Oleander for Home

Holiday Hours!

2011-12-21T10:16:00.004-05:00

I've decided to close the store for a few days after Christmas and New Year's in order to give my staff (and myself!) a chance to enjoy a bit more time with our families than retailers might otherwise get. Also, the break after New Years should help us all come back bright eyed and ready for the big job of getting the White Sale ready to start in February.

The following are the 2011/2012 Holiday Hours:
Thu December 22 10-8
Fri December 23 10-8
Sat December 24 10-6 ***
Sun December 25 Closed
Mon December 26 Closed
Tue December 27 Closed
Wed December 28 12-4
Thu December 29 10-8
Fri December 30 10-8
Sat December 31 10-4
Sun January 1 Closed
Mon January 2 Closed
Tue January 3 Closed

Regular hours resume on Wednesday January 4 at 10am. Those ***'s on Christmas Eve mean that the close time might be a little flexible. If it's really quiet in the Market and the girls haven't had anyone in for hours they'll close at 4. If it's really busy and the store is full of last minute shoppers they'll stay late. When in doubt give us a call. You can find the store number on the website at www.oleanderforhome.com.

We hope to see you over the Holidays and wish you a very relaxing, restful and merry Christmas!

It's a Heat Wave Sale!

2011-07-22T16:41:00.006-04:00

Like many places across North America, it is very, very hot in Ottawa right now. So I've been inspired to run a little sale in the hopes that we can help keep you cool. If you're a regular blog reader you know how I generally feel about sales so you can guess that this one is a little special. Here are the deets:

Heat Wave Sale!
One of the best ways to stay cool is to surround yourself with linen. Its amazing feel and extreme breathability make it the ideal fabric to sleep, lounge and live in when it's firey hot and crazy humid out. Oleander is going to help you keep your cool by putting our 100% linen items on sale! Save 30% on Bella Notte linen sheets, Dawson & Homespun duvet covers and shams, Eve & Milo lounge wear by Alexandre Turpault, LinenMe linen towels and all table linens! The sale is on until it cools down or while supplies last.

It wouldn't be a blog post without some sneak peaks to tempt you!

See you soon!

Inspiration: The Empress's Bedroom

2011-05-30T15:40:00.007-04:00

Picking up where I left off in Part one of the Bedroom Inspiration series I'm going to look at how something so fantastic and grand as the Empress's Bedroom in the Grand Trianon at Versailles can be the inspirational starting point for a gorgeous and liveable bedroom in anyone's home.

I had the pleasure of visiting Versailles last year while in France for Maison&Objet and one of the many and fabulous bedrooms in the Grand Trianon has stayed with me ever since.

So today I've put together a little story board with some pieces that can be used not to re-create the Empress's Bedroom, but that can bring the feel and style of it into your home. I'm going to keep the colour scheme of the original but change the placement of the colours into something a little easier to live with. Re-gilding the bed after denting it with the vacuum cleaner would be a total pain so I'll stick to accents for the gold, make ivory the main focus and keep the gorgeous hot pink to a few pieces on the bed.

Starting with the top centre photo I've used the Alyce head board in Loft Alps. It's a modified wing back freestanding headboard with a slight curve at the top and very light button tufting. The Alyce has a softness from it's curvy lines yet is still clean and contemporary so it fits in any room. The soft chenille fabric has a slight shine that gives it a bit of luxury.

The gold tone sunburst mirror is a design classic and gives the room a bit of the glitter that is requisite for a room inspired by Versailles.

I've gone with Bella Notte's Colette Floral in Champagne for the duvet cover and shams. It's a gorgeous soft and shiny jacquard that is as comfy to sleep with as it is beautiful. Bella makes it using both sides of the fabric so one side shows more gold and the other more white, which means that you can add or subtract a bit of the glam gold depending on your mood!

I've gone with Scramble Fuchsia by Pine Cone Hill for the hot, hot pink. I love the pink so I'd go with three (for a queen) or four (for a king) Euro's and the coverlet. I would layer the coverlet over a sheet set done in a soft ivory, but under the duvet. That way the pink can be covered or revealed depending on how little or much pop was required.

Next up I've added some real glam in the form of a mirrored dresser. This one has slightly antiqued mirroring that shows slightly gold. It's a great piece to add the gold tone sparkle required without going overboard. Mirrored furniture is also great for adding light and the impression of space to a smaller room.

Lastly I've got the gold and crystal chandelier. This is one of the pieces in the room that you can save on by buying a petite and restrained version or go big on with a gold and crystal extravaganza. In the background of the chandelier image I've put in a lovely pale aqua green with a touch of grey in it. It's a great choice for the wall colour as it will cool the whole palette and give the room a nice modern edge.

For more information about the Empress's Bedroom please visit the official Chateau de Versailles website.

Bedroom Inspiration Part 1

2011-05-27T15:22:00.007-04:00

I've had a fairly large number of clients in lately who were having a hard time finding a place to start when decorating their bedrooms. So I'm going to share some of the websites and blogs that I visit when I need to start a project or just have the desire to look at some pretty.

Often when beginning the process of putting a room together we do have a place to start. It can be a painting, some drapery or upholstered furniture that needs to stay, an antique vase or even a favourite scarf. Any of those can give you a colour palette or dictate the requirements of the rest of the room. For instance, a bold, multicoloured abstract painting can require that the walls and bed linens be white, the furniture be minimal and low profile in order to best show the drama of the work and from it an accent colour can be chosen for a throw blanket and toss cushions, a vase or candles and an area rug that pulls the room into the painting and softens the starkness of an otherwise white room. There are many, many ways to draw an entire room around a single object.

There are however times when we are presented with a truly blank slate, a completely fresh start. And sometimes the hardest room to decorate is the blank slate. At the store I keep six beds fully made up along with lots of other options that we can pull together but what I have on the floors won't necessarily appeal to everyone. I have literally hundreds of fabric samples to look through and play with, but there are many people who are unable to visualize the finished room from small samples. And there is nothing wrong with that at all! So when frustration starts to set in I tell people that taking the time to find inspiration is a good thing. Whether it's from magazines, blogs, tv shows or catalogues, take it where you can find it, bring it in to me and we can create something perfect for you.

The following are some of the places I love to browse through to get inspired and to drool over.

Design*Sponge is a fantastic site full of design and decor how-tos, before & afters and sneak peaks as well as great city guides, drool worthy recipes and up and coming trend spotting.

Apartment Therapy is a huge, huge, site packed full of fantastic interiors. It can be a little difficult to navigate but if you use their search bar and the term "roundup+bedroom" you'll end up with links to countless articles.

DesignTripper is one of my newly found favourites. The photography is stunning and the locations they feature are extremely worthy of your daily daydream allotment.

Houzz is a massive collection of photos. You can use their filters to select room style (ie eclectic, traditional) to help narrow it down a bit. There isn't any content so you can see a lot of images in a short time.

I Want That Bedroom is a similar site with many photos of gorgeous rooms. Again you can filter the results using the tags, but it is a smaller site than some of the others so go ahead and scroll though. You'll enjoy it!

Okay, that's good for now. I'll be back with Part 2 of this post early next week. There will be more links and a couple of bedrooms based on a single object starting point.

Have a great weekend!

What's on the beds?

2011-05-20T14:17:00.017-04:00

So I've been promising this post for ages on Twitter and it's finally ready. Almost everything that I've ordered for the spring/summer seasons has arrived so it's time to get the photos up. Starting at the front of the store and working back here is what we're showing for the season.

Bella in Sea Glass. This bed combines a Peony duvet cover, Homespun coverlet & shams, Whisper bed scarf & cases, Linen gathered bed skirt and Celeste toss cushions in Sea Glass with Linen sheets and Whisper bed scarf in White all by Bella Notte.

My current favourite is Wax by Alexandre Turpault. The vibrant pattern makes me smile every time I look at it. Even better is the fact that it can fit into rooms of many different colours as there are two shades of green, two aquas, two purples and three reds on the white ground. I'm showing it on the sky blue Frankie bed combined with our Lara sheets in white. Did I mention that it comes in a second colour as well? It's a more subtle version with tones of green, aqua and yellow on a pale aqua background.

Also by Alexandre Turpault is Mae in Silver. I've paired it with St.Geneve's Capri sheets and euro shams in Dusky Violet. It's a very soft modern floral in dusty tones of silver, mauve and taupe with some white highlights. It does really well on the deep charcoal fabric of the Franco bed and would look just as good on dark woods or leather.

On the cream coloured Alyce bed is Ophelia by Revelle paired with our light blue Lara sheets. I really like the flexibility of this pattern. It's a floral, but one that isn't overly feminine and it certainly isn't fussy. Pairing this pattern with the pale blue sheets gives it softness and a bit of warmth but it can just as easily be done with a pure white sheet for a bit of extra punch. I also really like the idea of doing this pattern on a dark chocolate or even black framed bed and adding some super vibrant accents (acid green!) to give it a fun, modern feel.

Tokyo plum is an abstract plum and dusty violet print on a background that fades from a very pale pink to a soft lilac. I've paired it with a dove grey sheet to tone down the pink a little bit. For a higher drama factor it can be combined with dark purple or aubergine sheets.

Last but not least is Melisande by Manuel Canovas.
Canovas is a new company to us and I couldn't resist this print combination. In a couple of ways it's not the norm for Oleander, the floral is a pretty traditional one and the colour combination is a little louder than I usually go for, but like I said, I just couldn't resist this one. I think that it's the three tone tent stripe in combination with the floral that's a little unexpected. The colour combination is also pretty much unbeatable.

So that's it for what I'm showing on the beds. Additionally we have Anne de Solenne Duetto in Topaz & Cumulus, some Homespun in Sea Glass and Dawson in Sand by Bella Notte on the shelves along with lots of other bits and pieces. We've Also got some really great new accessories, bath products and pj's in but I think that's going to have to wait for another post. Have a great long weekend and we hope to see you if you're going to be in the Market.

