IKEA STORE in LONDON
It's a small studio flat in West Hampstead, with mercifully high ceilings and big windows, which make it feel considerably larger than the floorspace would suggest. For a week it remained bedless, the sizeable sofabed serving as my place of respite.

But after the third day of waking up with my face attached to the back of the sofa, I finally relented and decided to enlist parental help and join the hordes heading up the A406 to the Wembley Ikea.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Ikea experience (if indeed such people still exist), it is a truly unsettling shopping experience.

Having located my bed of choice, I gave the details to a yellow-suited flunkie who sent me down to the warehouse.

In this aeroplane hangar of a homage to mass production, boxed up kitchen units towered ominously overhead as I wended my way through the aisles in search of the right shelf. Finally, I grabbed the appropriate boxes (or so I thought) and beat a hasty retreat.

It was only when I was halfway through building my bed (no mean feat when you're on your own) that I realised one of the boxes contained not half a bed, but an entire chest of drawers. I had the wrong box.

And so it was that I found myself back on the road to Ikea, only this time without the parents, who had wisely skipped town.

Sadly, this is where my inexperience with such things began to tell. The drive to Ikea ought to be straighforward, but of course, it is not. I charged towards Wembley Stadium, searching frantically for the exit for Ikea. It was nowhere to be seen.

'Never mind,' I thought, I'll just go round in a circle through Kilburn and make another pass at it. I had not reckoned with rush hour traffic, nor with the possibility that I might miss the exit a second time.

Of course, both of these disasters befell me. I spent about two hours either stop-starting on Kilburn High Road, or shouting expletives into the twighlight as I sped along the motorway scouring the roadside for the Ikea sign.

On the third attempt, I finally spotted it, written in Sanskrit on a placard the size of a postage stamp. Or at least it may as well have been.

Rejoicing, I pulled into the car park and wheeled my unwanted chest of drawers to the Returns department, where yet another yellow-uniformed henchman explained that the piece of paper I had was not in fact a receipt, but a collection form.

'Sorry mate,' he sympathised, 'you'll have to go back home and look for it.'

Thankfully, the lack of easy access to a shotgun prevented me from going postal and I drove home, grinding my teeth and gripping the wheel like a maniac. Storming into the flat, I spent another hour looking for the receipt, before giving up and plonking myself down on the sofa.

'That's it', I thought. I'll have to keep the drawers and go back for the rest of the bed tomorrow. It was at that very moment that I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out...the receipt. I had been carrying it all along.

The moral of the story? If you can keep your wits about you when shopping at Ikea, then you will be a man, my son. 

By Marlo Sanchez sponsored by Finest Linens and Things

Tags: bedding, finestlinensandthings, ikea
Current Location: Finest Linens and Things Chicago, IL
Current Music: Walking on Sunshine

Ideas for Luxury Discount Custom bedding to look without the Custom Price Tag

By Shelly Gail

What do Finest Linens and Things, Bed Bath and Beyond, Linen Source, Sears, Belk, Kmart,  Wal-Mart, and, Linens 'n Things all have in common? A little something called the bed in a bag.

A bed in a bag is a little like a loveseat with matching sofa and easy chair. Not necessarily the best design choice, but not necessarily the worst either. It is often desirable to pick and choose your bedroom furniture so each major piece comes from a different source. This allows for an eclectic look that doesn't appear to be "matchy-matchy."

However, for those on a limited budget, one of the best ways to get a cohesive look is to go with something like a matching suite or a bed in a bag. For those of you who don't know the concept, a bed in a bag is basically a comforter, a matching or coordinating bedskirt and sheet set with two pillow cases, a flat sheet and a fitted sheet. Finest linens and Things carry the cutest bed in a bag for exemplo.

This is really the only way to go with kids. They are durable and washable and inexpensive, so as your kids grow up and their tastes change, it doesn't hurt to buy a new one.

But what if you want a designer look but don't want to spend the money on custom-made bedding? Go for the bed in a bag, but get crazy with custom pillows and other accessories. Here are some tips for making your store-bought bedding look its best.

• Start with pillows. Resist the urge to buy pillows from the same place you bought your bedding. Throw pillows can be purchased from just about everywhere now from Hobby Lobby to Kmart. If your budget allows, go to a fabric store and pick out fabrics and trims in the colors of your bedding and have pillows in different sizes and shapes made to accentuate your look. Pillows provide a practically instant custom look. Plus, you can change them out at a whim as the season demands.

• Wrap your lamp shades in a coordinating fabric or wallpaper. This is an easy project for the do-it-yourselfer, and in about a day, your accessories will match your bedding.

• Paint or faux finish your walls or do an accent wall in a color found in the bedding.

• Paint or upholster a headboard, footboard or even side rails to add a customized look that ties in with your bed in a bag.

• If you have a vanity stool, re-cover the seat with a coordinating fabric. In most cases you can find single pillow cases in the same color as the bagged one - use this to cover that seat.

With just a few simple changes you can have a great-looking room that is different from those of other people who might have purchased the same bedding. Have fun and remember, custom made is really the way to go, but accentuating store-bought can be just as effective.

For more tips on bedding see the following blogs:  

http://sleepingfineliving.blogspot.com/

http://luldesigner.blogspot.com/

http://finest-dinnerware.blogspot.com/

http://find-gifts.blogspot.com/

Tags: bed bath and beyond, belk, finest linens and things, kmart, linens 'n things, sears, wal-mart
Current Location: Finest Linens and Things Chicago, IL
Current Mood: creative

The "green" movement has exploded recently in hopes of raising people's awareness about the benefits of living a socially and environmentally responsible lifestyle. Most will admit, it's not that hard to recycle their soda cans or their water bottles when they're at home. But who would have thought the three R's -- that'd be reduce, reuse, recycle -- could be applied to that most lavish of all affairs -- a wedding?

