Affordable Italian Bedding from Sferra

Sferra has just released two affordable new Italian bedding sets. Both of these items are made in Italy to the highest standards.

Fiona, shown here, is a very soft classic cotton sateen with a fine sheen to the surface that is produced during the weaving process. Sheet pricing starts at about $100, perfect for entry-level decorating.

Grande Hotel Maid Easy is an alternate version of the classic Grande Hotel embroidered sheeting with a satin-stitch border. The new Maid Easy version blends Egyptian Cotton and polyester to create a sheet that has the feel of the original without the need for excessive ironing. Sheet pricing starts at about $80.

New Italian Bedding from Sferra

Laughlin Designs is pleased to present Sferra's new Fall 2009 Italian bedding collection. The centerpiece of this ensemble is Dhara, an eleborate floral and leaf patterned Jacquard. Dhara follows the Sferra tradition of richly woven focal-point fabrics for the bed, and coordinates nicely with any ivory or champagne color scheme. The other main pattern in the collection is Finley, a sateen embroidered with a sumptuous scrolling pattern.

Kill Dust Mites & Fluff Pillows in Your Dryer

As many people with allergies know, the dust mites that live in all pillows can be a powerful irritant. Here's a useful tip: I put my down pillows (the ones we use regularly) in the dryer every 4 weeks. It not only fluffs them but kills mites!

This technique has been verified by work published in the prestigious Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The idea is that dry heat of 105°C, or 221°F, which can be achieved in a typical clothes dryer on the "medium" setting, is enough to kill absolutely all mites in bedding. You'll want to heat the bedding all the way through, so 10 minutes is appropriate for blankets, while 20-30 minutes might be needed for dry pillows.

Need to control allergies? Fluff your pillows in the dryer from time to time. Need new pillows? Check out our selection of pillows at Laughlin Designs.

New 1891 by Sferra: Garden Escape Collection

This week we've added the new Garden Escape Collection from 1891 by Sferra. As usual, Sferra has designed a fun and lively bedding set that draws on bright colors and soft fabrics to create a cheerful mood and a cozy bed. Jinnee, the focal point of the new ensemble, is a delightful all-over mini floral print that has an energetic, almost pointillist quality when viewed from a distance. Maybelle and Kippy are embroidered with nicely coordinating large-scale flowers and leaves.

And, don't forget, at Laughlin Designs all 1891 by Sferra items ship free of charge!