The Dreaded Price Increase

2011-04-14T10:42:00.006-04:00

One of the hardest things that I deal with as a retailer is price fluctuation at wholesale and retail levels. There are many things that I can do in store to try and hold the line on prices and I do try my hardest to hold prices but there does come a time when there aren't any options left and my prices go up. I'm going to try and explain what's been happening with my manufacturers and why you'll, unfortunately, be seeing increases on my floor in the coming weeks. I'm by no means an expert on this stuff though, so this post is the best of my understanding of the issues. I get most of my information from my manufacturers representatives and trade publications.

Due to the fact that I deal primarily with goods made from natural fibers like cotton, silk and linen there are a huge number of factors that can affect the prices that you'll see in my store. The most basic of those factors is the weather. Last summer the terrible flooding that killed thousands and left so many people homeless is Pakistan also wiped out the country's entire cotton crop. As the world's fourth largest exporter of cotton this represented a massive hit to the cotton market. This shortage to the supply started to affect the manufacturers that I deal with in the fall of last year. At that time most of them were able to absorb the increases with only a few passing on increases to me, which I absorbed rather than raising the prices you see.

Now, here's where it gets tricky. As we all know the developing world is changing very quickly. Demand for consumer goods in places like China and India is growing very rapidly. Countries that used to export almost all of the textile goods produced there are now keeping much of the production for internal consumption. While I don't purchase textiles from Asian manufacturers it still affects my suppliers. Because the demand for cotton is starting to outpace the supply, the cost of all cotton goes up. The same goes for down, silk and wool. The mid to higher end goods that I deal with are being purchased in vast quantities by companies who used to buy only the cheap stuff. Furthermore, my manufacturers are placing orders one day and being told a week or a month later that the price has doubled, or that the order was canceled due to unavailability of raw goods. The result of all this is that I receive price lists that are only good for one or two months, I frequently get notices that cotton velvet or some other fabric is unavailable for the foreseeable future and that my costs are going up.

The following are a couple of links to articles I've found useful and informative: Home Textiles, Blogging Stocks, Home Textiles

So what does that all mean? Well, it means that I've had to raise some prices. Bella Notte hit us with a 20% - 25% percent increase earlier this year. I've been able to offset that a bit by tightening up the way I order Bella, which decreases my import and shipping costs. The high Canadian dollar helps as well. So with Bella, I've been able to keep it to approximately a 10% increase. CuddleDown also gave us 15% + increases this February on everything from towels and sheets to duvets. I can't absorb the increase on the towels but I've not yet raised the prices on the cotton bedding. I'd also purchased a rather lot of their Brome Lake duvets in January so I have those at the lower price. The new St.Geneve catalouge arrived this morning and pretty much everything has gone up from duvets and pillows to bedding, protectors and towels. The good news there is that I currently have a lot of stock of their Lajord and Zeigler duvets so the old prices are good until I have to re-order. I also have a fair amount of Heirloom, Hutterite and Chateau pillows so they will also stay at the lower price while supplies last. Additionally, I am always looking for ways to fine tune my buying and shipping expenditures so I'll keep doing my best in order to keep prices fair.

It's not totally bleak though, while doing a bit of reading this morning there were a couple of articles that noted that India is on track to see fairly dramatic increases in crop harvests this year and cotton production and milling in the US appears to be on the rise as well. So I'll stay hopeful that the dramatic fluctuations we've been seeing lately will even out soon rather than later.

This Twitter Thing

2011-03-10T17:18:00.005-05:00

So I've started Tweeting. Is that the right word for it? Well, whatever it's called, I'm doing it. I know that I have difficulty finding the time to sit down and write an interesting and informative blog post with any degree of regularity. I also know that I am really quite neglectful about getting the official website updated with product changes. I'm hoping that I'll find it easy to tweet a sentence or two about what's going on in the store at any given time.

Today, for instance, I tweeted that the spring arrivals from LinenMe have arrived. As it turns out I have more than enough time to do a blog post due to unbelievably nasty weather conditions, but hey, the more info you get the better right?

One of the biggest complaints I hear in store is how difficult it can be to get into the Byward Market and how hard it is to find parking so I'm hoping that I can use Twitter to do the occasional parking update. I can see quite a bit of the York Street street parking lot from my back window as well as Clarence Street and a bit of Murray Street from the front so I thought it might be helpful to people coming in to see us if they know in advance what the parking situation is like. Sounds good?

Like with the LinenMe (@linen_luxury in case you were curious) tweet today, I'll try to do product arrivals as they come in as well as the parking thing, announcements about sales and events and, if I get really good at this stuff, tweets about shopping the trade shows, inspiration and general things I love.

Are you with me? You can find me on Twitter @OleanderforHome.

But just for you blog reader, a couple of photos of the new arrivals.

It's time for the White Sale!

2011-02-10T19:29:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again. I'm not sure I'm ready for it, but I have a feeling that you are. Tuesday February 15th marks the start of our annual White Sale. I feel the need to capitalize in the middle of a sentence because it's kind of a big deal. If you're a regular at Oleander for Home, you'll know that Sales are a very rare thing for me. Sure, I discount floor model bedding or pj's if there are some left at the end of the season. Every now and then I'll even have to clear product that wasn't a good fit for the store. But a store wide sale? It happens only twice a year. One is Oleander's Anniversary Party, held in the last week of November each year, when I extend a discount of 15% on all purchases made at the event. It's a three hour invitation only party that doubles as a fund raiser for the Ottawa Food Bank. And you heard that right: it's a store wide sale that lasts for a mere three hours. I do it every year as a thank you to my clients and because it's fun. The big deal, or real deal I guess, is the White Sale. It runs from February 15th to March 15th every year. Almost, and I do mean almost, everything in the store goes on sale. And let me tell you - the discounts are, for the most part, much bigger than that 15% you'll get at the Anniversary Party.

So what's the deal with the White Sale? Why is it so special? It's like this: I don't like the idea of using sales and discounts to sell products. I believe that merchants should strive to offer great products at fair prices and provide excellent service to back it up. Stores that are constantly offering sales, promotions and massive discounts simply can't survive and still offer great products at fair prices with excellent service. Something has to give. You're going to end up with inferior products, overinflated "regular" prices or poor to non-existent customer service. There's no real way that I could offer the products I have at the prices I do if I was discounting and offering sales every time someone asked "is that on sale now?" So again, why a big sale if it's impossible to have big sales? It's because I only do it once a year and I work hard to get it right. I'm able to go to my suppliers and buy the beautifully made linens that they need to clear in order to make room for the next year's fabrics. I bring in carefully selected duvet cover sets and sheets sets in fabrics that, for one reason or another, are being phased out or that the manufacturer simply overstocked. I buy locally made duvets and pillows in very large quantities (well, very large for a small independent store!) and pass on the volume discounts to my clients. The same goes with towels, robes and bath products. The timing of the White Sale is also very important. I go to trade shows at the end of January and take advantage of the show specials that my manufacturers use to entice me to spend more at a time of year that I might otherwise hold the purse strings tight. So there you have it. That's the deal with the Oleander for Home White Sale.

This year I have Revelle duvet cover & sheet sets, Brome Lake duvets & pillows, Bella Notte bedspreads & linen sheet sets, Peacock Alley coverlets, Amenity duvet covers, cushions and wall prints, throws, blankets, Alexandre Turpault bedding and loungewear, Royal Apothic fragrances, Portofino, LinenMe & Talesma towels, BedHead pj's and robes, Bath Matters locally made bath products, LinenWay table linens, Caldrea home care products and lighting too. It's all on sale while supplies last or until March 15th.

But I'm not really done yet . . .

In a slightly shocking turn of events a lot of my White Sale goods have shown up early. So you, beloved blog reader, get to take advantage of the deals a little early. The official notices won't go out for a couple of days yet but there are lots of great deals to be had right now. Come in and see me, you definitely won't regret it.

New Years+Table Linen=Disaster Averted!

2010-12-28T11:46:00.002-05:00

One of the things I hear a lot of at the store goes something like this: "I love linen table cloths but my friends get a little carried away with the red wine and well, you know . . ." Being the celebratory time of year that it is I though that now might be a good time for a post on tips to keep your linen in good shape without resorting to white wine only dinner parties.

It certainly is heartbreaking to find that your best linens have been permanently stained but don't fret. Heartbreak can be avoided with a little extra effort at the end of the evening a keeping a few easy supplies around. This biggest mistake we make when dealing with soiled linens is leaving the clean up for later. I know that it's a bit of a pain to have to deal with stain removal at the end of a fabulous party when you'd really rather sit back and put your feet up for a few minutes, but if you take care of your table linens right away you'll save yourself a lot of work later on.

The most common culprit in the ruination of tablecloths is red wine but the up side is that if you can treat it immediately it will come out very easily. For tiny little drops don't sweat it, you can rub a little salt on them and soak the cloth overnight in cold water before it goes in the washer the next day. For larger spills however, you best bet is to have a clean cotton terry towel and a can or two of club soda handy. Lift the cloth up from the table and place your towel underneath then pour the soda over the wine until it's removed. It will be a little awkward with your guests around the table but it can wait until the course is cleared and it really can save the cloth.

Other common stains are covered in the list below. A few things to keep in mind is that you'll generally want to err on the side of caution in order to avoid damaging the cloth. So where the list says "rub" go gently, you don't want to scrub the fabric. Additionally keep in mind that the following tips are generally geared for white or natural colour linens and using substances like peroxide, bleaching agents and borax on bright or dark colours is not always a good idea. Borax can be found in the laundry care isle of your grocery store.

In general I recommend washing your table linens in a luke warm wash with cold rinse then hanging to dry. If you are going to press your linens the job will be easier if you do your ironing while the cloth is still damp.

BERRIES AND FRUIT: If the stain is still wet, sprinkle with salt and gentle liquid soap. Let sit for a couple of hours, and rinse well. If the stain is dry, a solution of borax (one part borax to six parts water) may remove the stain. Soak until it has disappeared.

