• Get Rid of the Clutter - Give items that tend to just lie around the room a proper home. Use multi functional furniture, like an ottoman with storage capacity to hide sofa throws or a coffee table with shelving underneath to store monthly magazines. With odds and ends placed neatly away, the room becomes less cramped and evokes a more open atmosphere.

• Look Up - To really get the most out a small space, it is important to take advantage of the height of a room. By hanging curtains higher than just above the top of the window or putting up shelving units for books, it will lead the eye up and give the allusion of a loftier feel. Use hanging light fixtures in lieu of floor lamps to create more floor space.

• Select Size Appropriate Furniture - While an oversized couch and lazy boy chair may seem more appealing at the time of purchase, when placed in a smaller space, it can overwhelm the room and make the space seem like a storage unit. Select pieces of furniture that are practical in the use of the room and place them strategically as to not disrupt the overall flow of the space.

• Select a Light Color Palette - Lighter hues in a monochromatic color scheme are great for small areas because they reflect the light and create a lighter, larger and more open feel.

• Make Sure the Space is Well Lit - Letting in natural light is always important in expanding the look of a cramped space. While natural light is recommended, artificial light will also do the trick to illuminate the darker areas that the natural light won’t reach.

For more home decorating tips and ideas for dorm room decor, please visit www.PioneerLinens.com

Dr. Swezey, a medical doctor and professor of medicine, decided to develop an innovative, lightweight alternative to the long-established, short-armed, polyester-stuffed reading pillow. The BedLounge is designed to provide the correct lumbar support to alleviate back pain, neck pain and the symptoms of osteoporosis. With a specially patented design with internal “Active Frame,” the BedLounge is able to conform to the user’s body, with the ability to bend and recline with the user, making it ideal as a maternity pillow or for new mothers who are nursing. And with its lightweight construction and “Flex-Arm” adjustability, the BedLounge is completely portable and folds up for easy storage.

For more information about this revolutionary BedLounge, please visit Pioneer Linens at http://www.pioneerlinens.com/cequal-bedlounge.

The college dorm room can be pretty scarce upon arrival and will definitely need a little tender love and care. The best gifts to give a new graduate are the gifts that are going to be practical in their day to day college life and remind them of the comforts of home.

• Several sets of towels are always useful for the college bound student. Try to pick out a fun and unique color, so they are not easily misplaced around the dorm room. Complete the gift by adding a personalized monogram, such as the student’s initials or dorm room number.
• One of the best presents to give is the gift of a good night’s sleep. The college dorm room bed isn’t the most luxurious, so it’s always a nice idea to dress the bed in the essentials for comfort. A plush comforter and a couple down pillows paired with a featherbed and mattress pad will allow the student to be well rested for a full day of classes!
• There are quite a few dorm room essentials that are easily overlooked when the student is packing for college. Create a care basket with small, but important dorm room essentials, such as drawer liners and sachets, hangers, laundry bags and fragrant soaps.
• When selecting a gift for a college bound student, keep in mind the location of the college. If they are going to a warmer, more tropical place, beach blankets and bags are fun! However, if they are going to a cooler place, consider giving a warm, plush blanket they can cuddle up in when studying.

For more “Top of the Class” gift ideas for the college bound student, please visit www.PioneerLinens.com.

Put time and thought into creating a beautiful spa themed gift basket with items that will allow Mom to fully relax on her special day. Include a plush bathrobe and pair of slippers (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/BathRobe) that Mom will love to get into. Perhaps add in Mom’s favorite nail polish and manicure kit along with a relaxing lavender scented candle and bath gels. Complete the basket with a gift certificate for a facial at Mom’s favorite spa.

Is Grandma a cooking connoisseur? Create a chef’s dream gift basket with some of grandma’s favorite cook books, fun new kitchen utensils, a new apron and decorative table accessories, such as napkin rings or silver salt and pepper shakers. Use a recipe from The Worth Tasting cook book by The Junior League of the Palm Beaches, and cook Grandma a delicious homemade meal to complete this Mother’s Day gift.

