Bedding - Part 3

Why You Should Use Comforters and Duvet Covers

We have been in business since 1952, and needless to say, trends in bedding have changed many times since then.

For example, there was a time when down comforters (also called duvet inserts) were very popular in Europe, but hadn’t yet caught on here in the United States. They were expensive, and weren’t machine washable. We realize that a good comforter filled with premium white goose down can be an investment, but it’s one that will last a long time with proper care. But, as mentioned, because of price and washability, we only sold a limited number at InnStyle.

After the advent of more affordable polyester-filled comforters, customers came to realize that they had a good top-of-bed addition to their bedrooms, using a comforter with a duvet cover. There are many very good polyester-filled comforters that are long-lasting, washable and less expensive. Comforters filled with goose, duck and polyester are available with many different weights of fill.

We realize that a good comforter filled with premium white goose down can be an investment, but it’s one that will last a long time with proper care.

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Introducing Our Keep the Peace Bedding

The search for the right blanket can depend on the climate where you live, but also on the person with whom you share your home.

Let us know if this sounds familiar: You get cold at night. Your husband or wife gets too hot. You want a blanket. They don’t.

Our new blanket was made for couples like you.

It is called Keep the Peace, and it’s designed to do just that.

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Should You Worry About the Binding on Textile Products?

An innkeeper has a lot to think about when shopping for new quilts, or coverlets, or high-quality blankets.

For starters, there’s the visual attractiveness of the item, which is of paramount importance in the lodging industry. There’s also the quality—or lack thereof—with which the item been constructed.
How about the level of comfort a coverlet or quilt, for instance, will bring to a customer? The comfort of a guest room item is certainly something that’s worth thinking about long and hard.
And of course, there are the dual matters of price and value: Given its design, its construction, and the materials used to make it, is the product you’re interested in fairly priced?

If you’re an innkeeper or a B&B proprietor who has purchased your fair share of bedding supplies and bath accessories, those are probably all decisions that sound familiar. But when deciding whether or not to buy a certain pillow, say, or a set of throw rugs, have you ever given any sort of consideration to the product’s binding?

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On Quilts and Coverlets: Understanding the Difference

What’s the difference between a quilt and a coverlet?

That’s a query we encounter from time to time here at InnStyle, and it’s certainly a fair enough question. Let’s start with a general description of a quilt, which, traditionally speaking, is essentially a cover that can be used in many different ways.

What else?

A quilt has a layer of batting — or padding — which is placed between two layers of fabric and then stitched into a specific pattern or design to hold the layers in place. Batting (or padding) is a soft, bulky assembly of fibers that provides loft and a layer of insulation.

There are actually two different types of quilts. One type of quilt uses a single piece of fabric for the top layer. A piecework quilt, meanwhile, joins smaller sections of fabric together to create its top layer. The underside of a piecework quilt will generally be a one-piece (solid color) fabric.

Pieced quilts are made from fabrics that may have been used previously as clothing, upholstery, drapery, bedding, or any other fabric that’s no longer being worn or used in its original form. Some quilters will purchase bolts or yards of fabric, and then cut that fabric into smaller pieces to create a quilt of their own design. This style of quilt often makes an interesting cover for a bed, couch, throw or chair.

Coverlets can be a solid, a print, a stripe or one of many types of fabrics including Matelassé. Most Matelassé products are of a heavier cotton fabric (although some are made with a cotton/polyester fabric) which can give the appearance of padding, although they’re not filled with batting of any sort. This look is meant to mimic the style of hand-stitched quilts made in France.

Specialty jacquard looms or quilting machines are used to give a Matelassé fabric a unique appearance of intricate designs, raised patterns, indentations, and the padded look often associated with quilts.

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How Important Is Thread Count When Choosing A Sheet?

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding thread count in the bedding industry, and we’d like to use this blog post as an opportunity to clear up some of that misunderstanding.

First of all, it’s important to understand that bed sheets weren’t always judged by thread count alone. In fact, the high thread count story barely existed prior to the mid-1990s. And yet even today, it’s still the first question most customers ask about bed linens.

Don’t misunderstand: Thread count certainly is an important way to judge the quality — or lack thereof — of a bed sheet. But it’s only one of many factors you should consider when comparing linens. Other important sheeting quality indicators include fiber quality, yarn size, finishing, and the actual construction of the sheets.

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Which Type of Bed Sheets Last the Longest?

Q. How long should my bed sheets last?

This is a question we’re asked frequently by innkeepers who are attempting to keep their costs to a reasonable minimum, and also by customers who only plan to use their bed sheets at home.

No matter who’s doing the asking, though, it’s a wise question to ask. Because bed sheets—especially well-made and comfortable bed sheets—can be costly. And for both hospitality and home use, most experts recommend having a minimum of three sets of sheeting per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash, and one in the closet. In between each use, we recommend laundering and then storing your linens in a well-ventilated space.

