We love a clean home, and we want to keep the earth clean, too. But we were disappointed with the quality of natural cleaners. That is, until we found The Laundress! Their naturally-derived cleaning products work great and they are safe for the environment.

The Laundress was started by owners Lindsey Wieber Boyd and Gwen Whiting. Like us, they were dissatisfied with the eco-friendly cleaning products on the market. As they put it, “Tired of buying inferior natural cleaning products or toxic cleaners that were not effective we decided it was time to make our own.”

Lindsey and Gwen were both educated in Fiber Science, Textile and Apparel Management and Design at Cornell University. The used their knowledge of fibers to create fabric-specific detergents that are gentle on clothes, but tough on dirt and stains. They have special detergents for denim, workout clothes, and delicates, among others.

The Laundress detergents are formulated from plant-based ingredients, and do not contain chlorine, petroleum products, or artificial color. They are triple-concentrated which means less packaging waste. You also use less product, which is better for your clothes and the environment, and ultimately saves you money.

We love their Signature Detergent for regular laundry, their Stain Solution for tough stains, and Wool & Cashmere Shampoo for our sweaters. (Yes, you can actually wash cashmere – and it comes out softer than from the dry cleaners!)

Their dusters, brushes, and cleaning cloths are made from natural materials – no plastic or petroleum products.

We are always looking for the best tools to make our necessary domestic chores more luxurious and above all – easier! This ostrich feather duster is what Redecker refers to as the “king of feather dusters”! It is so luxurious, we actually look forward to cleaning now.

Well, almost.

Click here to see our entire collection of The Laundress cleaning products. And get ready to love cleaning…or at least, dislike it a little less.

Fitted sheets are one of the most difficult items in our closet to fold. We can never seem to get them folded as neatly as the flat sheets!

Luckily, Pine Cone Hill’s Annie Selke created this video demonstration to help us out. Mystery solved!

For more than 187 years, Reed & Barton has enjoyed a reputation as one of the country’s foremost makers of fine tableware and giftware. Reed & Barton products are renowned for their superior design and craftsmanship. The Reed & Barton name graces a full complement of unique sterling silver flatware, picture frames, and children’s gifts.

For stylish entertaining, cherished gifts or simply making everyday a little more beautiful, Reed & Barton is the choice for those with discriminating taste.

Established in 1902 and acquired by Reed & Barton in 2010, Lunt’s distinctive product line is the perfect complement to Reed & Barton’s extensive array of tableware, serveware and giftware. The Lunt collection includes flatware, picture frames, baby gifts and Christmas ornaments.

All of our Reed & Barton and Lunt silver products are made in the USA. They make lovely gifts for baby showers, anniversaries or weddings.

View our Reed & Barton collection.

View our Lunt collection.

Here’s a little sneak peek behind the scenes at Pine Cone Hill. Enjoy!

Has this ever happened to you? You set a beautiful table for your dinner party. Your table linens are stunning, your dinnerware is bright and colorful, even your stemware and silverware sparkle. But when it’s time to serve the meal, you’re forced to choose between setting out plain, boring baking dishes or spending time transferring your entrees to fancy serving bowls. Then you have to wash BOTH.

That doesn’t sound like our idea of a fun evening, so we were thrilled to discover Skyros Designs. They create beautiful, functional bakeware pieces that are full of color and style.

With deep, rich colors and elegant details, this bakeware let you create, freeze, bake and serve, all in one dish. The matching dinnerware pieces are also microwave and dishwasher safe. These dishes are sturdy enough to withstand daily use, and beautiful enough to be on display in your kitchen.

Fewer dishes used means fewer dishes to wash. And that means more time for you to spend relaxing and enjoying the company of your guests.

See all of the latest patterns from Skyros Designs here.

Softer than cashmere and available in a wide range of colors, Alpaca is one of the world’s most luxurious fabrics. Alicia Adams, who has a background in fashion, designs beautiful and luxurious throws, accessories and baby gifts made from alpaca. She has just introduced several plush new throws that we just adore.

This reversible throw is available in six different color options. Wrap yourself in one for some comfy warmth or simply use it to accent your favorite chair.