BLOOD: Attend to bloodstains immediately. Rinse well in cold water (never hot—it will permanently set the stain), then try one of the following: a) sprinkle the stain with unflavored meat tenderizer; or b) blot on hydrogen peroxide with a damp cloth, allow to bubble, then wipe with a fresh cloth. Repeat if necessary. For dried bloodstain: soak overnight in cold water and two cups of salt. Wash as usual.

BUTTER OR MARGARINE: Mix one teaspoon of detergent with warm water. Apply to spot and blot. You may need to repeat a few times. Or mix one part white vinegar and two parts water. Saturate the stain and blot until dry. Wash as usual. You can also try the method for old or set grease stains as listed below.

CANDLE WAX ON TABLE LINENS: Gently peel away the wax that can easily be removed with your fingernail. If the wax is soft, harden with an ice cube. Place the item between two sheets of brown paper, and press with a warm iron; the remaining wax will be absorbed by the paper. If the wax is colored, spot clean with a very mild, diluted, bleaching agent. If grease residue remains follow the directions for set grease stains as below.

COFFEE OR TEA: Apply a borax solution (1 part borax to six parts water) directly to the stain, then wash in warm, soapy water.

GREASE: Do not allow grease stains to set! Sprinkle fresh grease stains with baking soda or cornstarch and leave for a couple of hours until the powder gets thick. Scrape away and repeat the process. Brush off the powder and launder as usual. For old or set stains spot clean with a mild, clear dish washing liquid then launder normally. If the stain remains try the following: using baking soda/cornstarch and an iron. You'll sprinkle the stain with cornstarch and press it between two clean lint free cloths (linen for preference but cotton is o.k. too) with an iron set at the highest heat but with no steam.

GRASS (on tablecloths): Mix one-third cup vinegar and two-thirds cup water. Apply to stain and blot. Or pre-soak in hydrogen peroxide and launder as usual.

LIPSTICK: Scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife. Use a pre-wash spray or mild liquid dish liquid and rub with a clean white towel. Wash as usual. You can also use the grease treatment if a colourless spot remains after the first treatment.

MILDEW: Apply white vinegar and lemon juice to kill the mildew. Let the item sit in the sun for a few hours. Wash as usual, but separately.

SCORCH MARKS: Treat the same way as mildew, but drying in the sun is not necessary.

WINE: White wine is easily removed with normal laundering. Red wine stains can be handled two ways: a) rub salt on the stain, and soak in cold water or b) saturate the stain with club soda until it disappears. I recommend the second way while the stain is still wet and on the table. Use a cotton terry underneath the stain to absorb the soda and the wine.

But really try not to worry too much about your linens, they are intended to be beautiful and useful, to help make your home the lovely place it is. If you can't get a stain out there is a pretty good chance that a professional cleaner can and if even that fails there are always table runners and placemats to camouflage the problems.

Have a great holiday and a Happy New Year!

Yay! & Boo!

2010-10-30T10:24:00.005-04:00

I probably should have started doing Yay! & Boo! for traffic and parking updates ages ago, but better late than never right?

Yay! After almost a year of Sussex Drive being an almost unnavigable mess of torn up street, sidewalks that looked more like trenches, shouty construction workers and the odd excavation explosion there is finally hope. The new sidewalks have been laid and there is asphalt on the road! You can walk all the way down Sussex without risking life and ankle. There are still lane reductions in effect, but traffic is moving much more smoothly than it has in a very long time.

Boo! From 11 p.m., Friday, October 29 to 5 a.m.,Monday, November 1 there is a ramp closure and detours are in effect. The Nicholas exit of the 417 is closed for repair of the Transitway overpass. The city advises drivers to use either the Vanier Parkway exit or Metcalfe Street exit.

If the Vanier Parkway exit is better for you I would take it to St Patrick Street which will lead you straight into the Byward Market. The other option is to turn left onto Montreal Road where it crosses Vanier and follow that through Rideau Street turning right on Dalhousie into the Market.

If you're taking the Metcalfe exit (which is exit 119 Metcalfe /Catherine) you'll follow Metcalfe to the right and then the left around the Museum of Natural History then continue right on Metcalfe all the way down to Wellington. Turn left at Sussex Drive then right into the Market.

As far as the parking situation goes, as of 11 am this morning Saturday October 30, from my front door I can see four open spots on Clarence before Parent/Byward Market and a few more on Murray close to Sussex. From the back door across the Jeanne D'Arc Courtyard there are quite a few open spots (10+) on York Street. And as always there is city parking available. Follow this link for a map to the city's interactive traffic map.

The surprise sale ends on Monday!

2010-10-22T19:17:00.005-04:00

It's almost over! Our surprise sale ends on Monday October 25th.

Our "surprise sale" is winding down and we're running out of sale stuff but you still have the weekend to take advantage of some great deals.

We have some beautiful Amenity duvet covers, pillows and prints at 30%off. For the first time ever Talesma waffle towels and Archipelago's pomegranate bath collection are 50% off. There are still a few floor model steals to be had and we've got some very cozy blankets for a very good price.

See you this weekend!

Sale!

2010-09-20T11:00:00.003-04:00

We're having a sale!

Oleander for Home is doing an end of season clearance. It will run from today, September 20, until I'm not sure when!

We're clearing selected summer and floor model bedding, our organic towels and bath accents. The amenity collection, bedhead pyjamas, archipelago pomegranate bath products and our talesma waffle towels are also on sale.

As a thank you to our blog readers, mention that you read about the sale on our blog and you'll receive an extra 5% discount on any sale merchandise and a 15% discount on regular price table linens.

See you soon!

Folding a Fitted Sheet

2010-07-14T11:40:00.010-04:00

It's been ages since I did a tips and tricks post, so here goes. I'm using a king size fitted sheet with shower cap construction (elastic all the way around) to illustrate. After laundering (cold water with mild detergent and low dryer until just dry) remove from the dryer promptly and shake out the sheet over a large flat surface and fold as follows.

1. Place your hand into the pocket of the sheet with the underside of the seam facing out.
2. Bring the next corner on the short side of the sheet, the width of it, to the inside out pocket on your hand so that they are one over the other with the underside seams together. You should be looking at the good side of the sheet.
3. Repeat with the remaining corners so that all four corners are folded into one. Place on a flat surface and smooth until the edges sit as flat as possible. Don't worry if you find yourself pulling the elastic quite far into the the middle of the sheet. Smooth flat.4. Fold the side with the longest of the two elastic edges into the middle of the sheet. Smooth flat.
5. Fold the opposite side into the middle so that the two edges meet in the centre of the sheet. Smooth flat.

6. Fold in half lengthwise. Smooth flat.7. Most of the elastic is now in the top end of the length of sheet. Fold the top third of the sheet into the middle. Smooth flat.

8. Fold the bottom third over the rest of the folded sheet. Smooth flat.

That's it!

The Winner Is . . .

2010-04-10T13:07:00.003-04:00

Kelley is the winner of the Oleander for Home + ecochick Giveaway. She has been notified by e-mail and will soon be enjoying her bucket of lovely Ginger Pomelo goodness.

Thank you to every one who participated and I promise (yet again) that the powers of our mailing list will only be used for good and never evil. I'll keep the mailouts relevant, exciting and worth the time you'll spend reading them.

A big thanks to the fabulous ecochick for coordinating the giveaway. Keep reading her blog! She's informative, funny and likes to give stuff away!

This picture is a dramatic re-enactment of the very low tech, old school style draw we did to pick our winner.

Thanks again!

Oleander + Ecochick = Giveaway!

2010-04-02T12:49:00.004-04:00

For my first ever giveaway I'm going to send you the fantastic eco-friendly shopping blog that my friend ecochick writes. In her own words "ecochick is a consumer who's tired of "environmentally friendly" really meaning "expensive, inconvenient and ugly". It's time to make living green mainstream, fun, fresh and cool. Here you will find the latest in trendy, stylish fashion, beauty, home and more - all with the lovely aura of green." All that and she is awesome with the giveaways too! So when Caldrea sent me a bucket of Ginger Pomelo goodness I knew who to call to help me give it away.

Head over to www.ecochick.ca for all the details!

Edited to add: Today (April 9 2010) is the last day to sign up to be eligible for the giveaway. Do it! You could win!

Easter Holiday Hours

2010-04-01T23:18:00.004-04:00

With a beautiful forecast for the holiday weekend and lots of great new arrivals in the store I'm looking forward to seeing lots of happy people in the Byward Market this weekend. I'll be open the following hours:

Friday April 2 12-5
Saturday April 3 10-6
Sunday April 4 12-4
Monday April 5 10-6

Now, I've said that I'll be closed on Sunday, but if it's crazy nice out and the Market has been busy on the Friday and Saturday there's a chance that I'll open for a few hours. It would be best to give me a call (613.789.5999) to see if I'll be there, o.k.?

Edited to change the Sunday hours. It's been crazy busy, mostly due to the unbelievable weather we've had, so Oleander will be open from 12-4 on Easter Sunday.

News and White Sale!

2010-03-07T12:16:00.006-05:00

Things have been a little hectic around here lately. A few posts ago I wrote about the damage the store sustained due to flooding and that we would be undergoing a bit of renovation to repair the floor. Well, I've been in a bit of a holding pattern since then as the repairs and work all needed to be approved by my insurance company and then co-ordinated and scheduled by the contractor. That has taken a lot longer than I expected it to. I had been hoping that the work would be done late January or early February in order that I could still start my annual White Sale on the usual February 15th start date. Not so much. So without any idea of when the repairs would begin I put off the sale until the 22nd, started it without as much fanfare as it usually gets and hoped for the best. For better or worse, I'm not completely sure which, I got an e-mail just a few days ago letting me know that the repairs would begin after hours on the 8th of March. I'm optimistic and hopeful that Oleander will remain open and relatively normal during store hours and that the replacement of the damaged sections of my wood floor with shiny new tile will go quickly and without problems. Hey, I said hopeful and optimistic didn't I? I'm going to hold on to that!