But take heart: With proper care, fine bed linens can last for many years, regardless of whether you’re using them exclusively in the home, or in a busy hotel or inn with a heavy guest turnover.

To ensure that your bed sheets will last as long as possible, alternate the use of each set on a weekly basis for home use. For innkeepers, of course, sheets need to be changed each time a guest checks out and a new guest arrives. Depending on the level of turnover, innkeepers will find that the majority of their sheets need to be replaced much sooner than a homeowner will need to replace hers.

For best results when laundering, use a non-chlorine bleach and a gentle liquid detergent not a fabric softener as it will lessen the life of the fabric and add a substance that does not allow the fabric to breathe. Wash on a gentle cycle with warm water, then tumble dry until slightly damp.

Pro tip: Over drying or drying on too hot a setting is the single biggest factor in reducing the life of your sheets. This is why we suggest taking your sheets out while slightly damp. Once smoothed and folded, most sheeting will be less wrinkled. Again, you can touch up with an iron on the hem of the flat sheet and pillowcase hem.

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How to Choose the Right Pillow

The type of pillow we use to sleep on at night doesn’t necessarily seem like the most important thing in the world, does it?

But consider this: The vast majority of us spend a full one-third of our lives in bed, with our heads placed firmly on a pillow. And if you’re using a pillow that’s too hard, too soft, too firm, or too weak, both your neck and your spine will suffer as a result.

In the short term, a low-quality pillow will also lead to a less-than-ideal night’s sleep. That’s why choosing the right pillow—the best pillow—has always been such a difficult and even agonizing decision for innkeepers.

Naturally, the comfort of an innkeeper’s guests is always a top-of-mind concern. But whether you’re running a luxury hotel or your own small household, there are a few other pillow-specific considerations to bear in mind.

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How to Maximize the Life of Your Mattresses

A comfortable mattress is not only a necessity, but also an investment into your health and well-being.

We all rely on our mattresses to provide us with a clean and comfortable night’s rest. Unfortunately, the quality of a mattress is often overlooked until you start experiencing an achy back or lose multiple nights of sleep.

While there is not a single type of mattress that is perfect for everyone, taking a few steps to capitalize on the life of your mattress can make you realize other multiple health benefits.

Here are a few tips that will help your mattresses last a little bit longer.

Keep the Mattress Dry

The one thing that can cut back on the life of your mattress is moisture. Whenever you sleep, your body generates moisture in the form of sweat that gets trapped in your blankets or the mattress. This becomes even more persistent during the spring and summer months, particularly if you reside in a humid environment where the air remains damp, which prevents the evaporation of moisture.

The trapped moisture can get the spring and the foam inside affected. Worse still, the mattress can sag, grow mold, develop rust, or give off an unpleasant odor if not aerated and dried as soon as possible.

To protect your mattress from moisture, leave it uncovered for awhile after waking up in order to aerate it. In the case of spillage, wipe the affected area immediately with a towel. Directing a fan or a blower at an uncovered bed can also help drive away the moisture.

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Monogramming Your Robes, Towels, Bed, Bath and Table Linens

Monogramming for Innkeepers

Many of our bed-and-breakfast, country inn and upscale hotel customers provide monogrammed robes in every guest room. Innkeepers find their guests love these robes and quite often want to purchase them. Simply putting a small tag on the robe hanger can explain to the guest that if they wish to purchase the robes, new robes are available for sale at the front desk.

Some innkeepers have little shops or a few shelves behind the front desk where they show inventory of many of the monogrammed items used in the rooms. Monogramming your robes not only reminds guests where they stayed but also brings back the many fond memories they made while staying at your property.

Crests, logos and initials can be monogrammed on all bath and bedding items. All monogrammed orders must be approved before work can be completed.

We use a two-step approval process:

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How to Make the Perfect Bed

Whether you’re running a three-room bed and breakfast from your quaint seaside cottage or a bustling 50-room boutique hotel in a trendy urban locale, making the perfect bed is one of your most important tasks.

Large hotels understand the importance most travelers place on getting a good night’s rest in a comfortable and luxurious bed, so much so that hotel chains have spent millions of dollars in recent years in what industry insiders have dubbed “the bed wars”.

Thanks to research conducted by large hotel chains, one thing we do know is that by and large, guests tend to associate white bedding as being the most comfortable, luxurious and calming. Do remember, though, that such a simple color palette need not be boring. You can really let your creativity shine by mixing up multiple layers and textures, and by accessorizing with tasteful pops of color.

Here, we’ll show you not only how to protect one of your most important investments — your mattresses — but also how to make your bed in the manner that will be most appealing to your guests.

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