Does Mom love spending the day at the beach with the grandkids during the warmer months? With Spring in full bloom and Summer just around the corner, give Mom a personal and practical gift basket that she can use over and over again. Include a monogrammed beach towel (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/regattabeachtowel) that says “Mom,” and have fun collecting beach-going accessories like a beach chair, snorkeling gear, and an underwater camera to complete the gift basket. Then, surprise Mom with a trip to the seaside with the family this Mother’s Day.

Creating a personalized gift basket from luxury linens store, Pioneer Linens, made with items specific to Mom’s favorite interests will show how much she means this Mother’s Day. For more gift basket ideas, or to speak with a personal shopper about creating the perfect gift basket for a special Mom this Mother’s Day, visit www.PioneerLinens.com/personalized-gift-baskets  or call 1.800.207.5463, and ask for Janice.

The color palette for a cottage motif can either go more seaside-inspired with lighter shades of blue, green and pink or with bolder colors of navy blue and red, all depending on an individual’s personal preference. However, it is important to try to keep the base colors of the bedroom in neutral tones, such as white and ivory. When it comes to choosing furniture, select pieces that represent the natural elements found in nature, such as distressed wood and woven wicker.

The bed is generally the focal point in the bedroom and should represent a country manor with fabrics and colors that evoke a casual feeling of relaxation. When selecting the bedding, choose fabrics that feature various textures. Quilted coverlets in floral patterns detailed with scalloped edging or seersucker blanket covers with white eyelet lace (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/matouk-plisse) add to the sweetness of a cottage-inspired room. Beautifully crocheted accent pillows are also a wonderful way to add additional texture to a room by either placing on the bed or on a cozy reading chair.

If the bedding that was chosen is more subdued in color, there are still many opportunities to add splashes of color to the room. Curtains and valences are usually the most common place to turn to when adding color, but consider reupholstering a favorite vanity or reading chair in a vibrant pattern. Another great way to add pattern to a bedroom is to drape a beautiful print tablecloth on a simple round bedside table, complete with a piece of glass on top and a vase filled with freshly cut flowers from the garden.

Finish the bedroom design by adding fun nic-nacs found at local flea markets or antiques stores. An antique table lamp, woven baskets and an old cigar box for jewelry storage are great decorative pieces with the simplistic charm needed for cottage design.
For more cottage inspired design ideas, visit www.PioneerLinens.com.

• Long car rides and chilly airplanes can always make you think of that comfy down blanket that was left on the bed at home. Luxury designer, Scandia Home, has created a new down blanket that converts into a compact and travel size pillow. It is available in 5 fashion colors. Now there is a shade to match any carryon bag!

• Showing up to the hotel after a long day of travel and resting your head on the hotel’s pillow to only find that it is stiff and uncomfortable is not a welcoming experience. If only there was room in the suitcase to bring that down pillow from home. Well, guess what, now there is! The Hotel Down Travel Pillow Case (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/scandia-down-hotel-travel-case)is a hotel-hopping person’s best friend. Very similar to a pillow protector, this travel pillow case is enveloped in pure white goose down with an opening to place any hotel’s standard size pillow on the inside.  Now that down pillow can go wherever your travels may take you.

• Packing shoes into a suitcase among freshly laundered clothing can seem a bit tricky. Sneakers for working out can’t really fit into the side pockets like the sandals can. And what about the smell that some shoes may bring along with them? This odor isn’t something you want to rub off on your vacation clothes. So, what to do? Elizabeth W. has created a wonderful line a lavender scented travel and storage accessories, including the Lavender Filled Shoe Bag (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/Elizabeth-W-Lavender-Shoe-Bag). A beautiful ivory linen bag holds French lavender behind a sheer silk band and is detailed with a drawstring closure.

• Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now! Everyone has needed to take an emergency bathroom break, and sometimes the privacy of our own bathroom isn’t available. Nothing is more embarrassing then having to fess-up to that awful odor coming out of the bathroom, except now. Poo~Pourri is a specially formulated genius of a bathroom deodorizer! Unlike other bathroom sprays that tend to just mask the smell that lingers in the air, Poo~Pourri actually eliminates the odor all together. Simply spray directly into the toilet bowl before you go, and let the essential oils fill the bathroom with a lemony scent that will forever change the dreaded public bathroom experience.

For more travel tips and essentials, visit Pioneer Linens, the nation’s leading luxury linens store, at http://www.pioneerlinens.com/GiftsForTheTraveler or call 1-800-207-LINENS.

*Pictured is the Hotel Down Travel Pillow Case by Scandia Home.

From clothing designers to make-up artists to interior decorators, designers across the board are turning away from brighter hues and getting back to nature with toned down, neutral colors for inspiration. The softer color palette evokes a refreshing, clean, and relaxing feeling not only when the colors are worn, but when a home is decorated in them.

Classic white and ivory are examples of colors that never go out of style, and they can easily be mixed with other colors to include the current fashion trend.  Every home should have a number of standard white or ivory items for everyday living and special occasions.

• The Bedroom:  Because neutral colors suggest a sense of calm and relaxation, it seems only fitting that the place where a person rests their head, the bed, should feature these soothing colors. While the entire bed in one color may not be everyone’s taste, adding a single set of white or ivory sheets (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/SheetSet) to a bed ensemble is a necessity for any bedroom oasis.

• The Bathroom: Retreating to the bathroom should be a refreshing and spa like experience. The best way to create that atmosphere is to feature quality white towels either in the linen closet or on display. If some type of color is desired, consider adding a monogram to the basic white towels in a thread color that picks up other colors that already exist in the bathroom.

• The Dining Room: So many holidays and celebrations each year come around with a required color palette of their own; red and green for Christmas, blue and white for Hanukkah, pastels for Easter, red and pink for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Patrick’ Day and the list goes on and on.

Trying to keep up with table linens and décor in these colors can be overwhelming and at times exhausting. By keeping it simple with a classic white or ivory tablecloth (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/sferraclassicotable), the holiday colors and themes can be incorporated into the tablescape with items such as the napkins, placemats and decorative centerpieces.

For more ideas on decorating in the nude, visit the West Palm Beach fine linens store, Pioneer Linens online at www.PioneerLinens.com.

Monogramming is a wonderful gift to give and to receive, especially for weddings. Seeing the newly married couple’s initials together for the first time is exciting and heartwarming. Creating a personalized wedding gift makes it special and unique for the bride and groom.
Monogrammed towels are beautiful and very useful to give. A set of neutral colored towels with a 3 initial monogram is perfect for the newlywed’s master bathroom. His and her monogrammed bathrobes also make for a great, and again practical, wedding gift.

If the recipients live in a tropical climate, why not monogram their names on a pink beach towel for the wife and a blue beach towel for the husband? Lounge chair covers with their new last name monogrammed are perfect for their poolside.

If you know of the husband’s family crest, having it monogrammed on a decorative throw makes for a beautiful addition to a husband and wife’s new home together as a married couple.

For the couple that loves to entertain friends and family, giving a set of pure white linen napkins monogrammed with their initials is also a classic present that will be enjoyed for years to come.

For more monogramming gift ideas, please visit http://www.pioneerlinens.com/monogram.

For the mom that loves to travel, give a gift that reminds her of the comforts of home. Check out the luxurious travel pillows, blankets, and silk charmeuse eye masks. Scandia Home designed a wonderful Hungarian white goose down travel pillow that unfolds into a throw size comforter. It is so compact it fits perfectly into a carry on bag.

