CasaSugar

Ask Casa: Advice For Cleaning Light Bedding

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:00:05 -0800

Hey Casa,
I was wondering if you had any tips on keeping white/cream/light-colored bedding clean. We bought some awesome sheets that were blue and cream striped, but the colors really got dingy-looking. That turned us off from buying any light bedding again, which is a shame, because I almost always love bedding with lighter colors in it!

Thanks in advance!
amloveaffair

To see my advice for amloveaffair, read more.

Hi Amloveaffair,

As someone who has a pretty white coverlet for her bed, and a dog who's jumped on it with muddy paws, I can sympathize with your situation. My first piece of advice, as far as light-colored bedding is concerned, is to buy quality bedding with a high thread count. This will eliminate a lot of pilling that happens with lower-quality linens and will guarantee that they stand the test of time.

In addition, try these tips for keeping lighter-colored bedding bright and beautiful:

Wash your white sheets on a weekly basis. They should be washed separately in warm or hot water. Use regular detergent, but don't overload it.
If you get dirt, blood, or any other stain on your sheets, spot treat the stain immediately so it won't set in. Find out how to get out bloodstains here.
Only bleach your sheets when absolutely necessary, as bleach will damage the fabric. Try my bleach alternative.
If you add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to your sheets, it will brighten the white. So will sunlight, which is a good reason to line dry your clothes.
If you're out of lemon juice, white vinegar can be added to your wash cycle.
Rotate your sheets with other sets. This can help extend your sheets' lifespan for many years.
Store your sheets and other linens in a dry closet. Don't stack them too closely, since linens will store better if they have some circulation.

Hope this helps!

CasaSugar

Source

How-To: Making Your Bedroom Sleep Worthy

CasaSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:30:10 -0700

Is your bedroom less than relaxing? Want to figure out how to make it a place of comfort and relaxation? Then take a look at my tips!

Keep your bedroom tidy. Clutter, piles, and messes can stress you out and remind you of tasks that need to be finished. By keeping everything in its place (or at least out of sight), you'll immediately feel calmer.
Paint your bedroom a relaxing color. Blues, grays, neutrals, and lavenders are good choices for the bedroom.
Banish your television and laptop. Surfing the net in bed, as well as watching television can lead to physical and mental health issues, including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. So keep the laptop in your office and the television in the living room, out of temptation's path.

For the rest of my tips, just read more.

Pick a comfortable mattress. Even better, pick a green mattress.
Keep your bedding clean. Wash your sheets once a week in hot water, which will kill dust mites. Dust mites can exacerbate allergies and respiratory issues.
Use blinds or curtains that allow in the right amount of light. If you work a late shift, you'll want to invest in blinds that completely shut out the sun. Otherwise, try to let in natural light in the mornings; it will help to wake you up naturally (when you don't have to get up with an alarm, that is).
Dress your bed with soft linens, and choose sheets with a high thread count.

Source

Steal of the Day: Cable Sateen Quilt

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:30:05 -0700

I've been looking for a nice, quilted cotton blanket for a while, and it looks like I've found a perfectly priced one with this Restoration Hardware Cable Sateen Quilt ($22.99, marked down from $89). It's only available in Eucalyptus and Chocolate colors right now, but if either of those colors match your bedroom color scheme, you're in luck. Made of 350 thread count Egyptian cotton with channel quilting, this seems like a perfect quilt to tuck under on chilly Spring nights or lazy weekend Battlestar Galactica marathons.

Steal of the Day: The Company Store, Lemons and Limes Bedding

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:00:26 -0800

Since you all loved the lemon place mats I showed you a while back, I knew I had to share this Lemons and Limes Bedding ($11–$65) on sale at The Company Store. This pattern is exclusive and has a 200-thread count. I know it's November, and you're probably thinking about purchasing some snowflake-patterned sheets. But if you go for these now, you'll be so happy when Spring comes around. Plus, who ever said citrus fruits weren't good year round?

Primer: Sheet Thread Counts

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:35:03 -0700

I have slept for too many nights under the assumption that “Back-to-School” jersey sheets were the softest thing around. So, I wanted to give all of you the 4-1-1 on a wonderful measure called thread count. Thread count is a measure of a sheet’s quality, or the coarseness or fineness of it. It’s measured by counting the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric.

