Post by Mark T. Locker.

We spend so much time here on the Bed Blog discussing a lot of great ideas, helpful hints, and offering fantastic recommendations. So I thought today we could look at some more…unorthodox approaches to bedroom design. Most of you may enjoy the spectacle but have no intention of transforming your bedroom into, say, a giant princess castle. For those who yearn for such things, you are welcome. Please enjoy the following alternative takes on interior decorating.

This brings a whole new meaning to the word waterbed. I don’t recommend this design to anyone with a propensity for somnambulation!

This little piggy made his bedroom out of straw! You may want to wear several layers of thick, soft pajamas if you are planning to sleep in the straw bed. In movies, they always put straw down to sleep on in a barn, so perhaps it’s quite comfy!

Don’t you hate the cumbersome activity of climbing out of bed, walking across the miles-long cold linoleum floor to get yourself a midnight snack? Save yourself the trouble by turning your room into your own little diner! I’m disappointed to note you don’t get to climb under the bread, but you can’t have everything.

…and if comfort and coziness are not your style, you can always move into a big stone culvert. In a field. Surrounded by a bunch of other stone culverts.

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Design, Weird Bedrooms

Post by Kyle St. Romain.

Do you sleep on your side or your back? Is the way you sleep affected by whether you share your bed with your significant other? Has the way you sleep changed over the years? Your answers to these questions can offer insight into your personality and relationships. It’s hard to fake body language in bed, as we are most honest asleep.

The most common sleeping position is the fetal position; whereby, you curl up in a ball on your side often hugging a pillow or other sleep comfort. Studies show that upwards of 40 percent of respondents indicate sleeping in the fetal position. Furthermore, women are twice as likely to sleep in this position than men. Psychologists believe that fetal position sleepers can be summed up as being soft on the inside with a tough exterior.

The second most popular way people sleep is on their side. There are variations of slide sleepers, the most common of which include sleeping with your arms by your side or sleeping with both arms out in front.  If you sleep with your arms at your side, a position called the “log”, you are said to be an easy-going, trusting extrovert. On the other hand, sleepers who put their arms out in front, called the “yearner,” are likewise open and outgoing, but can be suspicious and cynical.

The third most popular way is to sleep is on your back. In this position, sleepers either put their arms to their side or above their head. The “solider” position, where you place your arms by your side, is indicative of a quiet and more reserved personality. Back sleepers who put their arms over their head, a position called the “starfish,” tend to be good friends and listeners tending to avoid the center of attention. If you snore, you may want to avoid sleeping on your back, as the weight of your chest can burden your breathing.

Last but not least are stomach down sleepers, a position called the “freefall.” Freefall sleepers are the most sensitive of the bunch. They are characterized by a disdain for criticism and extreme situations. This position is said to be the best for digestion.

Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way to sleep; it’s purely a matter of choice. The best sleep position is the one that allows you to get a sound night’s rest. And while people are reluctant to change their sleep position, sometimes we have to sleep in new position out of necessity. If you are experiencing sleep difficulties, however, you may want to try a new position. A change in the way you sleep could be just what your body needs for the New Year.

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, sleep

We at Charles P. Rogers are dedicated to creating and maintaining beds that go on to be the gorgeous focal points of our customer’s living areas. We love it when we get feedback from our customers about how much they love their CPR beds, and nothing pleases us more than actually getting to see the ways in which our customers have decorated their rooms around our beds. We actually have a whole section of our website dedicated to pictures we’ve received from our customers. When you get the chance, you ought to check out our website’s customer image gallery to get a better idea of what we’re talking about.

Poking around the net this week we discovered the website of a customer of ours who did a blog post showing off her Charles P. Rogers furnished bedroom. The blog is called Cedar Hill Ranch, and it’s run by Anita from Texas, a homeowner who is dedicated to imbuing her house with a classic Southern vibe with a French twist. She recently posted a gallery of photos of what she has called the Red Bedroom (we’ll give you one guess as to the origin of the name!), and if you take a close look, you’ll see one of our Charleston iron and brass beds chewing the scenery next to the armoire. Thanks to Anita at Cedar Hill Ranch for showing off her lovely bedroom and allowing Charles P. Rogers to be a part of it. Take care, and happy holidays.

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Design, furniture

Post by Kyle St. Romain.

With Christmas right around the corner (I am still wobbling around from Thanksgiving), some of us are just starting to think about gift ideas for friends, family and ourselves. For me, the holidays mean I can catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation. And it’s about time; I’ve been waiting all year for this!

If you’re like me and plan on spending a little extra time in the bedroom this holiday season what better gift to give (or receive) than something that makes your holiday snoozing a bit more enjoyable. Today, I’m going to offer some suggestions for Christmas gift ideas for the bedroom.

Candles. Maybe it’s just me, but candles always make a great gift. They can be romantic, relaxing or decorative, and come in almost every scent imaginable meaning that you’re sure to find a scent to please any nose. This Christmas, depart from the ordinary and get something a bit more festive. Try scents like cinnamon, Christmas tree, peppermint and vanilla to invoke holiday nostalgia in the bedroom.

Bed Sheets. 2012 will be packed with great new opportunities, and what better way to welcome the New Year than with comfortable sheets? If you live in a colder climate, flannel sheets are downright awesome! They aren’t as cold when you first get into bed and they keep you snug as a bug throughout those snowy winter nights. If you live somewhere more temperate, a new set of prima cotton sheets is equally as rewarding. Bonus points for gifting a new set of sheets to your significant other, as you can enjoy the gift as well! Charles P. Rogers has some great bed sheets on sale this holiday; so don’t forget to check out our online store.

Pillows. Along the same lines as sheets, new pillows may be just what the doctor ordered this Christmas. Depending on your preferences and budget, the options are almost limitless. For me, nothing beats a high-quality, medium firm, down-filled pillow. When choosing a new pillow, it helps to feel it in person. Also, ask the sales representative what pillows work best for your style of sleeping as back, stomach and side sleepers benefit from different types of pillows.

Bedroom Furniture. This Christmas can be an excellent opportunity to upgrade your bedroom furniture. A new sleigh bed (very “Christmassy”), armoire, dresser, or other accent piece could be waiting in Santa’s sleigh for you this year. If you already have the bedroom furniture that’s right for you, a new mattress also makes for a great gift idea that keeps giving.

So when you’re doing your holiday shopping this Christmas, don’t overlook the bedroom. The gift of a good night’s sleep never goes out of style!

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Christmas Presents, Design, family

Post by Craig Jenkins.

Hello out there. Didn’t the year just fly by? Seems like just yesterday we were flipping the calendar over to 2011. Now it’s practically over. Thanksgiving has come (and with it, the modest beginning of the Christmas rush). Hopefully all of you haven eaten to your hearts’ delight and gotten in some quality time with family and friends. Maybe even a little football? Whatever the case may be, we at Charles P. Rogers wish you all a happy, healthy holiday and many more to come. (And try and get some sleep. Those doorbuster sales are battlefields!)

We wanted to alert you to a lovely bit of press we received recently. Have any of you heard of Nate Berkus? He’s a superstar interior decorator whose talents made him a regular guest on Oprah. He’s got a show of his own, now, and in a recent segment entitled Design Indulgences that was devoted to beautiful and cost effective ways to furnish your own “bedroom sanctuary”, Nate featured our own line of iron canopy beds. We appreciate the nod, and we love the show. Best wishes to everyone involved.

http://www.thenateshow.com/videos/detail/3095/coming-up-design-indulgences/

Tags: bedroom, beds, Charles P. Rogers, Design, furniture, Nate Berkus