Category: How To Guides
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Five Easy Steps to Cleaning Your Indoor/Outdoor Rugs
Summer’s here, so it’s the perfect time to celebrate outdoors! Pool parties, barbecues, picnics and brunches are great ways to spend time with friends and family… but what do you do if your indoor/outdoor rug gets dirty? Fear not! We asked our friends at Dash & Albert, and they shared these easy steps to cleaning…
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Stylish Summer Soirees Made Easy
Summer. La dolce vita. A party by the pool. Sailing on the water. Or just a nice lawn barbecue. Naturally, friends and family will come in droves. So how do you entertain them in style, without setting up for the high holidays? Here are our little secrets (shhh….) – Acrylic stemware from Mario Luca Giusti:…
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Green Sweet: An Easy Care Solution for Stain Repellant Linens
For nearly two hundred years, Garnier-Thiebaut has been creating exquisite linens for the home. But it is Green Sweet, their recent innovation in fabric technology, that is most exciting to the busy, modern family. What is Green Sweet? Green Sweet is a revolutionary treatment which makes linens stain resistant. Does Green Sweet affect the way…
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Collecting the Tang Dynasty Horse
This is a true story: In 1989, the British Rail Pension Fund showed the finest Tang Dynasty porcelain horse ever found at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction. That same night, thieves broke into the Sotheby’s warehouse, held the staff at knife point, and made off with the horse. The heist made headlines around the world,…
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Instant Makeover: Your Pillow Personality
This outdoor courtyard from Traditional Home‘s February 2014 was a major project — just look at the inset of the before picture: Wow! An outdoor fountain has become an indoor/outdoor living space. But for whom? The matching pillows and cushions makes this space look like a showroom. Pillows should be the most exciting part…
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What is a Matelassé?
Matelassé (pronounced matt-le-say) is a French word meaning padded, lined or quilted. It is used to describe fabric that appears to be quilted, but actually has no padding within the fabric. Specialty jacquard looms are used to give a matelassé fabric a unique appearance of intricate designs, raised patterns, indentations, and the padded look often…
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How Do I Care for Christofle Silver?
Purchasing fine silverware is an important investment you want to protect, perhaps for generations to come. Since its founding in Normandy, France in 1830, Christofle’s silver creations have been prized for well over a century by serious connoisseurs, gracing the tables of maharajas, presidents, luxurious resorts, and the finest restaurants in the world. With proper care, Christofle silver…
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Why should I use a mattress pad?
A mattress pad is designed to lie on top of a mattress. It can have an elasticized skirt that is placed over and around a mattress, similar to a bottom fitted sheet. Or it can have anchor bands at the corners that keep it in place. A mattress pad serves several purposes: Extra cushioning, so…
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Lighting Guide: Simple Tips for Lighting Any Room
Lighting is an important aspect of home design that often goes overlooked. It can make or break your environment, and create an atmosphere full of serenity and visual interest, or lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. Understanding how lighting works, and following some simple rules will not only enhance your decor, but will make…
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What is the best way to care for your bed linens?
Caring for your bed linens can be easy if you follow some simple suggestions. In return, you will prolong the life of your bed linens and preserve their beautiful appearance. While we recommend always reading the care label on each item for best results, here are some other helpful tips that will keep your linens…