Weekend Finds

Here are some cute finds from The Company Store.  If you haven't checked them out, you really should.  They have great colors and decent prices.  Their new Spring line is pretty fun, too, if you are looking for some new bedding or lamps.

Making a bed, part 2

Making a comfortable bed involves many different layers.  After you have covered and protected your mattress with a mattress pad that fits well, it's time to move on to the second layer: the feather bed!  These are fantastic if you like a cushy bed.  It's like sleeping on a cloud.  Your feather bed should fit the top of your mattress perfectly.  Look for one that has square compartments for the feathers.  If the compartments are long and rectangular, the feathers will all end up at one end.  This layer is more optional than the others, and probably depends on your climate.

Next come the sheets!  It is pretty widely known that the higher the thread count in sheets, the softer they are.  But, I have had 600 thread count sheets that pilled after one wash, and 300 thread counts that have held up nicely for years.  What you want to look for is double-ply fabric on your sheets.  This basically means that each thread is thicker, which will make your sheets durable and softer.

It's a good idea to add a light weight blanket on top of you sheets before the final comforter or duvet.  You don't want anything too thick, as it is just an extra layer.

On top of your blanket, you can add a comforter or a duvet (which is a comforter inside of a removable cover).  If you can get down, that is ideal as it regulates temperatures without being heavy.  But there are also many nice down alternative comforters out there.  And if you have a small washing machine, go with a duvet so that you can easily wash the cover.

And, last, but probably most importantly, don't forget pillows.  You should have at least two pillows per sleeping spot.  One pillow is for sleeping and can have a case to match your sheets.  You might consider getting a pillow cover in addition to the pillow case.  The pillow cover protects the pillow from accumulating dust.  If you don't use pillow covers, try using two pillow cases going opposite ways.  This will help protect your pillow.  Feather pillows tend to hold their shape pretty well, and most people find them very comfortable.  Your second pillow is to put into a sham that coordinates with your comforter.  You want the sham to fit snuggly over the pillow.  If you have ever tried to use an old, limp pillow for this then you know it looks a little silly.  If you can't get a new pillow for the sham, just stuff two old pillows in and make sure it is filled out.

There you go!  A cozy and easy-to-clean bed!

Hello again...and a little about bedding

Guess what, guys?  I made a new year's resolution...TO BLOG.  It's already the 16th...I think...I actually have no idea what day of the week it is.  I have a baby and I'm blaming her.  She is adorable and sweet, an angel among babies, and she makes me forget about basically everything else in life.  But, the real reason why I haven't been blogging is because whenever I get inspired by Interior Designs, it is usually by something glamorous, something expensive, and something that obviously isn't happening in my house.  I want this blog to be about realistic interiors, about places where people live...maybe even with children!  A beautiful home and a used home - that is what I strive to have and that is how I like it.  So, here is to a new year, with high hopes of giving you some hot tips on how to make your home lovely and livable.

To kick things off, I wanted to give you a few tips about making your beds comfortable.  You can actually have a pretty comfy place to sleep without having to purchase a ridiculously expensive mattress.  As long as your springs are all in tact, you can probably use whatever you have.  If you really love your mattress, get a mattress cover.  Or, if you have kids who might climb in bed with you and pee everywhere (it happens!), get a plastic mattress cover.  You can find them at most household supply stores, like Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

The next step (or the first step if you don't care about your mattress too much) is to get a mattress pad.  These are different than mattress covers.  Google it.  You will see.  Get one that properly fits the bed and that doesn't have tissue paper for sides.  You can find them with different types of padding, so if you like a cushy bed, get the one that has a nice padding to it.  Don't be fooled by the thread count.  You won't be able to tell if your mattress pad has a high thread count once the sheets are on it.  Do get something that will fit in your washing machine and that is machine washable.  You'll want to launder these things pretty regularly.  I have this one and I absolutely love it.

Okay, more posts about bedding later.  First layer is done.  Here is a picture of my cute, cute new baby just because she is cute.

Land of Nod

How cute is this little bedding from Land of Nod?  I want to move Darcy to a toddler bed, just so I can redecorate her room.  She already helps me make my bed in the morning, so I'm pretty sure she could get those pillows in the right place.  Or we would just have a constant mess of pretty pillows around the room, which really wouldn't be such a bad thing either.

Bedroom Inspiration

One of my projects in Design School was to decorate a bedroom for a single lady.  The bedroom had maple floors and pale green walls, which she wanted to keep.  Here are some of the elements that I put into the room and I'm still in love with them.

Closet Doors

Remember these old doors in the master bedroom? Here's the original picture. As soon as I saw the house, I had knew that these needed to go a dark shade of blue.

Since our current bedding is mostly green I chose a SW Lagoon to bring out the green and pick up the bright blue in the picture above the bed. I won't tell you how many hours I spent painting those old doors, mainly because I don't really want to know. Someday I'll own a sprayer and my whole life will feel like a dream.

Floral Inspiration

You can find decorating inspiration anywhere, but my favorite is when rooms are inspired by flowers. Take this beautiful tulip bouquet...

What is the mood? the color? what are the lines? Asking all these types of questions can help us to translate a tulip into a beautiful room using elements like these...

The Map Room

I have no idea how it happened, but I have a scary number of friends who are simply crazy about maps. I'm a super home-body, so really it is quite strange that so many people I know love to dream about far off places. Maybe it has something to do with our long winters... So, this room is for all of you out there who are crazy and like to travel....a room wallpapered in maps. The beams are all pickled, which makes me love them. And I really could find many good uses for those adorable lamps.

No headboard

This is a fun solution to having no headboard, especially for a room that needs to be widened visually. Paint some bold stripes from the head of the bed, across the ceiling and down the opposite wall.

Adorable Bedroom

I sorta think this is adorable. And seriously cheap. Just goes to show you don't have to spend a lot of money to make a room fun and cute. A good color palette can go a long way!

A color tip

If you are decorating on a budget, don't forget that a single bold accent color can go a very long way. Since you don't have the money to make everything in the room perfect, focus your efforts on a bright color that will draw attention.

Headboard Inspiration

Not my favorite color palette, but that headboard is awesome! I'm imagining it with creamy white walls, pickle floors, ruche white bedding (like this one from Anthro), and some distressed wood furniture like the piece below...

Lee Ann Thornton

Lee Ann Thornton is a great designer from Connecticut. Here are a few of her rooms. I love her use of neutrals with splashed of light blues and gold. It's very current but very classy.

Comfortable

I love boudoir chairs. They make any bedroom feel cozy. Doesn't this space just make you want to relax with all the soft textures and calming cool tones? The boudoir style dust ruffles are the perfect touch.

Headboards that I love

I do like the clean look of a wood headboard, but if you want a lush, comfy mood for your bedroom, consider one of these fabulous headboards:

Or if you can stand something a little more glamorous:

One thing that I absolutely love about this last room is the repeat motif between the rug and the headboard. This room is really well done with it's shiny textures and colors and regal-like ottomans.

Fruiteria Lamp

What's not to love about this room? Let's start with the fruiteria lamp (Anthropologie). It is a set of three glass balls, inspired by antique glass ball lanterns from the late 1800's. There are some vintage ones out there from the 60's - if you find one, don't pass it by. I love how it is paired here with the rustic table. I don't have to mention how amazing that bedding is, but look at the bed! Fabric headboards are easy to make and always make a bedroom feel cozy and rich. You can find a good tutorial on how to make your own fabric headboard here.