Choosing the Right Pillow

Restful sleep is essential to be productive, to feel refreshed, and more. Sleeping with the wrong pillow can hinder restful, quality sleep. The general goal of a pillow should be to keep the head in neutral alignment. This prevents aches and pains the next morning.

There are many types of pillows available for everyone’s preferences and needs. Here are a few of the most common:

Down Pillows

Made from duck and goose feathers, these pillows are light and fluffy. The filaments in the down clusters expand and intertwine, forming air pockets that trap air.

Memory Foam

It seems like everything these days is made of memory foam. Its popularity is due to its ability to mold to the head and neck.

Latex Pillows

These pillows come in two forms: a solid core for a solid feel, or a shredded filling that feels like a down pillow but doesn’t compact over time. The big draw to latex pillows is that they are hypoallergenic, anti-microbial, mildew proof, and dust mite resistant.

After choosing the material of the pillow, buyers need to look at the firmness, and how thick it needs to be. This relies heavily on their body position while sleeping.

Side Sleeping

Those who sleep mostly on their side should look for a firmer pillow that helps keep the spine in a straight line. A firmer pillow will also fill in the distance between the ear and outside shoulder.

Back Sleeping

Sleeping on the back is the best way to keep a neutral spine position, but only if a thinner pillow with medium firmness is used. If the pillow is too thick, it can throw the head too far forward. Throwing a pillow under the knees of a back sleeper helps support the natural curve of their spine as well.

Stomach Sleeping

Although this is the worst position on the back for sleeping, many people find it the most comfortable position. Find a pillow that is almost flat. A thicker pillow will cause neck and back pain in this position.

No matter the pillow, Window Coverings of Idaho can help cover it with custom bedding and pillow cases.

 

Eliminating Carpet Stains

Carpets can take quite the beating over the years. Stains are almost inevitable, especially in homes with children or pets. However, getting these stains out doesn’t always require professional cleaning. Here are a few tips to remove the three most common stains:

Pet Stains

Pet accidents are almost unavoidable and can result in unsightly stains. To get out a stain, moisten it first and then apply a product that is formulated for pet stains. If that product isn’t available, other household items can sometimes take care of the stain. Mix a quart of water with a stain-fighting laundry detergent in a spray bottle. Spray the spot, allow it to soak for a few minutes, and then blot and rinse with warm water. The process might need to be repeated a few times.

Red Wine Stains

Red wine stains can be scary, but they don’t have to be. Simply blot the spill with a white cloth, soaking up as much of the wine as possible. Then, pour cold water on the stain, diluting it. Continue blotting until no more wine comes out. Prepare a baking soda paste with a three to one ratio of water to baking soda. Apply it to the stain and let dry before vacuuming it up.

Coffee Stains

That dark brew that gets everyone going in the morning can make quite the stain when spilled on carpet. As with the wine, blot to soak up as much of the coffee as possible. Then mix one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and two cups of warm water. Using a white cloth, soak the stain with the mixture, blotting afterward. Repeat this process until the stain disappears. Sponge it with cold water and blot dry.

Don’t stress about stains. Most can be eliminated with products from around the home and some careful blotting.

 

End of Summer Peach Crisp

Summer is quickly coming to an end and peaches are now in season. What better way to celebrate than with a skillet peach crisp? Here’s what you need:

Topping Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup light brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling Ingredients

1 ½ cups pecans

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 ¼ pounds peaches, cut into ½” slices

1/3 cup light brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon salt

Topping Preparations:

Whisk flour, brown sugar, and salt into a medium bowl. Cut in the cutter until clumps from and no dry spots remain.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss them once during the process. Bake them for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and chop.

Butter the bottom and sides of the cast iron skillet. Toss pecans, peaches, brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon juice, garam masala, and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to the skillet once combined. Crumble the topping over the filling.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the topping is a golden brown and the juices are bubbling.

 

UV Protection for the Home

Just as UV rays can damage skin, they can also damage furniture, flooring, and more when they come through the window. Of the three main culprits, UVA and UVB rays cause 45% percent of the damage, while heat/infrared radiation causes 25% percent and visible light causes 25% percent. Most glass windows in homes filter out UVB radiation, but UVA and infrared radiation can still sneak through, which is why the room tends to heat up on a sunny day.

While there are a few things homeowners can do to protect their home from UV rays, installing window treatments is probably the easiest. Window treatments help to block these rays when lowered, lessening the temperature of the room, and reducing fading of furniture and flooring.