In the meantime, the White Sale has been on for thirteen days and there are lots of great deals to be had until the 23rd of March or I run out of stuff! My beloved Organika towels have been discontinued by the manufacturer and I have all my remaining stock at 50% off. I've also decided to move away from the OhSo Soft bamboo rayon/cotton towels and robes to something new so the last of my stock in that line is also 50% off. I have some great bedding by Revelle at fantastic clearance prices, they have discontinued a number of collections and as always I'm passing on the huge discounts to you. I am letting go of floor model bedding by Bella Notte, Alexandre Turpault and a few Canadian manufacturer at discounts between 15% and 30%. I have a few Bedhead flannel robes, one pair of flannel pj's and a great little cotton gown all at half price. Half price Beadhead! There are also sales on Talesma Turkish waffle and waffle/terry towels and robes, White Moss and 1869 by Acca Kappa, throw blankets, accent cushions and Brome Lake duvets.

Trade Show Talk

2010-02-14T13:06:00.007-05:00

Over the last month or so I was able to get to four shows, two of which were new to me. First up, I hit Dallas for Dallas Market, which is a medium sized show with lots of large permanent showrooms and a few temporary booths, but unfortunately without much interesting product for me. I was able to see one of Bella Notte's big showrooms, which was really quite nice. Usually I see new collections from Bella at a small booth New York or when my rep comes to visit with samples, so it was really great to see a big room with many beds dressed in the new fabrics and colours. I took a couple of ideas from there that you'll see on my floor later this spring and summer.

The next stop was at the California Gift Show in Los Angeles. This show was unfortunately another slight disappointment. It was a very small show with only one or two interesting stops for me. One of them was highlighting Italian made organic bedding by Muse. It is really quite pretty, beautifully made and at a reasonable price point, but it's a new-ish collection that I think needs a bit of time to fill out a little before I make a decision to bring it to the floor. One of the highlights of the LA trip was a quick visit to the Amenity workshop. I've been dealing with those talented women for years so it was a real pleasure to get to meet them and get a sneak peak of their new spring patterns. I'll have lots of the new duvet covers and cushions on the floor by the middle to end of March.

After a few days back at the store I was off to the CGTA in Toronto. This show is where I check in with almost all of my Canadian suppliers to see what's new and what's changed. This time out I picked up a pretty printed sateen collection from St Geneve, two new patterns from Revelle and a great new pattern by a French company called Essix. I can't wait for it to start arriving!

After just a day and a half in Toronto, I was off to the NYIGF in New York. This show has been the place to find the newest of the new, and some of the most exciting things I bring into to the store. The last few seasons, given the economic situation in the US, the New York show has been a little unpredictable and occasionally disappointing. Vendors have been scaling back their collections and sticking to safe colours, some manufacturers have been downsizing their booths and others not going to the show at all. In August last year I was only able to find one new company - Alexandre Turpault, and had a bit of a difficult time filling the days I had allotted to spend at the show, so I went into this seasons trip thinking that it would be more of the same. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. This show was one of the best I've ever been to. Due to the down scaling of the larger manufacturers there were many new companies presenting collections. There were tiny little vendors, some of them more artisans than manufacturers, introducing collections for the first time and small scale manufacturers showing three times as much as they had in the past. It was amazing. I bought more new product this season than I have in a long time and I am very excited about all of it. I have gorgeous organic robes and gowns on the way, hand loomed organic Turkish towels and linen bath towels arriving this spring! New collections from some of the old favourites were also very strong and I'm really looking forward to the fuchsia Onam bedding I bought from Alexandre Turpault.

It will be a hugely colourful spring and summer at Oleander for Home. I can't wait!

Store News

2010-01-05T13:48:00.004-05:00

Yesterday morning, Monday the fourth of January, I came in to find a bit of a mess. The store has taken a bit of water damage from what our insurance company is calling an "unexpected plumbing failure" from the condo unit above us. The damage is limited to one part of the store, and while we lost some inventory and will have to do some restoration or replacement of the floor in the area, we are still open for business as usual. Even though we're a little disheveled, you're more than welcome to come in and shop, browse or even just pop in to say hi.

On a more pleasant note, it's nearing show season, so I'm getting ready to do a bit of traveling. This month I'm going to be heading to Dallas and Los Angeles to visit shows that are totally new to me. I'm hoping to find some smaller companies offering new and exciting collections that aren't currently available in Canada. Also, I'm planning on doing a little trend spotting in LA. (Trend spotting = shopping. Yay!) It will also be really nice to get out of the snow for a few days. Come February, I'm back to the shows I always go to, Toronto and New York. At those ones I'll be looking at the new lines from companies I already work with as well as looking for some new hidden gems.

At the shows, I'm expecting to see a lot of purples, greys and dove colours. I would like to see some rich reds as lots of clients are asking for them, but I'm not really optimistic about it. Is there anything you are really hoping to see in store for spring/summer?

Holiday Hours

2009-12-19T13:59:00.005-05:00

With the holidays drawing ever closer I thought it would be a good idea to let you know what the hours look like for the next few weeks. I'll be extending hours for a few days before Christmas and then taking a few days off.

Monday Dec. 21 to Wednesday Dec. 23 10 - 8
Thursday Dec 24 10 - 4
Friday Dec. 25 and Saturday Dec. 26 CLOSED
Sunday Dec. 27 11 - 5
Monday Dec. 28 to Wednesday Dec.30 10 - 6
Thursday Dec. 31 10 - 4
Friday Jan. 1 CLOSED
Saturday Jan. 2 10 - 6

I have lots of beautiful things, from pjs and robes to throws and ornaments, to make the best Christmas presents and to help decorate your home for the holidays. I hope to see you soon!

In the Store

2009-11-23T15:45:00.009-05:00

Since we've been busy dressing up the place in preparation for our anniversary party this week, I figured I'd take a few photos and let you see how the store is looking. My Christmas colours this year are a combination of pale aqua blue and antique gold. It's a little softer and slightly more traditional looking than I usually do, but I'm really happy with how it looks!

In the front window I'm showing Colette, Adele, New Primrose and Olivia in Silvermist, Celeste in Ginger and Linen in Champagne, all by Bella Notte. The headboard is Aylce, designed in store and built for us by Design Emphasis.

On our pale blue Frankie bed, also by Design Emphasis, I am showing Sati by Alexandre Turpault mixed with a little bit of Capri Navy by St Geneve. I'm anxiously waiting for more of the Sati collection to arrive. There are beautiful accent cushions and shams that will really complete this bed. On the Reeves bed I've got a great new collection from Linen Way. It's a linen jacquard that is as comfortable as it is gorgeous.

At the back of the store I've gone with a slightly more traditional Christmas colour scheme, with a focus on red and white. The Morpheus bed (more Design Emphasis) is dressed in our best basic collection Lara (400 tc Egyptian cotton from Portugal) in white, accented with red ribbon and a few accessories from EnGry & Siff. I've also brought in the Pomegranate collection from Archipelago, it's a great body care line from California that smells heavenly.

One of the other themes this season is birds. I don't remember it being intentional as I was doing the buying, but it shows up through out the store anyway. On the Franco bed I'm showing Dusk by CuddleDown, the Roslyn headboard has Deux Hirondelles, and the Christmas tree is teeming with birds!

That's all I have time to show you today, but I've got a lot more photos to share so I'll try to get to back soon with more.

It's Our Third Anniversary!

2009-11-21T12:51:00.004-05:00

Please join us at the store this Thursday November the 26th from 6 to 9 pm to help us celebrate our third anniversary! Click on the image to view the invitation in full size. We hope to see you there!

Help Wanted!

2009-10-26T17:07:00.004-04:00

I'm looking to fill two positions at the store. I need one full time sales associate for 35-40 hours weekly, and one part time sales associate for 12 - 18 hours weekly.

I would like to find people who have a little knowledge of or experience with textiles and/or home decor, but an interest and willingness to learn will suffice. I do require English/French bilingualism as well as basic computer literacy (word processing and spread sheets.) Previous sales and customer service experience is an asset and excellent communication and interpersonal skill are an absolute must.

I expect a lot from my employees so compensation is higher than the average retail wage. Additionally, I offer excellent staff discounts, monthly goal incentives and a fun, flexible work environment.

Please submit your resume by fax to 613-789-8802 or stop by the store with it weekdays between 10-6.

Table Linens!

2009-07-19T12:25:00.007-04:00

There are a few common questions and comments I hear over and over regarding table linens. Most of them are pretty easy to answer, others not so much. Let's start with the easy ones, o.k.?

"What size tablecloth do I need?" is the simple one and I've dealt with it in the FAQ section on the website at www.oleanderforhome.ca. To re-cap for you - the best way to shop for table linens is to have your table measurements with you. You'll want to add approximately 16-20 inches on the width and 16-20 inches on the length for a more casual drop of 8 - 10 inches. For formal or special occasion linens, the tablecloth should be approximately 24- 36 inches wider and longer than your table for a drop of 12-18 inches on each side. Unfortunately, as with bedding, there is not a lot of standardization of tables and table linens. You'll find a wide range of sizes available so if you have your measurements we'll be able to eliminate the guess work of using the number of seats to get "close enough."

The other sizing issue I deal with in the store is a less complicated one. It turns out that napkins come in different sizes. There are luncheon, dinner and formal sized napkins available. Like with so many things, not all manufacturers make every style in every size. I've generally found it easier to go with the middle size (about 18 inches square) for almost everything and just keep the big ones (21-22 inches) in the formal white patterns. You can use the 18 inch ones everyday and save the big, pretty, white ones for when you really want to impress.

