’s discovered the benefits of raising a pallet of the ground. King Tutankahmen had an ebony and gold bed. The common people made beds of palm bows heap in a corner of their homes.
Roman Empire had the first luxury bed decorated with gold, silver or bronze. The mattresses were stuffed with reeds, hay wool or feathers.
16th and 17th centuries mattresses were generally stuffed with straw or down, placed atop a latticework of rope.
The late 18 century came the cast iron bed and cotton mattress. They provided a sleeping space less attractive to bugs.
1865- The first coil spring bed and it was patented at this time.
1930’s- Innerspring mattresses and upholstered foundations became serious.
1940’s- The futon’s came to North America.
1950’s- Foam rubber mattresses and pillows join the market.
1960’s- Introduced the modern waterbed. Also the adjustable beds were popular with consumer.
1980’s- The airbeds were introduced.
1990’s- Once again spacious sleeping is on the rise.1999 brought in the queen-size mattress marketing the most popular choice for mattress size-for the first time ever-beating the twin bed.
2000’s-Choice and comfort were keywords when it came to cotemporary bedding. With unlimited inner spring mattress designs, new type of foam mattress cores (such likes “memory” or visco-elastic foam and refinement-to traditional latex).We also had airbeds, waterbeds and high-tech sleep sets offer to the consumer. Pillow top mattresses offer an extra layer of soft cushioning and single-sided no flip mattresses.
There’s a little history about beds you can think about when you get into bed tonight, snuggling up with your down alterative comforter that covers your special bed you have chosen for yourself.
What are Fitted Sheets?
What are fitted sheets? Most people know that fitted sheets also called a bottom sheet are used to cover the mattress on our beds. The four corners on a fitted sheet often have elastic sewn on the corners which helps the sheet to stay on the mattress. Fitted sheets are usually sold as a sheet set which includes the fitted sheet; the flat sheet and two pillow cases. With twin sets you only get one pillow case. Some stores will sell sheets individually called open stock.
Most mattresses have a standard with and length but some don’t have a standard thickness. This sometimes causes a problem to getting a perfect fitting bottom sheet.
The pillow top mattresses which are thicker need a wide or deep pocket fitted sheet. Before going shopping for new sheets measure the mattress you are buying for to make sure you get the right size fitted sheet.
The material of flat or fitted sheets weather you choose Egyptian cotton sheets or polyester blend is less significance to the quality than the thread count.
The thread count is the number of threads per square inch in the fabric, making it the best indicator of the quality you are getting when buying your sheets.
Decorate Your Boat to Feel Like Home
Summer time is not only for people who have cottages, trailers or even motor homes to enjoy their summer fun. There are millions of people who love to spend their summer time on the water living a board their boats. We are part of this group as we have a boat that we spend all our summer time on and take trips to different destinations. Some people spend a lot of time on a boat that it just like a second home. You can decorate the inside to make it cozy and comfortable.
Most boats have space to put a few wall hangings and shelve space for knick knacks to add to that home feeling you want.
Most boats that you can live a board are equipped with kitchen area, separate bedrooms or sleeping areas call V-berths or aft-cabins. When it comes to decorating your bed some like to go with a nautical theme or you can create your own personnel look. Before buying your bedding make sure you measure you’re sleeping area as the mattress sizes are different from one boat to another.
Some bed areas in boats are open to the main part of your galley. To make the bedroom part of the décor add your favorite bed sheets to the bed along with a luxury Egyptian cotton comforter adding to the finishing touch. If you have a favorite color you may want to use that when buying your linens for your boat. We choose the color blue for our décor in our boat.
Now that we have finish decorating put out the welcome mat and enjoy your summer on the water.
Throw Blankets
Throw blankets are a smaller blanket in size too a regular blank used on a bed. The throw blank is distinguishable from other blanks as it usually has a fringe around the edges making it a more decorative blanket.
Throw blanks are made of 100% cotton, cotton -ploy blend, or rayon. Rayon chenille throws are quite popular, but don’t have the same durability as cotton throw. One other type of throw you can buy is velour throws; the fabric is similar to velvet, thick soft nap which makes it luxurious to the touch.
Throw blankets come in many colors and designs. During holiday you may find that people have a throw for special holiday themes. One can find them year round with varied decorations. There is also throw blankets in kid’s designs like Harry Potter, or princesses and fairies.
Using throw blankest you can get creative by using them as wall hangings, or enliven the colors of a dull couch.
Thick throw blankets are great for outdoors in the evening watching sports, sitting on the grass when having a picnic.
Throw blankets have advantage over regular blankets as it is easily portable, great size for baby cribs, provide light warmth for family members in the living rooms and family room. Throw blankets are great to cover up for an after noon nap.
Cottage Decorating
Summer time is here; time to open up the cottage for a relaxing summer vacation. Looking around you notice the cottage could use a sprucing up. The trees have grown taller you notice that you need to add light and comfortable items to make that relaxing and unique charm of style making it feel like a vacation cottage.
Paintings and prints add charm to your walls. Put beach and flower print in light frames. Seaside artwork along with some seashells will add to your cottage decorating theme.
Decorative pillows add a soft touch to any room. Pillows can add softness to the bathroom or kitchen placing one on a hamper or on kitchen chairs. Pilling pillows up on your bed with your goose down pillows can be a comfortable enhancement to the bedroom. Made with vintage bark cloth or chenille fabric adds appeal to your cottage décor.
Looking around at yard sales in the area your cottage is in you may find just the items your looking for to give your cottage that extra warm appealing look.
Ideas for a Teenage Boys Bedroom
When your little boy becomes a teenager this will be the time for a bedroom make over. The décor for the room will depend on the teen in question. There will be many things to conceder before you start.
The first is there a theme that you teenage boy would like to have. Get them involved with the decorating picking out colors and if they play sports or watch sports what would they like in their room. Wall art is a great way to decorate a wall especially if they like sports or music. If you’re teen plays sport and have trophies to show off adding some modern shelving to display them.
When it comes to the bedding part look for a theme in what your ten has pick out for his room. Look for a bed-in-a-bag that comes with sheets pillow cases and a comforter that all match. Then you can also go with different solid color to enhance the design of the room.
We must not forget to include a study area for your teen. There are many styles of tables to choose from that will suit your particular teens study needs.
Make sure that you get your teenage boy involve with the ideas allowing them to have a say as to colors themes and designs as well as the kind of furniture they would like.
Preparing for Unexpected Relatives
We all have those relatives that just love to drop by unexpectedly. And this can be fun and exciting, but it can also be a huge imposition. After all, many people like to have their house spotless before they let anyone outside the immediate family see it. This is a big part of why these relatives who give twenty minutes of notice before showing up at your doorstep can be a somewhat stressful aspect of your life.
But you can remove some of that stress by always having a luxury bed in a bag at your disposal. In this way, you can have all the high quality, matching bedding you need in one set. This means your average guest room can be easily and quickly converted into a luxurious and aesthetically pleasing guest room in a matter of minutes. Having these sets always on hand can definitely be a big time saver and a big headache reducer.