To help homeowners protect their home and its contents, Hunter Douglas designs most of their window treatments to filter out 75% of the sun’s harmful UV rays when installed over double-glazed glass windows. Some blinds can even protect up to 99% when they are fully lowered with their slats, vanes, or louvers in a closed position.

Most people want sunlight to lighten up the room, and with most window treatments from Hunter Douglas, that is still possible even when blocking harmful rays. Many of their window coverings are designed to still allow light to filter in, giving the room a soft glow.

Don’t sacrifice natural light for UV protection and vice versa. Check out the large selection of light-filtering, UV-protecting window treatments at Window Coverings of Idaho. With so many styles, colors, and materials, everyone can find the perfect fit for their home.

Window Treatments for Office Spaces

Finding the right office window treatment can be tricky. There are a few factors to consider before making your selection including:

• The amount of natural light that comes into the office
• Glare on computers or other electronics
• The amount of privacy needed
• Direction the windows are facing
• Personal preferences

Natural Light and Glaring

It is important in a professional setting to have adequate lighting, but it is always nice to utilize more natural lighting than artificial lighting. Natural lighting is easier on the eyes, and can help improve workplace productivity. Invite the natural light in, but keep the option to limit it to reduce glaring with honeycomb shades and cellular shades especially during the brightest part of the day.

Privacy and Window Placement

The direction the windows face can determine when the sun shines through the windows, and the amount of privacy needed. Top-down, bottom-up shades allow the user to position the shades to block out the glaring sun during certain parts of the day, or limit who can see inside the windows. Many of the Hunter Douglas shades available from Window Coverings of Idaho offer this function.

Personal Preference

Sometimes personal preference plays the most important role in selecting window coverings. With a huge selection to choose from, and the option for custom designs, Window Coverings of Idaho can find something to fit everyone’s personal preference.

When choosing new window treatments for your office, custom Hunter Douglas window coverings allow more options, a better fit aesthetically, and the perfect balance of natural lighting. Talk to the team at Window Coverings of Idaho about creating custom window coverings for your office today.

Cleaning 101 for Duvet Covers

Duvet covers are a less expensive way to change up bedding without having to buy a whole new set. Duvet covers may require a little more upkeep than a comforter, but they’re worth extra effort. Read on to learn about cleaning and caring for duvet covers.

How often duvet covers need laundered depends on what other bedding is used in conjunction with the duvet and if pets sleep on the bed. When a top sheet is used between the person and the duvet cover, a monthly washing should suffice. If not, try to wash it weekly or bi-weekly. Pets can release dander and dirt when sleeping on top of the bed. To reduce this, wash the duvet cover more frequently, like every week.

Washing a duvet cover is usually simple. Those that are cotton or cotton blends can be washed and dried at home so there’s no special care needed. If the duvet is made of silk or linen, then it will need to be dry cleaned.

Make a duvet cover last as long as possible with these tips:

1. Rotate

Instead of using one duvet until it wears out, purchase a couple and rotate them throughout the year. It gives variety and each one a little break between use.

2. Air

To rid the duvet cover of any odors and indoor allergens, hang it outside on a clothesline in the fresh air. However, for those who react to outside allergens, this might not be a wise choice.

3. Storage

Before putting a duvet cover in storage, make sure it has been washed and is completely dry to prevent mold. Duvets are best stored in a closet or chest.

Duvets and duvet covers are great alternatives to the traditional comforter. Following the cleaning and care instructions above will help them last a long time. Visit Window Coverings of Idaho’s website to learn about their custom bedding services.

Decorating a Sunroom

Sunrooms make for a gorgeous space to entertain or just relax with a cup of coffee each morning. The sunroom needs to make people feel like they are outside, yet still connected to the rest of the home. How it is decorated can have an impact on these impressions.

Before decorating, read these tips:

Painting

The paint choice or choices should consider the natural light that comes into the room. Whites and yellows are common in sunrooms for their cheeriness and how they work with the light. For those wanting something different, most bright colors work well.

Furniture

Make the sunroom flow into the rest of the house with furniture choices. Anything used should complement the style of the home. Popular materials for sunroom furniture are wicker, rattan, and other natural materials. Be sure to use fabrics that won’t fade as fast from the sunlight.