How much or how little you want to put on your table in terms of linens is pretty much up to you. Runners, napkins, placemats and tablecloths can be layered in matching and coordinated sets or mixed in colour and pattern contrasts all depending on the feel you're going for. You can simplify and leave the tablecloth off and go with runners laid width wise across the table at the place settings. Placemats on top of the runners or not? Up to you! A matching placemat would be a little more formal, a contrasting one more funky and leaving it off would be a little more casual. All are perfectly acceptable. The runners themselves could be all the same style and colour, same colour and different pattern or vice versa, or simply a collection of different pieces that you love. You should have fun dressing the table, mixing and matching or not, to suit your own personal style and the tone of your event. Whether the event is lunch for one or a feast for fourteen doesn't matter at all. A well dressed table makes life a little more enjoyable.

The more difficult issues about table linens come out of misconceptions about the linen itself. Often people are a little hesitant to spend money on something that may be easy to ruin. So here's the thing. Linen, actual linen, is not as easy to ruin as you might think it is. Good quality linens will have a natural lustre to them that work to make them a little bit stain resistant. The fibres are strong and resilient. It's neglect that will ruin linens, not their delicacy. The thing to remember is that you need to treat stains as soon as possible. If you can get at spots at the end of an evening then wash the linens they'll come out looking just fine. Putting them away dirty or leaving them in a heap in the laundry basket is what causes the real damage.

And about the washing thing? A lot of the time I hear people say "Oh, it's so beautiful, but so hard to take care of." Really though, that just isn't true. Linen is an incredibly durable fabric. You can put it in the washer. The first wash should always be in cold water but after that if you've got discolouration you can wash it in warm water. Hang it on the line to dry and it will look great when it's done. Easy. If you don't have a line outside you can put it in the dryer on low heat for a few minutes no more than 15 for a large tablecloth then lay it flat or hang it over your shower curtain to finish. Still easy. In fact linen is so washable that our favourite kitchen towels (shown in the photo) are 100% linen. They are colourful, fun, pretty and can stand up to anything you can dish out in the kitchen. So why be nervous to put linen on the table? There's no reason at all!

Super Size or High Profile?

2009-07-18T13:16:00.002-04:00

Do you know how deep your mattress is? If you've bought a new one in the last 5 years or so chances are it's pretty deep. Up until recently mattresses had a fairly standard depth of between 8 to 11 inches. Not so much any more. With all the luxury introductions of the pillow top, double pillow top, super deluxe such and such we've seen the depth of mattresses increase up to 21 inches. Princess and the pea territory. Extra high and extra comfortable, there is nothing wrong with that at all. The problem starts when we try to find bedding to cover all that mattress. Sheets used to be a real problem but manufacturers had that one figured out quickly enough. Extra deep fitted sheets were available shortly after we figured out that the sky high mattresses were here to stay and now they are the norm. Over sized flat sheets are now fairly common as well. The one that has a lot of people stumped is the duvet and subsequently the duvet cover.

There is one fundamental reason why the duvet problem is less easily solved. Duvets are at their best when they sit completely on top of the bed while in use. They should envelope the sleeper and rest right at the edge of the mattress without hanging over. That allows them to provide optimal insulation and comfort. This means that the optimal size for a duvet is approximately 24 inches wider and 12 inches longer than the mattress. Which therefore means that an appropriately sized duvet is unlikely to fully cover the sides of a very deep mattress. When the duvet hangs over the sides of the mattress while in use air channels are formed on the sides of the sleeper or sleepers that can create cool drafts. Additionally if the duvet is so large that it hangs over the sides it has to potential to be disruptive to sleep as it places unnecessary weight on the body. This means that using a king size duvet on a queen bed, as is often recommended, compromises the function of the bedding in favour of aesthetics. Making the bed less comfortable in order to look good is a poor compromise. So that leaves us with the problem of finding a way to make bedding function properly and look good. Don't worry though, it's totally doable.

The best solution we've found to date isn't going with the next size up, or a super/jumbo size. It's keeping the appropriate duvet and going with a duvet cover that fits the existing duvet and has an extra flange of fabric to provide the right amount of coverage on the mattress. These are called High Profile duvet covers. Not all of our manufacturers are making them but quite a few are, St Geneve and Revelle included. They give the best of both worlds. A queen duvet goes on a queen bed and if the mattress is higher than 12 inches or so a high profile duvet cover is used to cover the difference. Easy.

I'm hoping that over the next couple of years the high profile will become more common and available in more styles. I'm a little worried that it won't gain in popularity with the manufacturers for sales related reasons. Most of the companies that make duvet covers also make duvets. If they don't adopt the high profile covers they may sell more duvet covers as well as duvets all in larger and more expensive sizes. Well, we can hope for the best right? And I'll keep telling the sales reps that I want them.

There is another option as well. It is always possible (and quite attractive) to cover extra deep mattresses by layering a coverlet or bedspread over your sheets and under the duvet cover. As coverlets are typically significantly larger than duvet covers you can easily layer them to hide just about anything. The photo to the side is of a queen size bed we have in the store right now. We somehow ended up with an extra mattress so decided to double up on on of the taller headboards. We used the Genevieve fitted queen sheet from Pine Cone Hill to cover the two mattresses and the flat sheet as a make shift bed skirt. Then we covered the whole thing with the Petite Trellis coverlet and topped it with a queen size duvet and cover also in Genevieve. If a queen coverlet can nicely cover two mattresses stacked on top of each other there is no reason at all to super size it up to king.

So don't fret. We've got options for you.

Take Care of Your Sheets

2009-07-17T10:55:00.002-04:00

In my head I'm singing "Care for Your Sheets" to the tune of "Stand by Your Man." A little weird, yes? I know, but I feel pretty strongly about this one so I'm going to keep singing to myself even if it doesn't scan very well.

One of the questions we get in the store is "How long will my sheets last?" The answer I have to give can be a little bit iffy because how long your sheets last has quite a bit more to do with how you take care of them than anything else. So in terms of a time period good bedding can last ten years, a life time or less than a year depending on how they are used and laundered.

One of the most difficult problems to deal with at the store happens when someone has bought a really great set of sheets and launders them with care but uses the same set over and over and over again. They're good sheets, they may have been a little expensive, they feel nice so they've been the only sheets on the bed since they were purchased. The problem with this is that good sheets are made of natural fiber and will wear out if they aren't rested. "My sheets need rest?" you're thinking. They do. Just like anything made of cotton, or silk, or linen they aren't intended for constant wear.

Think of it like this: You've just bought a fantastic pair of jeans. They fit perfectly, they are comfortable and they make your butt look great. So you take them home and put them on and go out for the day. After being worn for 8 hours or so you take them off and toss them on a chair, maybe under a few other things. The next day you put them back on and wear them again for another 8 hours or so. After a week of wearing them everyday you wash and dry your jeans and put them back on again. Off you go for another week, wash, rinse and repeat. Now I'm going to ask you how good do you think those jeans are going to look after even just a month of that? What about after a year? It is no different with bedding. Just like with your clothing you have to change it up a bit.

Now after telling this little analogy in the store I've had a couple of people come back with things like "But I don't take my sheets outside, I'm not really doing anything in them." And I have to answer "Oh, but you are. You really are." At night we perspire, drool, roll, wiggle, toss and turn. All the products that we use on our hair and skin have prolonged and immediate contact with our bedding. People read in bed, work in bed, eat in bed, have fun in bed. All of these things deposit substances (sorry!) on the bedding that we then lay down on and roll around on. It gets worse even. If you are wearing pajamas made of synthetic fibres we'll need to worry about abrasion damage from the two fabrics rubbing against each other.

So we generally recommend that you keep three sets of sheets for your bed. The saying that goes "One for the bed, one for the wash and one for the closet" is an old one but it still holds true. Having three sets is the best way to make sure your sheets last as long as they should. Combine that with proper laundry care and your beautiful sheets can easily last for ten years and longer.

So that leaves poor laundry practice to deal with. There are lots of ways to shorten the life span of your sheet in the wash. Overloading the machine, washing sheets with towels, using harsh detergents, bleaching, fabric softeners, excessive heat, over drying and too frequent or too infrequent laundering can all damage bedding and decrease durability. You can read more about how to launder bedding in the Laundry Care section at www.oleanderforhome.ca.

So we always need to keep in mind that luxury bedding is an investment. It needs a bit of attention and care to preform its best. If you put the effort into it you'll reap the benefits for years and years.

Why don't my sheets fit properly?

2009-07-16T10:15:00.002-04:00

There are a couple of reasons that new sheets might not fit well and old sheets don't fit anymore. Let's start with the new.

When you purchase new bedding you should always come prepared with a few measurements. Not all sheets are going to start out at the same size so if you know your dimensions choosing the right size will be much easier. You should know the width, length and depth of your mattress, the dimensions of your duvet if you are buying a duvet cover and the height to the top of your box spring from the floor when shopping for a bed skirt. Having your measurements is particularly important when buying for a king bed as the size of king mattresses can vary by more than 4 inches of width. Mattresses of all sizes will vary greatly in depth from as little as 6 inches to as high as 21 inches. Having your dimensions with you will ensure that your bedding will be neither too big, nor too small and it will eliminate the need for guessing. For more details on general bedding and mattress sizing please see the size charts in the Glossary of Terms at www.oleanderforhome.ca.

To figure out what depth of fitted sheet you need you'll measure your mattress from the inside of the piping on the top of the mattress to the inside of the piping on the bottom, then add 3 inches. To calculate the correct drop of a bed skirt measure from the top of the box spring to just above the floor. Both fitted sheets and bed skirts come in fairly standardized drops, however most of the manufacturers we deal with will customize drop, rounded up to the nearest inch, to achieve a perfect fit.

Finding the perfect size in a duvet cover can be particularly tricky as there are no industry standards for sizing. Duvets can vary dramatically between different manufacturers with as much as 8" difference from one brand to another. Additionally duvet cover sizing can vary not only between different manufacturers but within a single company as well depending on fabric width variances. So your best here is to keep your duvet size handy if you're looking for a new cover or vice versa and aim for the closest match. Keep in mind that the size listed on the package of the duvet cover will be the finished size after expected shrinkage. If you can't find a perfect fit, and you probably won't, try to go with a cover that is a few inches smaller than your duvet rather than larger. This will help prevent the duvet from shifting in the cover and give the appearance of a nice puffy duvet.

