Big and bigger

I have mattresses on my mind lately. I am wishing I had a more comfortable one on my king size bed and I am shopping for one for my son's first apartment. Did I mention I have to put it in my car next week for the four hour drive to school?

I double checked the twin length and we are a go for shoving it in my minivan but it got me thinking about the Wyoming and Alaska King beds.

Where do you get such a thing? Sheets? Won't most staircases be a problem? Um, doorways too?

I recall master bedrooms during our house search that were too cramped for our regular King size and it really made me wonder how a 9 foot by 9 foot bed would work in a space. Photos were hard to come by.

I found this photo that made me laugh. The decor was funny but isn't there some reality show about my three wives? Maybe that is why they were invented.

Is it bed overkill?

What was I thinking?

What was your biggest decorating misstep?

You know the purchase or modification to your house that later had you asking, "What was I thinking?"

I have had several but the one that stings the most is my idiot idea to modify a bed. My grandparents had an antique 3/4 size pineapple bed from the Tidewater region of Virginia and my grandfather had plans to modify it to a twin size because there was a gouge on the edge of the headboard. They offered it to me as a "big boy" bed for my then 15 month old son. I was thrilled and (here is the idiot part) asked him to cut down the legs because I worried that my little boy could not climb into a regular height twin.

He was my first child but even a new mom should know that they grow (more quickly than you think) and he would be able to climb in by the time he graduated from high school. He turns 19 next week and I am happy to say that he has mastered scaling the heights of a mattress but I have a ridiculous bed frame in my basement.

What are you still kicking yourself about?

Snug as a bug

As a child I was very drawn towards alcove beds. They were kind of a legitimatization of the pillow fort.

Now I think of them as rather cozy looking although impractical for the bedmaker-in-chief.

Properly making that upper bunk would be a pain and probably reserved for special occasions in my house, like never.

I still can't help but want to curl up in their three-sided coziness.

They are often combined with clever storage but I prefer the simply romantic, curtained cocoons.

Would you want one of these in your house?

Look for less?

I have a thing for ethnic textiles and John Robshaw bedding really does it for me.

I am redoing my son's bedroom soon with navy walls and new bedding. I really want something a bit exotic in terms of a quilt, duvet cover or throw. Robshaw bedding is a bit over budget but there surely must be a "look for less". I am toying with hand printing my own.

I love to hear your "look for less" ideas.

Sleepy spaces

I thought I would show you all some of my favorite bedrooms and talk about the perfect bed today because that is where I would like to be. A recent bout of insomnia is making for some tired, less-productive days.

One of the few places that I choose muted colors over vibrant is in bedrooms. I tend to go with very traditional furnishings too.

I am cool with decorative throw pillows but my sheets and pillow cases must be white and 100% cotton. I have even turned my husband into a bedding snob. Last year, in a classic non-label reading- Kerry-move, I accidentally bought sheets that were 50% poly. My husband was shocked and appalled. I tried really hard to pretend that I did not mind them at all and I meant to buy them. They pilled near our feet and were hot and uncomfortable. I finally pulled them off and threw them in with our pile of painting drop cloths in the basement.

Are you picky about your pillow or blankets? I used to sleep with a down comforter but its just overkill. I now have two thin cotton quilts and an electric foot warmer for the winter.

Is your bedroom dark and cave-like or light and bright? Mine is light and bright which is great when you are not trying to sleep but it stinks at 8 am on Saturday morning when the sun aligns perfectly with the space between the blinds and my left eye.

That's enough pillow talk for today. I think its almost nap time. Yay!

Between the sheets

D.C. Design House 2013

In a recent dinner table conversation, I commented on how a few people I know think it is crazy to fold fitted sheets. My kids confessed that they had no idea how to do it. Its my mission to teach them how this summer.

Its easy. Here's how in case you don't already know.

I like to fold them on a bed so that the sheets can be fully spread out and smoothed as I go.

First, lay the sheet flat with the sleeping side down and those pesky gathers up. Using the corner seams as a guide, flatten the gathered sides to make a sort of picture frame. That is the hard part. The neater this is the better the whole thing will go.

Next, I fold 1/4 of the sheet over to the center line, smoothing as I go.

Next I do the same with the other end and smooth and flatten as much as possible.

In half again creating a rectangle.

From here I either fold it in thirds or quarters depending on the sheet.

folded fitted sheet

I like to fold the flat sheet the same size but truth be told, sometimes I just don't have the time or patience.

Do you fold you fitted sheets?

I am oddly particular about sheets. They must be 100% cotton, white if I am sleeping on them and I really love 1000 thread count sheets.

 I found 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets for King size beds at Tuesday Morning for $80. I thought it was a deal.

I am new to shopping there but I am liking there luxury bedding selection.

My daughter-my client

My 15 year-old daughter has been aching to give her bedroom a new look. She chose white paint for her walls when we painted a year and a half ago and really regretting that decision. When one's daughter is the client it seriously complicates the already slippery slope of guiding a clients choices.

Here is where we are.

Custom curtains on Etsy

Budget and practicality are major concerns but also the fact that she will be off to college in a few years and I will be using many of these items as the guest room decor at that point.

I think we have settled on chevron curtains. This is the girl who wanted cheetah print curtains a few months ago so I am breathing a huge sigh of relief.

I might try to "guide" her to this Greek key pattern instead.

Here

She was leaning towards several bedding sets from Target--totally budget friendly.

HERE

She has toyed with the idea of a plain white comforter too.

Given the high fickle factor it is a wise choice.

She wants to add yellow, gray and black elsewhere. It was red and orange two weeks ago. See what I mean?

We have this Ikea Ektorp loveseat and I could get out of buying more yellow and gray pillows by giving her the pillows that I have in my family room.

If I can unload my pillows on her I will get these.

Things are getting too matchy-matchy in the family room.

All in all, I like this plan.

Rock-a-bye maybe

I am sure we have all seen these rocking beds. Personally, I would not enjoy this sort of sleeping and I would find it unsettling in general.

I am sure to some these are the ultimate fantasy.

Here is  a round-up of some pretty outrageous beds.

Let me know what you think.

This last one looks like a glorious place for a nap.