Signature Scalloped Percale Bedding by Garnet Hill

I have not been very lucky in the bedding department. Recently, I wore a hole in the fitted sheet of one set and was duped into buying another set that turned out to be of very poor quality (despite a 620 thread count!). So I set about looking for a new set that was: (1) made of cotton, (2) crisp and (3) white. I ordered this particular sheet set from Garnet Hill which fit the bill nicely and am very pleased with my purchase. It is made from a 220 thread count cotton percale weave, is nice and crisp and to me looks quite elegant. I've gone back and forth on the question of whether I prefer silky soft or crisp sheets and am firmly in the "crisp" camp now. Of course, these things are a matter of taste. I personally prefer sheets the breathe. Also, I understand that bedding made from smoother fibers may not last as long. (The one I recently had to throw away was from a costly sateen set). BTW, "percale," for those who do not know, refers to the weave of a material - it has a thread count of 200 or higher, is typically woven tightly, is of medium weight, firm and smooth with no gloss, and warps and washes very well. Also, note that, as Cheryl Mendelson points out in her book, Home Comforts, the durability of cloth is a function of many factors of which thread count is just one. It is affected by the weight of the cloth, the type and quality of the fibers comprising the material, the overall construction of the cloth, the nature and quality of the weave and the type of finish used. So don't be duped by a high thread count alone like I was!

Home Comforts: Fabric Shower Liner

Making home homey is all about paying attention to the smallest details. Unfortunately, this involves spending precious time on weekends on the most mundane of errands - like running to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy a shower curtain liner. (Almost as sad as spending time blogging about it). Still, unless you're lucky enough to have glass doors on your tub, it's just one of those things you have to deal with. One of my pet peeves is vinyl or plastic shower curtain liners. I cannot stand the feel of wet plastic on my body when I've just showered (yuck!) or the smell that always seems to emanate from them. The fabric ones are so much nicer, I think. BB&B has these fabric liners ($12.99 for polyester or $14.99 for nylon) that are translucent and can be thrown in the wash when they get mildewy. I just replaced the one I've had for over a year because it didn't come out as clean this last time around. Still, it lasted long enough and I think they are so much more elegant than the stiff vinyl ones.

Hallelujah: I Am Saved! (I think)

I'm afraid to put a jinx on it, but I have to say my allergies have gotten significantly better, if not gone away completely. The only thing I can think is that the dustmite encasings I ordered for my mattress and pillows actually worked. I didn't notice the difference right away and I've continued vacuuming religiously, keeping the HEPA air filters going and the cats (I have two) out of the bedroom, but something has definitely changed and I have to think it was these covers. I've had them now for about a month and I haven't been waking up with the terrible itchy eyes and sneezing that have plagued me year-round for the last few years. I bought them online at the Allergy Buyers Club (it's not a real club) and the ones I got are the "Euphoria" brand, which are made of 100% organic cotton. They cost over $600, which I think is ridiculously expensive for undergarments for my bed, but I was desperate at the time and now I'm glad I bought them. Here's the link if anyone is interested: http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/euphoria-dust-mite-covers.html

Eucalyptus In My Entryway

I love coming home to the smell of eucalyptus. I find that a bunch in my entryway is energizing and adds life to an otherwise admittedly spare foyer (a project for another day). Nothing is more disheartening than coming home to a stale odor. With a bunch like this one that I pick up at a neighborhood grocery store, the first moments of arrival are always pleasant. Occasionally, the aroma wafts into the living room when we're watching TV.