Once you've chosen the appropriately sized bedding you may still find it too big when you first put it on the bed. Due to the fact that natural fibre bedding fabrics shrink as they are washed, most bedding manufacturers cut their products oversize (somewhere between 4 and 10 percent) to allow for the shrinkage that will happen over time with repeated washings. So your fitted sheets should seem a little baggy and the duvet cover a bit too big for the duvet when they are new. They won't shrink to the perfect size immediately after the first wash, but slowly tighten to the correct size. That being said it is a good idea to try brand new bedding for size straight out of the package as occasionally packaging mistakes are sometimes made. It should appear loose and a little baggy but not huge nor too small. Remember to always wash your bedding before the first use.

As for sheets that once fit perfectly but are now too small the culprit is almost always going to be improper laundering. Heat in the washer and dryer will shrink any natural fibre fabric, there just isn't any way around it. Excessive heat will shrink your bedding excessively. There is a detailed description of how best to launder your bedding in the resources section at www.oleanderforhome.ca. But in the meantime the best thing to keep in mind is that you'll always want to use lukewarm or cold water in the washer and low heat/damp dry in the dryer. Get the bedding out of the machine quickly and spread it flat or hang to finish drying. Better yet, get it outside on a line and you'll get the best possible results. Your sheets won't shrink, they'll feel better and you'll save some money on your energy bills as well. What could be better than all that?

What is your highest thread count?/What is your best sheet?

2009-07-15T17:03:00.001-04:00

The highest thread count fabric we currently offer is called Regency by St Geneve. It is a 1020 strand count double ply fabric made of Giza Egyptian cotton. From St Geneve's web site:

"Regency consists of exceptionally detailed weaving, resulting in one of the most luxurious and soft cottons you can find. The material is built strong and durable, and has a wonderful and natural luminous shine. The Regency design is so very simple and elegant, making it a timeless collection.

This is a Remarkable fabric woven from two threads, or strands, twisted together to make two-ply threads of exceptional quality; a 1020 strand count fabric. This special twisted double thread imparts greater strength and longevity to the fabric, while maintaining incredible softness.

Due to it's extremely high strand count, the Regency collection is remarkably soft, shiny, and absolutely gorgeous. Sets come in solid Creme or White.”

Technically this makes it both the highest thread count and the best cotton fabric we offer. However, and this is the important part, just because it has an extremely high thread count doesn't automatically make it the right sheet for you.

There are many things that go into making a great sheet and many more reasons that make a great sheet for you as an individual. Thread count plays only a small role. As we noted in the posts "The Thread Count Issue," "Not All Created Equal" and “What does Thread Count Mean?” there are things like type of cotton, weaving techniques and finishing quality to take into account in determining if the sheet is of good quality. So we know that Regency gets all of that right, why might it not be a great choice for everyone? The answer is easy – not everyone sleeps the same way. Some people are always warm, others always cold and others still who sleep well regardless of temperature. There are restless sleepers who move around a lot and ones that lay still like logs. All of them need different kinds of bedding to have the most comfortable sleep, and that's not even taking into account personal preferences for feel regardless of comfort.

To illustrate, I am a warm sleeper. I like to sleep in a cool room with light bedding so that I don't overheat at night. I love the silky softness of the 1020 strand count Regency sheets but putting them on my bed would be a mistake. Why? Because that much cotton in a sheet makes it very dense and very heavy. It's silkiness makes it cling and the weight and density of it traps body heat close to the body. It is a warm sheet which is not an appropriate choice for a warm sleeper. Additionally the weight of it can be troublesome to an active or restless sleeper who may need to be able to easily adjust and reposition the sheet with out waking.

A person who tends to be cold at night regardless of the temperature of the room or one who sleeps comfortably at any temperature will do much better with Regency sheets, as will people who don't move around much. This style of sheeting will provide added warmth to the people who like it and the weight won't be an issue for those who aren't restless sleepers.

So to find the best sheet for you, we need to stop thinking about thread count and start feeling different kinds of sheeting fabrics. There are a lot of different weights and styles available from the lightest, crisp percale weaves to silky, soft sateens and everything in between. You'll need to figure out which is right for you by thinking not only about what feel your hand likes but also about how you sleep. Take into account that a sheet that feels a little crisp and light on your hand will act the same way on your bed. It will be cooler to sleep under than a heavier sheet that may cling to the body like silk. And don't be afraid to ask questions when you're shopping! The people who sell great sheets will know how warm or cool, heavy or light, clingy or floaty a sheet is. We'll be able to point you in the right direction.

What Does Thread Count Mean?

2009-07-14T16:30:00.003-04:00

I know that we've dealt with the thread count issue before, but it was a long time ago so we're going to do it again. I'm also going to fill you in on some of the dirty details, so it's not just the same stuff over and over.

Thread count is one characteristic used to evaluate the quality of cotton bedding. However, thread count alone is not enough to determine quality. It is becoming a less reliable way to judge quality due to manufacturing techniques that can effectively trick the thread count higher. Let's start with the technical definition and go from there.

Thread count simply refers to the number of threads, both vertically and horizontally in a one-inch square of fabric. These consist of vertical threads (warp) and horizontal threads (weft) woven together.

Easy enough, right? There's more though. The number of threads that can occupy a square inch is determined by thickness of the thread used and the ply. Since Egyptian cotton is fine, there are more threads used to cover the same square inch compared to other cottons (pima, american uplands, short staple.) Finer threads feel smoother and when properly woven are longer lasting and more colourfast than short staple fibers. Ply is the number of finer strands which are twisted together to make threads. Technically a double or triple ply fabric should have a strand count listed as well as a thread count, but labeling regulations in different places don't always require it.

It can be argued that in weave quality terms alone, the best fabric will be made with single ply yarns and have a single pick that is one warp thread and one weft. The highest thread count you can get with this type of construction is about 360.

To achieve higher thread counts, sometimes multiple yarns (picks) are inserted into the weft and sometimes 2 ply yarns (as we mentioned above the finer strands twisted together) are used. These two techniques are the reason that you can't use thread count alone to judge the quality of the sheet. Multiple pick insertions are often done with short staple cotton of inferior quality that leaves the fabric prone to pilling and slippage. Additionally, the pick may not be properly integrated into the weave causing the fabric to be unstable. It may feel quite nice but will certainly require extra gentle handling as it will always be more prone to abrasion damage and uneven wear than single pick fabrics.

It's not all bad news though. There can sometimes be a case to be made in favour of 2-ply yarns. When done properly with very fine and long staple cotton, they can improve the durability and colourfastness of a fabric as well as look and feel great. It is however important to distinguish between a well made 2-ply and a fabric with an unnecessarily or artificially inflated thread count. Seeing the term “strand count” on packaging is often a good way to identify better quality 2 ply fabrics, as the manufacturer is referring to the number of strands that are twisted together to make the. The usual marks of good quality like 100% Egyptian cotton and a European or North American country of manufacture are almost always good signs.

Makes sense? It's complicated, I know. It does mean that you'll have to do a little more work when looking for great bedding. But if looking at, learning about and touching really nice fabric is the worst of it, it can't be all that bad.

Do you sell Duvet Covers? and What's the deal with Custom Orders?

2009-07-12T14:02:00.008-04:00

"Do you sell duvet covers?" To me the answer to this question seems obvious, but we hear it in the store quite a lot. The easy answer is : Yes, absolutely. The longer answer is, well longer and it sometimes involves custom orders.

Usually all six of the beds in the store will have duvet covers on them. We'll keep those in stock in queen and king sizes and if we can we'll try to have the same pattern in one or two additional colours. In addition to all of those we keep a selection of our basics line in queen and king in three colours. We also have literally hundreds of fabrics in different colours and patterns available to order in (almost) any size that you need.

Custom ordering a duvet cover in the fabric of your choice is a slightly more complicated process than buying off the floor but it has some big advantages as well. You'll get to take home exactly what you wanted rather than something that maybe just close enough and you have the flexibility of mixing and matching the fabrics to get them to work for your personal style and with your décor.

We do recommend that you borrow and take home the sample or samples overnight to ensure that it really does look as good in your room as we think it will. It is never more expensive to custom order bedding than it is to buy the same thing off the floor. As with anything the price depends on the fabric itself and the complexity of the finishing.

As for the wait, custom orders can be ready in as little as a few days to as long as ten weeks, though the average turn around time is 2 ½ to 3 ½ weeks. The plus side to a longer wait is that because we take a deposit on order and the balance is due on delivery, you may get to split you purchase between two credit card bills.

And for the sake of making a long answer even longer duvet covers are by no means the only thing we sell. We have a selection of the following things in the store and available to order at all times: sheets, pillowcases, coverlets, pillow shams, bed skirts, accent cushions, blankets, duvets, feather beds, pillows, pillow protectors,baby bedding and accessories, mattress protectors, beds, headboards, fabric yardage, night stands, lamps, table cloths, napkins, table runners, place mats, towels, bathmats, bath and body products, robes, pajamas, night gowns, night shirts, throw blankets and home décor accents and home care products. Just about the only bedroom thing we don't sell is mattresses, but if you like we're happy to recommend a couple of good places to buy those.

We're Having A Party!

2007-11-13T11:41:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's that been more than a year already, this October marked our first anniversary. It's been in many ways a very long year packed full of excitement and hard work, but it also feels like it was just a couple of days ago that we were opening our door for the first time.

I'd like to extend an invitation to join us at our first anniversary party Thursday November 15 2007 from 6-9 pm at Oleander for Home, 14 Clarence Street in Ottawa's Byward Market. You can view the official invitation on line here

I hope you can join us!

