House things

[monkeysmama]

I am thinking these are more style questions that good housekeeping ones.

I need some new bed linen. It has to be kingsized with a fitted sheet and matching pillows. No pericale or itchy stuff. My bedroom is painted white with this on the chimney breast and neutral linen blinds. I am not keen on lots of clashing patterns and want something quite simple but can't find anything that looks nice with it.

I als need a new laundry basket. I need a big one to go in a grey and white bathroom with lots of wood panelling but again want something quite simple. They all seem really small?

TIA

[nancydrewrocks]

Bed linen should always be white. You can put coloured throws/cushions on the bed as accents but the linen itself: always white.

The White company (funnily enough!) is excellent, John Lewis and Debenhams also have a good selection.

[dottyaboutstripes]

I've been thinking about ordering something from QVC - they get really good reviews and are well priced.

www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.nav/params.file.UKAHXCFW,1.class.UKAHXCFW.level.3/walk.yah.UKHG- UK97?cmre=PAGE--BRANDSHOPS-_-LUXURYLINENS

As for always having white bedlinen...ummm, not possible in my house with the kids. I'd be washing it every single day. It wouldn't stay white for long - but I do agree that white looks gorgeous

[Romanarama]

Your bedroom sounds nice . I'd get white sheets from White Company (I really recommend a flannel set for this cold weather too), and get some throw cushions picking out a colour from the wallpaper. Also a nice merino blanket in a colour from the wallpaper. Put it on top of the duvet and fold back so it covers only the bottom half of the bed. I do this (my sheets and blankets are all White Company and Frette).

[monkeysmama]

Thanks for posts so far. How do you keep white sheets clean? I like the idea of it.

[carciofi]

Also recommend the White Company for sheets.

[Romanarama]

They don't really get dirty. I change them 1x per week or more often in the event of disaster (ds2 used to come in bed with us and get big nosebleeds sometimes. Ds3 climbed on my bed after a walk in a muddy park yesterday). Usually if you're just sleeping in it and it's not a kids' play area too it should be OK.

Dark colours show the dirt of the kind of things you often get in bed (dribble, milk, other bodily things iyswim!) much worse.

[vesela]

These cushions in gold would go with the wallpaper...

[vesela]

They have some www.toast.co.uk/range/bedlinen/pure+irish+bedlinen/pure+irish+bedlinen.htm?categoryref=%2fcategory2. aspx%3fcategoryid%3dbedlinen%26seoterm%3dbedlinen%26 white linen bed linen]] as well.

[brimfull]

yes all white is easy as you can mix different sets and change the throw/blanket

[nancydrewrocks]

Agree white doesn't really get dirty. My sheets get changed every week and that is plenty.

The children don't actually have white on their beds (pirates and fairy's from Laura Ashley - v. cute) but they do seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in bed with us and our sheets don't suffer for it.

[brimfull]

we have this one good value

[hellsbelles]

another vote for white company sheets here as well. We have some and they are gorgeous

[monkeysmama]

Thanks very much. I am placing a JL
order anyway so will order that and see. I change bed once a week too so should be ok & love the idea of crisp white sheets. Dd's room has White Company blue rose stuff which is lovely.

Any great laundry basket ideas?

[OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper]

An alternative to The White Company.
Next do a large, dark wooden laundry bin - quite oriental looking, or you could try www.theholdingcompany.com.

[Flightattendant]

I am not the best laundress in the world so prefer my habitat sheets, which are various shades of brown, red, mauve and blue woven cotton...and I have a brick coloured linen one from la redoute.

Less pressure than white!

Not sure on laundry baskets, I agree they tend to be too small or difficult to clean properly so we just have a heap on the floor at present

[RonaldMcDonald]

white egyptian cotton, at least 400 thread count
it is worth the outlay and you can often get decent deals online or bizarrely at TK Maxx

[vesela]

We have a laundry basket AND a heap on the floor at the moment...

The laundry basket is from IKEA - a very sturdy wooden frame with a canvas bag inside - but I just checked and they don't do them any more. We had a metal one from the Holding Company back in the day, but it was very wonky.

[crankytwanky]

I'd go for white too. Sheets are always white in hotels, and look great.
I've got cotton bed linen and just give it all a good, hot wash every week.

[Romanarama]

I have 2 laundry baskets next to each other as also couldn't find a big one.

[monkeysmama]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Romanarama think that is what we're going to go for.

[wukter]

How do you all keep your bedlinen white, then? Mine is all in mixmatched greys by now.

[monkeysmama]

I was wondering that but seems for previous posts it is possible.

[Romanarama]

I wash whites with vanish powder for whites as well as detergent, and I always put both a colour catcher and a calgonit anti-calc tab in the machine with every wash. It seems to work. You can use the colour catchers again and again, so though the box seems expensive you hardly ever have to buy one.

[traceybath]

I have this and it is lovely. Even DH noticed the difference.

Carciofi had a 20% off code for the white co on the other thread.

I just wash whites separately on a 40 degree wash and they stay white. Also line dry wherever possible.

[Bonsoir]

If you have a white painted bedroom I don't think white sheets are great unless it is very hot, sunny weather. Even then, I like my white sheets to have a coloured edging or border.

I have recommended Caravane and Bellora bed linen on MN before. Both are gorgeous!