Post by Craig Jenkins.

So you’ve purchased a brand new beautiful brass bed. You get it into your house, and it looks great. Case closed, right? Nope. The battle has only just begun. Now it’s a fight to maintain your bed’s finish. See, brass oxidizes over time, which has the effect of gradually darkening the finish of the bed. These processes can be accelerated by things like constant humidity in the room the bed resides in, and a bit of hard work can help to reverse them. You want to be knowledgeable about the behavior of your brass bed over time so that you can be in control of it.

If it’s a bright, polished brass bed you’ve gotten for yourself, you’re going to maintain the finish by giving it a gentle polish from time to time and keeping it in a room that’s relatively dry. This can be accomplished through the use of a humidifier in the room.

If the bed already has undergone the antiquing process and has a rich patina on it already, lighten up on the polishing and keep from constantly brushing fabric against the bed where possible as constant bristling against the bed essentially has the effect that polishing it would. If this does begin to happen, ease off it and remember that even if you do start to kind of rub off some of the finish, remember that given the proper time and care, it will get back to where it was.

Remember that your brass bed is a long term, lifetime investment that will deliver in spades if you only learn how to keep up with it. Hopefully we’ve provided some helpful tips to keep your bed in the condition you desire. Take care.

Tags: antique bed, brass bed, Charles P. Rogers, iron bed, leather bed, linens, mattress, platform bed, sleigh bed, wood bed

A new bed is a new investment, right? You want to it to last as long as it can. You want it looking great for years to come. You maybe even want to pass it down to future generations of the family. Keeping the bed in tip top shape is crucial. Cleaning and maintenance of your bed aren’t remotely as complicated as you might think. In fact, proper bed care is a matter of going against your instincts.

Now in our society, the wisdom goes that the stronger the material, the harsher the cleanse needs to be. That may be true in cases of things like counters and floors, but a bed is something different. A bed is an object of beauty, and the same rules do not apply. In fact, you want to shy away from the use of cleaning products in the day-to-day care of your bed. Use a dry cloth to get rid of dust and fingerprints, and, worse case scenario, use water in conjunction with a cloth for liquid stains. Weird, right? Here’s why. Materials like wood and metal oxidize over time and slowly develop what is called a patina, or a sort of secondary sheen, as the years go by. The metal bed you purchase in 2011 will have developed a gorgeous luster by the time 2031 rolls around. Even wood undergoes certain changes in color and character over time. The trick to overseeing the patination process is to allow it to happen evenly across the whole of your bed. The use of harsh chemicals and abrasives effects the process and can cause uneven, blotchy discoloration over time. So remember when you’re cleaning your bed: less is more. A little dab will literally go a long way.

For even more specifics on maintaining your bed please look see our FAQ on “Maintaining your Bed and Bedding“.

Tags: bed care, Charles P. Rogers, leather bed, mattress, platform bed, wood bed

There’s a million different varieties of pillows. Comfort is king, and you want to get the most out of your nightly rest. You spend a third of your life on a pillow, so getting the right one is pretty crucial, right? It’s a veritable science, pillowhunting. We’ll be doing a series on the “science of pillows” in order to help you find what works best for you. Today we’ll cover some of the fillings that are inside the pillow:

Down: These are named after what they’re stuffed with. “Down” is the dense, fluffy protective layer of feathers beneath a bird’s more colorful and vibrant outer feathers. Down is extremely soft, but it settles easily and ought to be fluffed regularly for maximum comfort. Unfortunately some people are allergic to the feathers.

Synthetic fill: Synthetic fills are comprised of any number of manmade materials. They are generally wider and offer more support than down pillows do and never need to be shaken out to restore shape. But the synthetic fill is nowhere near as soft as down.

Foam: Foam pillows, especially memory foam pillows, are all the rage these days. They gently mold to match the impression of your body. Memory foam pillows are soft and comfortable, but they don’t last as long as synthetic and down pillows. In addition, some people are allergic to the chemicals used to make them.

Those are the three most commonly used fillings, but you can also find pillows filled with wool, cotton, husks, and seeds. It’s all a matter of comfort versus support versus allergies.

Tags: beds, home, pillows, sleep

We’ve been focusing a lot lately on the look of a bedroom. That is, of course, a very important element of designing and maintaining a comfortable home, but we mustn’t forget those intangible ones that elevate a living space from exceptional to luxurious. Few things can spice up a bedroom more than a light, delicious scent.  Keeping your bedroom smelling fantastic is a very important aspect of your daily life, and it helps to make your time there a soothing healing experience.

There are many ways to introduce pleasing aromas to your living space. Some people like to use scented candles. Scented candles come in a wealth of different flavors and are quite easy to find. Potpourri is also widely available. Potpourri works best in small doses, and warm water is especially helpful in releasing the aroma into the air. Lastly, scented oils are also a great way to work aromatherapy into your daily life. With oils, as the saying goes, a dab’ll do. The scents can be highly concentrated and may cause irritation if applied too heavily. You’ll either want to use only a few drops here and there, or dilute the oil in water, making a solution to spritz around the room or even on yourself if you choose.

Try experimenting with different scents and flavors. Some perennial favorites include lavender, pumpkin, lilac, rose, jasmine, etc. You can use them alone, or you can mix and match. Find out what you like and run with it.

Tags: aromatherapy, bedroom, home, Interior Design

Getting great sheets is easy. Just click on the bedding and linens tab on the website! Keeping them looking and feeling great season after season is a whole ‘nother ballgame! Maintaining quality sheets is hard work—just kidding. A little tender loving care will ensure a longlasting life for your linens. Here are a few helpful tips:

• A light wash will do. Sheets don’t get dirty like grungy football uniforms do. A short, soft cycle in lukewarm water ought to suffice. Don’t overdo it.


• Avoid bleach. Bleach eats away at fabric over time.


• Easy on the dryer. Leave em in just ling enough to get rid of any moisture.


• Shake the sheets. When you put them on the bed, shake out any wrinkles you see. This goes a long way in stopping pilling.


• Iron them. A gentle press keeps things looking and feeling crisp as the day you opened the package.

Tags: bed linen, home, Lifestyle, sheets