Oleander on TV

2007-10-20T17:26:00.000-04:00

CBC's show Living in Ottawa came by for a visit a few weeks and we had some fun trying to find the perfect pillow for one of the shows producers. The story "Pillow-ology" will be included in the Monday, October 22nd episode. Living in Ottawa airs at 1 PM on CBC, channel 8. After the initial airing the episode will be posted online and will be accessible for a week at www.cbc.ca/livinginottawa.

It was a fun feature to do, but let me tell you I was pretty nervous about the whole camera/being on television thing. I just hope that anyone who gets to see it learns a little about shopping for pillows and is able to have a bit of fun with it.

For those who can't see the show, I'll do a post on the best ways to find yourself a great pillow and how to care for it.

Caldrea

2007-10-07T15:04:00.000-04:00

So I've been looking for a good laundry detergent for ages. One that is gentle on my fabulous bedding fabrics but still works, one that smells good and cleans well, did I mention that I wanted one that works? Well, I found it. Last January at the New York trade show, I happened upon the Caldrea booth. It was a line of home care products that I had heard of but wasn't very familiar with. The girl I spoke with at the show gave me all sorts of product info and a couple of samples, and I walked away with out placing an order.

I tried the laundry detergent when I got home and holy cow did I sleep like a baby that night. My sheets felt so fresh and smelled so wonderful, I could hardly believe it. It still took me a couple of months to place an order, but eventually I got around to it and I am really glad I did.

So I now have a fairly comprehensive collection of home and laundry products. I brought in two of Caldreas 8 fragrances, Ginger Pomelo and Lavender Pine in the previously mentioned laundry detergent, linen spray, liquid hand soap and hand lotion. Additionally I have the Ginger Pomelo in all purpose cleanser, counter top cleanser, stainless steel cleaner and liquid dish soap. I've tried it all, they all work very well, they make my home and my hands smell great, I love it all. And did I mention it is eco-friendly?

Caldreas philosophy boils down to this: we all have to clean, so why not make the task as pleasant as possible? Their fragrances are soft and fresh, there are no strong chemical or medicinal odours. So they use essential oils instead of chemical perfumes. They believe that overly harsh cleansing agents aren't good for your skin, your homes or your planet, so they make responsible raw material choices, instead of ammonia, chlorine, phosphates and petroleum distillates they use borax, plant derived surfactants, soap bark extracts and essential oils. All of their products are biodegradable and none of them are tested on animals. All of their packaging is recyclable and there are refill sizes for a few of the most popular lines.

So come in and try them out!

More Organics!

2007-09-27T11:15:00.000-04:00

I can hardly believe it, two posts in two days? I really couldn't let this one go by with out mention.

I'm very happy to announce that Oleander is now stocking organic cotton towels. Made from 100% Skal, certified combed organic cotton, this luxurious towel is eco-friendly, plush and thirsty. The organic cotton is grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides, thus, making this towel the perfect Eco-friendly textile for a pure and healthy bathing experience. I'm currently carrying them in white, natural and the stone colours, but any of the others are available for custom order.

These towels are a little lighter in weight than some of my other collections, but they are buttery soft and feel a little spongy. They are also comparable in price to both my 100% cotton and bamboo/cotton blend towels. I'll be buying a set for myself today and I'll check back in a few days to let you know how absorbent they are and how they wash.

One of the big things that I look for when I buy "green" or organic products for the store is third party certification. As mentioned above the cotton of these towels is certified by Skal, a independent inspection company based in the Netherlands.

Happy eco-friendly towels!

What's been going on?

2007-09-26T12:17:00.000-04:00

I am a terrible blogger. I know it. This is the 6th post and the second time I've had to apologize for being a neglectful blogger. I'm sorry. I really am.

It's been a busy summer at Oleander. I had great new products, lots of new faces in the door, not nearly as many American visitors as I would expect to see in the tourist season, but many many more visitors from Quebec than I would have thought. I really need to get my mediocre (o.k., o.k. very bad) French skills up to par. I went to the Toronto trade show this summer (it was a bust) and did a little research and fabric sourcing in London, UK. I've expanded into table linen and yikes there is a lot to know that I don't know about table linens. Now fall is here and I've been thinking about Christmas for a few months.

I think it might be time for some of the dirty details. Here goes.

As far as the look of the store goes I draw inspiration from everything around me. From the colours and shapes of clothes in tiny boutique shops and big chains, from design and decor mags, from the wacky street wear of the fashion students who study around the corner from my shop to the fashionista black of the many stylists that work in the Market and even from the fruit and veg, plants and flowers that pack the market from spring through fall. I mix it with my own aesthetic and flare and hope like mad that it sells.

The biggest problem with all this is that as a small shop I don't have the buying power or capital to dictate to my suppliers exactly what it is that I want. I can and do tell them what I'm looking for and I constantly seek out new manufacturers who are in line with my own vision, but ultimately my vision and my store are currently limited by what I can buy from the market. Thats where the trade shows come in.

All the conceptualization and planning in the world won't get me any where if I go to a trade show where all the manufacturers are showing product lines in black and white. Or beige. Or spring appropriate patterns for the fall season. Or boring play it safe and hopefully it will sell collections. And that is exactly what happened at the fall Toronto show this year.

Ordinarily I go to Toronto (the largest Canadian trade show and where all my regular suppliers show) twice a year to buy most of my stock. I can expect to take one or two bedding collections from each of my 5 or 6 "big gun" suppliers for a total of 5 - 8 new beds for my floor. This August I bought 2 collections at the show. Total. Panic attack much? I was very disappointed with this seasons offerings and pretty worried about how I was going to fill my floor with lovely sparkling new product for the fall and winter seasons. And by pretty worried I actually mean freaking out.

The story ends well though. Forced to go abroad or at least online, I was able to find 3 new collections which I'm sure will not only look fabulous but will also sell quite well. One of them I've already blogged about. The Amenity organic collection that I previously carried in 2 patterns has proved so popular that I've added 3 more patterns and a few more colours and will carry them on the floor through fall and winter.

The second is a line that came to me when a sales rep from the west coast came in to show me Bella Notte. This collection at first glance is not really in keeping with the overall style of my store. It is a little on the frilly overly feminine side but on closer inspection the real strengths in the collection are the dyed to order colours and textures of the fabrics. This makes it a perfect fit for Oleander, I can mix and match their pieces to get the clean modern classic look that I love and benefit from the richness and delicacy of their fabrication and construction. My first Bella Notte order has shipped from California yesterday and should be on the floor in about two weeks. Canada Customs and Revenue allowing.

The third collection is a fashion forward and more trend conscious line from Greece. It's a great group of printed fabrics in slightly trendier colours and patterns and I'm sure it will brighten my floor. What I'm not sure about is when it will get here. I'll let you know and get you more details when it arrives.

There is so much more to tell you, hypothetical reader, but as usual I have to get back to the floor. I really will try to check in more often.

Organic Duvet Covers!

2007-06-24T11:46:00.000-04:00

So I've got a back log of new products to announce, but it's been very busy in the store so I'll introduce just one today and try to get back with more shortly.

I now have two patterns by Amenity in stock, Bloom and Willow both in Cream + Cocoa on organic cotton. From their website "Amenity is a Los Angeles based design studio founded by Nicole Chiala and Kristina de Corpo. Our goal is to create beautiful, yet useful, everyday objects of high quality that reflect the warmth and beauty of nature" The duvet covers I am currently carrying are from the organic line featuring oversized silhouettes individually printed with non-toxic, eco-friendly, water based dyes on certified organically grown and processed cotton. The patterns have a clean modern look while maintaining a softness that will work in many settings. Which is the slightly fancy way of saying "it's gorgeous and I love it!"

So the question now is why buy organic? There are two equally good reasons for considering organic products when choosing bedding. This might get a little heavy, are you ready?

Cotton production is one of the really big environmental offenders when it comes to large scale pollution. Mass production of cotton for any of its many applications uses a lot of pesticides. Pesticides while it is growing and then a whole lot of chemicals in the processing and finishing. Not all of them are bad but some of them certainly are. Organic cotton is grown without all of the chemicals and a reduction of chemicals, even in a small way is a good thing.

The second important bit involved regards chemical sensitivities. Many people are becoming increasingly sensitive to the chemicals that are involved with manufacturing. If I can offer people a product that will help them sleep better I will. Organic bedding definitely fits the bill. And did I tell that this line feels really good? 'Cause it feels really good.

The little details regarding Amenity bedding are: the products are printed and sewn in Los Angeles, they do fabulous printed linen pillows, bags and large scale prints suitable for hanging or leaning on your walls. I can order in anything you see on their web site and orders usually take 3 weeks or so.

It's been a beautiful weekend here in Ottawa. I hope it's just as nice where ever you are!

New Arrivals! New Arrivals!

2007-05-22T11:28:00.000-04:00

Gah! Four posts into this whole blogging thing and I've already got to be apologizing for neglecting my blogging duties. So let's get it out of the way now, I'm so sorry for being a bad blogger. I will admit to occasionally letting my time management skills slip and I am surely guilty of that this month. Will it make it any better if I tell you it is because of all the fabulous new stuff we have in? Because it really is fabulous. The store looks better than ever and I am thrilled with all the new things we have.

Since I last checked in early in May we've been getting our spring trade show orders with as many as 4 deliveries coming in each day. It doesn't seem like many as I write it, but as a small boutique (1380 square feet) with 1 or 2 people on the floor each day, it is in fact quite a lot to deal with. So where to start, where to start . . .

Three new styles of robes which include: nonotho Russian linen in 3 colours, ivory, natural and flax. Silk and cashmere in teal and taupe, this is one of the softest fabrics I've ever felt and the cut of the robe is extremely flattering. My favourite are the fabulous Thai silk robes, we've got 4 colour combinations each in two different patterns. The prints are very contemporary, bubbles, butterflies, jasmine and wallpaper and the colours are vibrant but still very sophisticated. It has always been a struggle to find really great robes, so I am very pleased with the current line up. The silks in particular were really a great find. To top it off, they not only look and feel wonderful, but all of the new robes are light weight so they will travel really well on your summer holiday. Also in the lounge wear department (not that Oleander is big enough to have departments) we are really pleased to have cotton pyjamas by L.A.'s BedHead. I've got their classic pj in chocolate and pink polka dots, mint with chocolate floral and teal blue also with the chocolate exotic floral. I think that BedHead pj's have been seen on both "Friends" and in Oprah's magazine. I'm really coveting the polka dots ones.