The higher the count, the softer your sheet will be. Standard cotton thread counts are around 150, while good quality sheets are 200 or above and are considered “percale.” Beware of extremely high thread counts (400+); they tend to be misleading, as they usually use plied yarns (one yarn that is made by twisting together multiple finer threads). The type of fiber used (i.e. Egyptian cotton, Sea Island cotton) also has a play in the softness of your sheets. A 250-thread-count Sea Island cotton sheet will likely feel softer than a 350-thread-count sheet made of a short-staple cotton, which is a lesser quality fiber.

Source

How-To: Make Your Bedroom Perfect For Sleeping

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Is your bedroom less than relaxing? Want to figure out how to make it a place of comfort and relaxation? Then take a look at my tips!

Keep your bedroom tidy. Clutter, piles, and messes can stress you out and remind you of tasks that need to be finished. By keeping everything in its place (or at least out of sight), you'll immediately feel calmer.
Paint your bedroom a relaxing color. Blues, grays, neutrals, and lavenders are good choices for the bedroom.
Banish your television and laptop. Surfing the net and watching television in bed can lead to physical and mental health issues, including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. So keep the laptop in your office and the television in the living room, out of temptation's path.

For the rest of my tips, just read more.

Pick a comfortable mattress. Even better, pick a green mattress.
Keep your bedding clean. Wash your sheets once a week in hot water, which will kill dust mites. Dust mites can exacerbate allergies and respiratory issues.
Use blinds or curtains that allow in the right amount of light. If you work a late shift, you'll want to invest in blinds that completely shut out the sun. Otherwise, try to let in natural light in the mornings; it will help to wake you up naturally (when you don't have to get up with an alarm, that is).
Dress your bed with soft linens, and choose sheets with a high thread count.

Source

Would You Ever Sleep Under a Fur Throw?

CasaSugar — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:30:37 -0700

While this fur throw looks pretty luxurious, I'm having a hard time getting over the ick factor related to that much fur next to my body. Even if this is a fake fur throw, I'd still prefer a fluffy duvet with a high thread count cotton cover, or a chic cashmere blanket any day. It's a texture preference, more than anything. But are any of you fur throw fans?Source

Ask Casa: A Cheap Quilt Alternative?

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:00:35 -0700

Hi Casa,

I was hoping you could help me with my dilemma. I fell in love with this quilt from Urban Outfitters. I'm a college student, and in a month I'm moving into a house that I'm renting myself, so money is really tight and I was hoping to find something inexpensive. I found this amazing quilt for $79, but by the time I really decided to get it, they ran out of it in twin size. My room is painted a light teal color, and I love the paisley pattern of this quilt. Do you know of any similar quilts or duvets that are out there, or at least a store where I could find similar style quilts without breaking the bank?

Thanks!
Rmur

Curious as to what I discovered? Check out what I've found for Rmur

Steal of the Day: John Robshaw Pondicherry Duvet

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:00:35 -0700

Back in October, I rounded up some stylish finds at HSN, and was surprised to see designs by Nate Berkus, John Robshaw, and Colin Cowie in store. Well, I just revisited and found a slew of stylish finds on sale, and I couldn't help but pass the word along. I'm loving this John Robshaw Pondicherry Duvet ($99.95, reduced from $200). Its soft, teal, hand-blocked medallion print is light and beachy - great for a Summer house. The duvet has a button closure, hand-stitched detailing, and is made from 400 thread count Egyptian cotton. It's definitely a steal if I ever saw one.

Nice and New: Amy Butler Bedding For Welspun

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Just when you thought she couldn't do any more, textile designer Amy Butler has ventured into bedding. Come June, you can find her new collection for Welspun at Bed Bath & Beyond. True to her Midwest Modern aesthetic, Butler's five new bedding designs are fresh, modern, nature-inspired, and colorful (think lime, blood orange, and canary blue), with a nod to Eastern design seen in her intricate patterns. The eco-friendly collection will include 100 percent certified-organic comforters, duvets, shams, decorative pillows, and 400-thread-count percale sheets. To complete the look, coordinating window treatments will also be available online. Take a look at the images below and tell me what you think!

View 7 Photos ›