In Emily Elizabeth Anderson's new book "Eco-chic Weddings" (Hatherleigh Press, $12.95) she looks at how each step in planning a wedding can be made more socially responsible and environmentally conscious. Anderson leaves no stone unturned in the process. She has chapters that address the wedding attire, favors, flowers, menus, honeymoons -- even the Bridal  registry! -- just to name a few.

In the chapter about planning the menu, Anderson offers two tips on how you can reduce, but still have a delicious meal: "Buy local: Because the food didn't travel thousands of miles to reach you, local foods are better for the air, water and soil. Your local economy and family farmers benefit too. Eat seasonally: Plan your menu around foods that are in season."

Both of those tips are easy enough to implement. Many of her other suggestions in the book are along the same lines -- simple changes that let you make a responsible choice, without sacrificing any of the glamour and elegance of your special day.

Tips for Green Bridal Registry

Organic bedding , Organic bath towels, Organic Table Linens, Organic Napkin; all by Finest Linens and Things

Tags: bath towels, bridal registry, finest linens and things, honeymoons, organic beddin, table linens, wedding
Current Location: Finest Linens and Things MA
Current Mood: creative

Among the dangerous things we do without realize it, a Cast Iron cookware by Le creuset is a healthy way to cook your meal. In this article you will find how some product substances are bad for the healthy. Article by Marlo Sanchez, sponsored by Finest Linens and Things, MA. Please give us your opinion. Thanks and enjoy Healthy.

read more | digg story

Eating for longevity begins in the kitchen. You may be eating only organic, antioxidant-rich foods, but if you cooked your food on the toxic surface of your stovetop in a carcinogenic no-stick pan, you just might be doing more harm than good. Find out how to make over your kitchen for health and long life!

Cut the Grease Without the Toxins
When you are facing a stovetop with a buildup of baked-on grease, don’t turn to commercial oven and stovetop cleaners - that is like cleaning with poison.

Instead, try baking soda. Just sprinkle baking soda on your stovetop, let it sit for five minutes and then scour the surface with either steel wool or scrubber. For the stubborn spots that refuse to be removed, try spraying this mixture on: mix dishwashing liquid, borax, and warm water together; let it sit for 20 minutes, and then scour it.

Microwave: Nothing to Rave About
People in the U. S. think microwaves are an ingenious time-saving device and wonder how anyone ever lived without one. Think again!

Microwaves use super-fast particles to literally radiate the contents of water inside food and bring it to boil. Not only has microwave use been linked to causing infertility in men, but it also denatures many of the essential proteins in the food making them virtually indigestible.

If you must, use the low setting just to heat the foods. Or better yet, get a small toaster oven or steam oven and warm your foods. Take your time and warm up your food in a safe and healthy way.

Poisonous Pots and Pans
Are your pots and pans poisoning you? If you are using copper or aluminum cookware, they might be. These metals interact with heat and food, and leach into your diet; gradually these will accumulate in your body, sometimes reaching the point of toxicity.

Toxic levels of aluminum have been linked to memory loss, headaches, indigestion, and brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. High levels of copper can debilitate the immune system and enable cancer cells to proliferate.

After scouring with abrasives, even stainless steel can release small amounts of toxic metals like chromium and nickel. Nonstick pans - although convenient in the kitchen - contain Teflon, a plastic that in recent years has been linked to immune disorders and possible cancer conditions.

My suggestion is to use cookware with porcelain enamel coating or made of glass, cast iron, or lead-free, terra-cotta clay.
We have a great selection of cookware in our online store please visit www.finestlinensandthings.com for more details.

Finest Linens and things carries brands like Le Creuset, Le creuset Cast Iron , Bialetti Cookware among the heathiest  cookware available.

Bad News About Canned Goods
In today’s industrialized world, it is more important than ever to search out fresh food, as much for the health benefits of locally grown produce as for the health dangers presented by the alternative.

Canned foods, though easier to use than cooking from scratch, are a threat to your health. The substance bisphenol A, used to line food cans, is classified as an endocrine disruptor, a compound that can act like a hormone when it enters the human system.

Scientists have discovered that exposure to these chemicals can contribute to prostate cancer, breast cancer, cystic ovaries, and endometriosis.

I hope you receive the longevity rewards that come from making over your kitchen! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me at.

http://www.finestlinensandthings.com
sales@finestlinensandthings.com

Tags: bialetti cookware, finest linens and things, le creuset cookware
Current Location: Finest Linens and things MA
Current Mood: accomplished

It's amazing how many on-line stores for bedding and fine linens is in the NET. Who needs a trip to a local stores? Chances are you will not find so many different styles and not be able to know which store is giving the best price. So, the on line fine linens and bedding business is one of the most convenient place to shop. So, check my option out

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It doesn't need to say hard that I love finest stuff and for my beauty sleep I can't use less than the finest Linens to caress my naked body. 
Well, it is a luxury that I can't live without, mostly knowing that the beauty sleep is so essencial in our lives and remembering that we spend 8 hours in bed ( if we're alone). We sleep 1/3 of our lives and why sleep in a cheap bed and linens?  Don't be too cheap with yourself. Invest in your sleep, good humor, better day and more pleasant life. I am waiting for my new bedding that I just bought from http://www.finestlinensandthings.com. I will tell you later.

Tags: bedding, finest linens and things, luxury bedding
Current Location: WA