For the mom that loves spending time in the garden tending to her prized flower collection, a gift that will allow her to admire her gardening endeavors is very fitting. A beautiful decorative vase and a flower press kit is a great way for mom to enjoy her creations when indoors. The Flower Vase Napkin Ring Set by Turnwald is a wonderful alternative to the standard napkin ring. It acts as a vase for mom’s favorite fresh or silk flowers.

For the environmentally conscious mom, open mom’s eyes this Mother’s Day to the world of eco-friendly design. While she may recycle regularly and use LED lights in the home, does mom decorate her home in green? Give the gift of green with an organic bed ensemble, a bamboo towel set, or a throw made from 100% certified organic merino wool.

For the mom that loves to entertain friends each week to play bunko, poker or bridge, a reversible card table cover (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/CardTableCover) is a thoughtful gift. Surprise her with a playing cards that have pictures of her children on the back of the deck. Monogram mom’s initials on the card table cover for a more personalized and unique gift.

For the animal loving mom, couture soap designer Gianna Rose Atelier has developed a line of dog shaped soaps, from Poodles to Labradors and every dog in between. Unlike like the real thing, this form of mom’s best friend is allowed to sit on the counter.

For the mom that loves to spend time at the beach or poolside with her grandchildren during the summer months, a brand new beach towel or lounge chair cover will bring sunshine to her day. The Tote ‘n Towel (http://www.pioneerlinens.com/ChangiblesToteNTowel) is a unique beach tote with pockets and a shoulder strap that converts to an oversized towel or beach chair cover.

And every mom deserves to have a day off filled with pampering and relaxation. Create a unique gift basket with candles, bubble bath and lotions in her favorite scent. Include a plush bathrobe and comfy slippers to remind mom how much you care.

For more Mother’s Day gift ideas, visit http://www.pioneerlinens.com/gifts-for-mothers-day.

About Pioneer Linens:

Since 1912, Pioneer Linens has remained the premier luxury bedding retailer in West Palm Beach, Florida, selling fine linens, table linens, bath accessories and home decor for the bedroom, bathroom, dining, yacht or jet.

What makes a great quality towel is the type of fibers that are used, the weaving of the towel and then the finishing. Investing in a well constructed towel assures that replacements won’t be needed as often and a great towel is something that can be enjoyed for a long time to come.

•    When purchasing new towels, it is important to look for towels that are constructed from 100% Egyptian cotton. Egyptian cotton is renowned not only for its absorbency, but more importantly for its long stapled threads that are spun from the cotton. When a longer thread is used during the weaving process, the chance of the thread breaking (or pilling) after repeated use and laundering is reduced.

•    Looking for cotton that has been combed is another important characteristic of a quality towel. By combing the cotton before it has been spun, the smaller threads that are likely to cause pilling are permanently removed.

•    After the towel fabric is woven together, the fabric is put into a solution that seals the fibers to prolong its absorbency and softness. This process is called finishing. Well known designer, Abyss and Habidecor, developed beach towels that have been treated with a fade resistant coating. This coating does not take away from the towel’s superior absorbency, but does allow for the towels to keep their color over extended exposure to sunlight.

•    A tightly woven towel composed of dense threads adds to the towel’s superiority. When selecting new towels, feel the fabric and weight of the towel. The longer the loops, the more luxurious and plush the towel will feel. Also make sure that the looks are uniform, which is another sign of excellence in quality.

•    While the construction of towel is very important to its longevity, they still need to be cared for correctly at home. Remember to always wash towels alone, and never wash or dry them with items that have Velcro or zippers, which can result in snagging.

•    Also, it is very important not to use any type of fabric softener during the wash or in the dryer. Fabric softeners coat the towel’s fibers and render them less absorbent. Keep in mind that great quality towel will never need fabric softener because they will become softer with each wash.
To find the best and largest quality towel selection, visit www.PioneerLinens.com.

About Pioneer Linens:

Since 1912, Pioneer Linens has remained the premier luxury bedding retailer in West Palm Beach, Florida, selling fine linens, table linens, bath accessories and home decor for the bedroom, bathroom, dining, yacht or jet.