The Sail Throw has a nautically-inspired knotted fringe and comes in sixteen colors.

This throw features a classic houndstooth pattern. It’s available in grey or ivory.

A fringe of pompoms adds a touch of fun to this reversible throw, available in four colors.

See all of our Alicia Adams Alpaca products.

We love our waffle weave fabrics, both for blankets and bathrobes. They have a neat, graphic look, but that’s not all. Waffle weave is functional, too. The experts at Sferra explain:

Waffle weave fabric, also known as a honeycomb weave fabric, is woven to produce a textured surface fabric with a distinctive grid-like pattern of recessed square or diamond shapes, resembling a breakfast waffle or a honey bee comb. In the weaving process, the ridges outlining the squares or diamonds are raised on all sides by floating both the warp and the weft, and gradually decreasing the floats moving from the ridges toward the centers.

Waffle weave fabric has thermal properties, providing warmth and insulation by trapping body heat and forming a warm layer next to the skin, thereby increasing heat retention. In addition, waffle weave fabric is highly absorbent and available in a variety of weights. These features make this fabric perfect for blankets and robes.

Sferra’s best-selling Kingston Waffle Weave Blanket has all of these great features. It also comes in seven delicious colors.

The Edison bathrobe is waffle weave for the bath. It is lightweight, absorbent and soft.

Established in Ireland in 1783, Waterford Crystal creates an extensive range of crystal stemware, barware and giftware that is highly regarded throughout the world. The company is committed to creating prestigious products for gift giving, entertaining, and home decorating, whose classic designs transcend time.

The leading brand of premium crystal, Waterford has become synonymous with the finest quality crystal sought after by collectors and connoisseurs around the world. Each piece of Waterford is watermarked with the word “Waterford”, a signature indicating the name of the finest crystal in the world.

The best-selling Waterford Lismore pattern was inspired by the gothic architecture of the 800-year-old Lismore Castle in County Waterford, Ireland.  Created in 1962, Lismore is a stunning combination of brilliance and clarity. These surprisingly weighty glasses feature the intricate detailing of Lismore’s signature diamond and wedge cuts and are beautiful examples of stunning drinkware that defines traditional styling even while transcending it.

Today, Waterford crystal can be found at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey, Dublin’s National Concert Hall, and the Australian House of Parliament.

To start your own collection, see our entire line of Waterford Crystal.

A brand new year, and we have some brand new looks for your table. Linen Way, a fair trade company that creates beautiful, eco-friendly linen tablecloths, has some lovely new introductions for the new year.

A beautiful jacquard in the jewel-like colors of sea glass characterizes the Murano Seaglass tablecloth, runner and napkins:

A classic, relaxed collection, Serenite highlights the beauty of natural linen. New for 2013 are a cheeky pink stripe:

and a soothing teal stripe:

Serenite is available in napkins, placemats, table runners and tablecloths. Also available in Ice Blue Stripe.

And for a classic neutral look, the Paisley table linens are now available in Ivory. This collection includes tablecloths, napkins, and table runners finished with hemstitched edges:

You can see our entire collection of Linen Way tablecloths here.

Question: What are Euro shams? How do I use them?

Answer: Euro shams, also known as European or Continental shams, are sized to fit a 26×26” European pillow. These pillows and shams are generally used for decorative purposes, but they can also be used as floor pillows or reading pillows. Euro shams are often designed with decorative trims or flanges, which add visual interest and increase the overall size by extending beyond the outer edge of the pillow. Unlike a pillowcase, which has the opening visible on the side, a sham has a hidden opening of overlapping fabric in the back.

The secret to setting a beautiful, luxurious bed ensemble is the layering of pillows with different sizes, shapes and patterns. In a pillow arrangement, Euro pillows are placed in the back, against the headboard, creating a background. You would generally use three Euro pillows on a king bed, two on a full or queen bed, and one on a twin bed.

In the image above, Sferra’s Euro pillows with Kendall shams are set in the back, with a layering of various styles of pillows and other sized shams in the front.

Here are a few more examples of this layering technique:

As you can see, layering with Euro and regular shams can create a lovely, textured bed ensemble. Take a look at all of our Sferra bedding options, and create a look that’s uniquely yours.