As for the bedding we are doing a wonderful linen collection called Umbria in lilac and cream, the duvet cover is a lilac linen jacquard with hemstitch details, the sheets in solid ivory linen. The linen is made in Italy and then it's cut and sewn in Vancouver. This fabric comes in three textures; jacquard, crepe and solid each available in twelve colours. Very easy to mix and match to get the perfect bed. I was initially a little hesitant to show linen on the floor, as there seems to be a great deal of misconceptions about how difficult it is to care for, and that it is really only good for summer, but I'm glad that I brought it in as it is stunning to look at and gives me a chance to offer an alternative to cotton. As for the issues about care, we are taking time to let people know that it is machine washable and can be tumble dried or air only. As for the wrinkle factor, it is important to keep in mind that linen should look slightly rumpled, it should be a casual looking fabric, soft and relaxed looking. If you need it to look pristine you do have to iron it but it feels just as nice rumpled as smooth. The other thing to keep in mind is that linen does age better than cotton, so as it wears it gets softer, smoother and will develop a bit more luster. Like wine, cheese and people with a little more care when young it gets better with age.

We are also now showing Lin de Vosge, a 80% linen 20% cotton blend fabric made in France and cut and sewn in Montreal. The styling of this collection is a little more contemporary than the Umbria, while keeping a very classic and clean look. It is available in four construction styles and five colours. The cotton in this blend helps to alleviate the appearance of wrinkles in this collection and helps to keep the cost down a bit. Lin de Vosge does have all the benefits of linen being cool to the touch in warmer weather and warm to the touch in cooler temperatures. It is also a little better than pure cotton at dealing with moisture wicking away perspiration to help moderate sleeping temperatures.

I'm afraid that I've run out of time before I've run out of new arrivals to introduce. So I'll leave you with a promise to be a better blogger and get back to you with the rest of the new goodies in the next couple of days.

Not All Created Equal

2007-05-05T11:31:00.000-04:00

The thread count issue continues. So we've established that we are looking for good quality cotton and that Egyptian cotton fits the bill. We also know that we have to be on the lookout for that sneaky "with" and "part" so only 100% Egyptian will do. We're still not done though.

Now we have to take into account how the fabric is woven. First and perhaps the easiest way to get good value for your dollar is to look for fabrics woven in Europe and cut and finished in Canada (or the US.) Some of the best sheets you'll ever see are woven in Italy. Many of the finest cotton bedding is produced there by small mills weaving small batches of fabrics in gorgeous colours, in both traditional and contemporary patterns in crisp percales and the silkiest of sateens. What's even better is that there are Canadian manufacturers, like St. Geneve, importing this fabric, cutting and sewing it by hand in North American sizes. That means that you get the best of the best in fabrics and finishing, while keeping the cost down a bit and supporting Canadian industry.

Buying bedding completely manufactured in Europe (Anichini, Frette) will also give you great sheets, but not necessarily good value. Brands like these often have two or three lines at varying price points, the best of which is not really affordable for anyone other than Oprah and the affordable versions are not much nicer than a decent department store brand. With a lot of the big name brands, what you end up paying for is a very successful marketing campaign, we all know the name, but it doesn't make the sheets feel better.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Asian import. As of a few years ago, China had become the largest importer of Egyptian cotton. They are making a lot of sheets at rock bottom prices with all the bells and whistles -- high thread count, Egyptian Cotton (most likely not 100%), silky feel and great packaging. It can be pretty tempting when you're looking at a 600 thread count sheet set from China for $80 beside a 235 thread sheet set of German fabric sewn in Canada for $ 344. But in the end the Chinese sheet will most likely have been mass produced with little to no quality control. The thread count will have been artificially inflated with double insertions. The fabric will have been dyed after it was woven rather than being dyed as threads then woven. It will have been cut and sewn by machine leaving loose threads and crooked seams. It may also have been subjected to finishing tricks including optical brightening and surface polishing in order to make it look and feel like a fine fabric. So the $80 good deal ends up needing to be replaced after a few months because it fell apart in the wash, has ripped and split where your feet rub on the fitted the sheet or has faded and discoloured unevenly and just plain looks bad. The 235 thread set on the other hand has washed beautifully and is getting softer each time you use it, all the seams are perfect and intact and the colour is as vibrant as the day you took it home.

So far we've covered the basics, that thread count isn't the way to pick a good quality sheet, that the kind of cotton matters and that the place of manufacture matters even more. Next time I'll give you the specifics on how to pick the type of sheet that is the best for you and some pointers on what to look for when you're shopping. We have had a quite a few new products in so there will be a quick post in the next couple of days with details on all of the recent arrivals.

Enjoy your weekend!

The Thread Count Issue

2007-04-13T13:53:00.000-04:00

One of the questions I am asked most often is also the most difficult to deal with. Almost every day people walk in and the first thing they say is "What's your highest thread count?" My answer is invariably "1020, but that doesn't mean that it's the right sheet for you."

It turns out that there is a lot more to a high quality sheet than thread count. A lot more. The problem is that looking solely for a high thread count is ultimately only going to give you a sheet with a lot of cotton in it. It doesn't indicate that the cotton itself is good, that it is woven properly and with care, or that the finished product is well finished and correctly sewn. What's more worrisome is that in the past few years manufacturers have been developing techniques which allow them to insert extra threads into the weave of fabric independently from the actual structure of the weave thereby creating a higher thread count while decreasing the strength and longevity of the fabric. In the end a 1000 thread count sheet made with bad cotton is a bad sheet. The same goes for crooked seams, chemical based finishing tricks and low quality dyes, it will look great in the package and it may be very reasonably priced, but on your bed it looks and feels cheap, it washes horribly and you feel ripped off. No fun at all. It is not, however, as bleak as it sounds. There are lots of beautiful sheets, some reasonably priced and some not so reasonably priced, and with a bit of care you can find some that you'll love.

So if thread count isn't where it's at, how do we tell it's a good sheet? The first and most important thing is the cotton itself. Like people, cotton comes in many sizes. There are short cottons and long cottons, with a lot of variations all through the spectrum. The term we use for determining the value and quality of cotton is "staple." For sheeting fabrics the longer the staple the better. So what I'm looking for in bedding is Egyptian cotton, even better I prefer when the species of Egyptian cotton is identified. Some of the finest fabrics I deal with are 100% Giza Egyptian cotton, its staple is very fine and very long. When woven into percale it is light and crisp with a cool hand while remaining very soft, in satin or sateen weaves it is soft, silky and smooth with a warm feel and beautiful drape. Egyptian cotton can do all this with out chemical and mechanical finishes often used on shorter staple cottons. That means that the 100% Egyptian cotton fabrics will age well becoming softer over time while poor quality cotton will coarsen and show uneven wear. It is important to double check labels when shopping for "100% Egyptian Cotton" or "Full Egyptian Cotton" because frequently manufacturers will use small amounts of Egyptian cotton mixed with inexpensive/poor quality short staple cotton and label the fabric as "with Egyptian Cotton" or "part Egyptian Cotton."

So we're off to a good start, we've gotten beyond thread count, we're looking for the best cottons, we're on the right track but there is still more to learn. I think it's time for a break though so I'll sign off for now and and continue a little later with "Not All Created Equal" the thread count issue continues. I'm afraid that this entry has been a little dry and that the next one may be as well. The fun stuff is coming though, I promise.

Oleander the Blog

2007-04-05T14:45:00.000-04:00

Hello my name is Kristin and I run Oleander for Home. Sounds a bit like a confession, doesn't it? Oleander is a bed and bath shop in the Byward Market in Ottawa. We've been open since October of 2006 and things are going pretty well. Now that we've settled in a bit I thought I would start something new so allow me to introduce you to my latest project.

This is Oleander the Blog. I'm hoping that it will be a great place to give you all of the details. All of them. That means I'll be doing the basics like the best ways to care for your linens, how to put together the perfect bed, what a pillow sham is, which pillows can be washed and which need to be dry cleaned, why you should never ever put tennis balls in your dryer, all kinds of things like that.

I'll also fill you in on the secret stuff, like how I pick what goes on the beds in my shop, what I think will be the big hits next season and I'll tell you when I was wrong and which of my big hits turned into a big miss. Seriously, I'll tell ya, then you can leave comments to let me know what you think. I'll tell you what it's like to go shopping at the Toronto and New York shows and I'll probably complain a little about said shows. I'll probably post info about sales and promotions here, but that's not really the point of all this. Did I mention that I'll post when new things arrive? I promise to do that. I'll also give you the thread count talk and how to really look for good quality bedding whether you're at my store, Home Sense or in a flea market.

It may take a while to get to all that, so you'll have to have a little patience. In the mean time, I'll officially start with a new arrival update. This week we've received two really exciting collections.

The first is a line of silk bedding. Silk! The sheets come in sets of flat, fitted and cases in chocolate brown, sky blue and green tea. They are light as air and as soft as, well, silk. I've also got quilted coverlets in chocolate and blue. Simply beautiful.

The other new product is a line of 100% Bamboo sheeting. I'm really excited about this because it is super luxurious and beautiful but also more eco-friendly than traditional cotton sheeting. Bamboo grows very rapidly and requires little to no pesticide use making it a great choice for many home decor products. I'm not yet completely informed about how the grass is turned into fabric, but I think it is similar to how linen is processed from flax. In any case the end result is fantastic. The fabric has a very silk like hand, yet is as weighty and as strong feeling as a very high thread count cotton sheet. The sheets are packaged in sets of flat, fitted and cases and are quite well priced.

I've got to get back to the floor so thanks for reading and you're welcome to stop by and browse any time you like!