Day 13 - Treehouse Linens: A confession

[Lawrene0]

I watch with interest the discussions here in the CC on whether elegant all-white is better than fun pastel bedding, but remain very, very quiet. I absolutely should never weigh in on those, um, "threads". 

Here's why.

Forgive me, fellow hosts, for there are bears on my sheets. 

What I can get away with

Just the one sheet with the bears actually, a fitted flannelette. The bears are joined by a flock of deer and some moose on that one. Couldn't believe my good fortune when I scored it. Deep discount. What do you mean, "no kidding"?

Moreover, I have a full set with cardinals perched all over, a fitted that is busy with roses, and a flat in plaid. Tartan of the Clan McGarish? Also some plain fitted and flat thrown in, none of it white, to mix and (mis)match. 

Then there are the blankets. 

Patching is easy...

I've got one freebee acquired years ago that needs darning at those turnovers when guests melt bits of it. It's got phentex in it, if anyone remembers that awful stuff. Slowly I am patching it to the point where the phentex will be gone and it will be a new blanket entirely.

I made a wool one that is better material-wise, doesn't melt, but is what knitters refer to as a "stash buster". Doesn't matter what colour pillowcases you put with it. It matches everything.

The worst is a blanket that is not meant to look like cobwebs but does. I was going for a geometric feel and achieved a Halloween fail. 

Not cool at all

Please don't think that I make nothing but awful blankets. I don't. I give any nice blankets I make to children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and I use a few in the house.

Guests in the house -- I know! What misty memory is this? Guests in the house?  -- get white and cream: white duvet, cream wool blanket. No flora, fauna, or frights.

But this is how I know I am the luckiest host out there: I can make up the treehouse bed with the homeliest (North American use of the word, not UK) linens, and as long as they are clean (they are very clean), guests don't complain. Or no guest has yet. I even get "amazing amenities" compliments, and surely by that they mean there are bears on the sheets. 

[Colleen253]

Lol, I'm surprised the Phentex blanket is wearing at all @Lawrene0 ! My hubby still has a pair of phentex slippers his mom made him probably 30 years ago... mint condition still. Industrial strength stuff, that phentex. But yes, I can imagine it melting.😱

Your cozy 'homely' linens no doubt fit your treehouse perfectly. Better 'homely', as 'hotel' would be quite out of place!

[Lawrene0]

Yes, @Colleen253 , I remember that! Everyone's mom (or sister in home ec) made them phentex slippers! Unless you walk on hot coals, you have slippers for life!

[Helen350]

I LOVE it, @Lawrene0 - Adore every photo, the home made and the animal patchwork!

I had to google the North American meaning of 'homely' - and have learnt  that it's NOT a compliment chez vous. (Unlike the English connotation of 'cosy' or 'gemuetlich' as they say in German.)

- Maybe this 'homely' as, tatty, over-lived in, not good explains why American guests seem to expect higher standards than we Brits, or other Europeans? (Thinking of many a debate in the CC regarding things that don't matter imo?)

I've been weighing up whether to paint my dining room red & terracotta, or a yellowish green... (I've been living with indecision and ALL the paint tins for years!) Googling other folks efforts revealed that my intentions are 'boho'. (Or Harry Potter!) - Tho' much 'boho' appears predominantly shades of blue & white, with some red green & pink thrown in.... So perhaps your place is 'boho'? 

Whatever you call it, I LOVE it! 🙂 

[Lawrene0]

My kitchen is red, and I love it, so I'll vote for the red, @Helen350 . With the terracotta sounds perfect! 

[Sarah977]

I'm in your camp. All my linens are colored- deep red, burgundy, beige, grey. I have a lot of patterned pillowcases I made myself that co-ordinate with those colors. I might use a burgundy fitted sheet, a grey top sheet, and pillowcases that contain both those colors. I also have a couple of patterned sheets.

Not only has no guest ever complained or questioned the cleanliness of the linens, several guests have commented on how much they like them and mentioned in reviews how comfy the bed was.

And I happen to be hopeless at keeping white things white, so I don't do white anything.

@Lawrene0

[Lawrene0]

Oh good, @Sarah977 ! I'm not the only one. I enjoy putting together the various combos. 

I do like white a lot, but I think, among other problems, it would be intimidating for my muddy campfire-smoked guests. 

Oh, and yes, I make my own pillowcases sometimes too. They are out of, you guessed it, sheets that have been rendered unusable, but still have good bits left. The bears may get a second life...

[Sarah977]

Go with the red/terracotta. Yellowish-green isn't an appetizing color for somewhere you eat, IMO. My daughter once painted her kitchen a delicious warm pumpkin color. It actually made you feel hungry.

@Helen350

[Helen350]

Thank you @Sarah977 ! - I've been leaning that way (for years!) - It's not just a dining room, it serves as reception too, cos you walk into it from the street/front door... Has a sofa, so multi purpose.... I like terracotta... warm & cosy in winter, yet works in hot countries like India, Mediterranean, & Mexico(?), so won't seem wrong in the unlikely event of a hot summer!

[Bronwyn38]

what a charming perspective, @Helen350 - full marks from me! I am not a fan of either white sheets or white towels, personally, (and have recently included some cute Aussie native animal print quilt covers for the bunk room when kids stay) and nearly all of mine are colours that co-ordinate with the general decor of my B and B cottage and studio unit. Part of the reason for this is that my place is very pet friendly, and dogs often jump on the beds.. and after stays of a few days or more, paw prints can be the hardest things to remove from light coloured linens... it's all a matter of practicality here! Love your philosophy!

[Cathie19]

That treehouse is looking good @Lawrene0.!  🥰

I can’t imagine it any other way.  Should we all be on the alert for more bear and deer flannelette sheeting for you?  X

[Lawrene0]

No,  I'm all set for now, @Cathie19 . Raccoon sheeting would be highly appropriate here, though... 

[Cathie19]

Phew!

@Lawrene0, I could only find koala ones!

Lol........

But here’s a raccoon amongst the fauna, in a fleece! ❤️

But the postage to Australia is a tad expensive!!!! 😱

[J-Renato0]

@Lawrene0  It is a typical post for women to read it! However I dared read it and now I am stepping in ! Hope you do not mind 🙂
My male opinion! 🙂 The bear is fine there and the blankets are to be remembered.
It is different from the boring white or things monocromatic ! Guests will like it, certainly! 

[Lawrene0]

I didn't think it was only women hosts who had to deal with sheets, @J-Renato0 . Perhaps I'm wrong. 😉