Window Treatments

Although the idea is to let in as much natural sunlight as possible, sometimes that isn’t ideal during extreme temperatures. Window treatments are still necessary in sunrooms. To blend in with the feeling of the room, opt for woven shades made with natural materials, wooden blinds or shutters, or roller shades. These window treatments will allow light to come in but offer the option to block it when needed. The right window treatments also help keep fabrics from fading as quickly.

For help choosing the perfect window treatments for the sunroom, talk to Window Coverings of Idaho. Visit the website to see our large selection of window treatments and more home decorating tips.

Summer Drink Recipe

With the heat Boise and the surrounding areas have been experiencing, staying cool is the number one priority this summer. This non-alcoholic pineapple mojito is the perfect way to cool off and enjoy a treat.

Ingredients for one drink:

• 4-5 pieces of pineapple, about one or two inches in size
• 4-5 fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ cup chilled grape juice
• ½ chilled sparking water or soda water
• 1 teaspoon of agave for sweetness if desired
• Ice cubes
• Lime or pineapple slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, muddle the pineapple for a couple of minutes until broken down into small pieces. Add the mint leaves and muddle again to bruise the leaves.
2. Transfer the mixture to a serving glass. Add ice cubes before pouring the grape juice, lime juice, and sparking soda or water over them.
3. Put in sweetener if desired, mix it together, and garnish with a slice of lime or pineapple.

 

Uses and Advantages of Roller Shades

For a modern and clean look, roller shades are the perfect window treatment choice in any home. Hunter Douglas offers roller shades in hundreds of fabric choices to fit any aesthetic. These versatile shades have many benefits, some of which include:

1. Simplicity

Made with just a single piece of flat fabric, window coverings don’t get simpler than a roller shade. They are easy to adjust as well. They portray a sense of neatness in a room with their crisp, clean lines.

2. Sun Screen

Roller shades can be made with many different types of fabrics so they can be sheer or opaque. Either way, Hunter Douglas roller shades protect furniture and more from fading with at least 75% protection from harmful UV rays.

3. Keep the View

The Designer Screen Shades from Hunter Douglas come in varying levels of opacity. This allows for light to be filtered in and the view to remain visible while still protecting the interior from harmful UV rays.

With so many options available in fabrics and opacity, roller shades can be used in a variety of ways throughout the home or office. Some great uses for rollers shades are:

• Kitchen

Larger, heavier window treatments are impractical for the kitchen. Roller shades fit well in smaller windows like those in the kitchen. Roller shades that are more sheer are a great option in the kitchen to allow for natural light.

• Bathroom

Bathrooms need privacy, but also natural light. Roller shades can easily be adjusted for more privacy in the bathroom and can fit the awkward window sizes often found in bathrooms.

• Patio/Sunroom

The main function of a patio or sunroom is to enjoy the light and view. However, sometimes it is desirable to partially or completely block the sun to for temperature and light control. The Designer Screen Shades are perfect for these rooms.

Check out the designer roller shades by Hunter Douglas that can be sheer, opaque, solid, or even printed. There are so many options to choose from.

Decorating with Cowhide Rugs

Cowhide rugs can be part of almost any décor, not just that found in a ranch-style country-themed home. There are a few different ways to decorate with cowhide that won’t turn the home into something out of a country western movie set.

1. Layering

Instead of tossing out that old area rug that might be stained or just isn’t exciting anymore, layer a cowhide rug on top of it. It’s an easy way to cover a stain, or just give it new life. The mix of colors and textures creates an interesting style.

2. Under a Table

Try placing a cowhide rug under a kitchen or coffee table. They’re naturally stain resistant, making them a great choice for areas with a lot of traffic or spills.

3. Wall Art

Juxtapose a cowhide rug as a wall covering with other harder pieces surrounding it. Use metal or wood wall art to balance out the softness of the cowhide. It will definitely be attention-grabbing and make a statement in any room.

Cowhide rugs can be used in many different ways and go with a lot of decorating styles when placed thoughtfully. The shape of a cowhide is more interesting and versatile than a round or rectangular rug, which is part of the reason for their popularity. With both neutral and printed options, Window Coverings of Idaho can help find the perfect cowhide for any space and décor style.

Use neutral cowhide rugs to balance out modern and traditional décor, or choose a printed pattern to bring a little fun into the mix. The design experts at Window Coverings of Idaho would love to help determine the perfect location for a new cowhide rug in any home.