Now that Internet shopping rules, the department store has become a relic of days past. But that doesn’t mean we don’t take cues from our retail ancestors. Quite the contrary, in fact. Today marks our incredibly, massively huge White Sale – a term I was previously unfamiliar with (“but there are colorful sheets in here!”). After a little digging, I discovered the origins of this home goods extravaganza – and the reason behind the name.

Conceived by John Wanamaker (of Wanamaker’s – the first department store in Philadelphia) in 1878, the White Sale was initiated to keep shoppers coming through the doors during the slowest sales seasons. How? By providing heavy discounts on bedding and linens (because who doesn’t love a sale?). And thus, the first White Sale was born.

So, where does white come in? At the time, colors and prints were nowhere to be found in bedding. The vibrant linens we know now didn’t become popular until 70 years later, in the 1950s.

Today, White Sales have (thankfully) evolved to include items of every color, not just for the bed but for the bathroom, too. Plush duvets, eye-catching sheets, softer-than-soft towels, and more – they’re all here.

Now that you’re practically a historian yourself, stock up on necessities (and not-so-necessary indulgences) for the bed and bath.

Our (Winter) White Sale Boutique opens Wednesday, November 14, at 3PM ET.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

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1. Greet guests festively with a merry mat right at your front door.
2. Create a little anticipation with a countdown calendar (a surefire kid-pleaser).
3. Keep cozy on the couch with festive throw pillows.
4. Reminisce about last year’s picture-perfect moments. (Then, make some for next year.)

The 12 Days of Merry: Let’s Decorate Boutique opens Tuesday, November 13, at 11AM ET.

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Welcome back, home design fanatics. This week’s segments on SPACEStv were all about inspiration, be it from the home, the streets, or the beach.

Your Place is a Deal Breaker:

Meet Dominique and Nathan, an in-love couple with not-so-harmonious decorating styles. Dominique is all about a simple, black-and-white color scheme, while musician Nathan craves vibrant colors to inspire him. The cure for their dispute? Simple – just add red.

Designer Vanessa Deleon maintains some of Dominique’s favorite elements (like her zebra print rug), but revamps the room with splashes of color via a red accent wall and tons of throw pillows. Vanessa creates a faux window simply by hanging sheer panels from a curtain rod over a hanging photo of busy NYC streets, which brings a sense of the outdoors in (always crucial when it comes to city living). The end result of the makeover is a simple room with tons of unique touches. The mounted mirror candleholders? I think I’ve found my next DIY project.

Continue reading “SPACEStv: Three (More) Inspiration-Worthy Segments” »

Have no fear – if you missed our live Twitter chat with interior design pro Eddie Ross, you can still get the scoop on his bedroom styling secrets. We chatted about what to do for small spaces, how to fake freshly pressed sheets, and the benefits of high thread counts. Now, to create that perfect bedroom…

How important is thread count when you’re picking out sheets?
It’s SO important! It’s where you spend half your life, sleeping in bed. And they just get better the more you wash them.

How do you make a small bedroom space feel bigger?
If you have windows, add more volume to the curtains on either side to make the window feel bigger. For décor, use lots of mirrors and use smaller furniture – it creates air space and a larger-feeling room. I also like painting the ceiling a light, sky blue color to really open up the room.

What’s the best thing to splurge on?
Sheets and pillowcases, definitely. Anything your skin touches. Oh, and great towels, too!

What are some quick and easy ways to spruce up a bare room?
Add a colorful rug, spa bedding, and put a dimmer on your lamp – it creates such a difference! Also, fresh flowers always help.

Continue reading “In Case You Missed It: Eddie Ross’s Bedding Tips” »

If it seems like home decorating has seen a total pop culture resurgence lately, it’s because, well, it has – thanks to shows like Extreme Makeover, Design Star, and pretty much anything else on HGTV. Following suit, SPACEStv is offering up bite-size YouTube segments for design-lovers everywhere. Every week for a month, I’ll be exploring some of our favorite series from these decorating gurus. Here’s the first peek:

Take Me Home:

Adorable host Arden Myrin propositions strangers on the street to – you guessed it – take her home.

In this episode, we see the glamorous side of Harlem. This apartment is gorgeous (the highlight? A beautiful kitchen with luxe touches like tiled walls and leather barstools). The bedroom was spacious enough to fit the biggest bed I’ve ever seen and three dressers (is this really Harlem?!), plus an ingenious road-bike-made-stationary bike (hello, at-home gym). This apartment epitomized how Harlem maintains its special neighborhood charm while infusing the swank factor you’d expect in Manhattan.

Continue reading “SPACEStv: Three Inspiration-Worthy Segments” »

Like in fashion, everyone has a sleeping style all their own. I, for one, can’t get some good shut-eye without an abundance of super-soft blankets and pillows at my disposal, while others may opt for a more simple approach. In honor of all the diverse sleepers out there, this quiz answers that burning question – what style of bedroom is perfect for you?

Continue reading “What’s Your Perfect Bedroom Style?” »

Rue La La: How do we go about making the perfect bed?
Nan: It just takes attention to detail. You need to always be thinking about the final picture. Does it need a bedskirt? To start with, you need really nice bedding, and a good iron. The more luxurious and beautiful the sheets, the better the bed.

Rue La La: We want to recreate this luxe look at home. Can you walk us through your process?
Nan: Okay, my process:
1.) When you buy bedding, make sure to wash it first.
2.) Use a down insert, or a down substitute. Do not skimp on the pillows.
3.) You’ll need a nice mattress pad cover that’s cushiony, breathes, and is soft.
4.) Iron the pillow cases and the duvet, and if you have extra time, the sheets.
5.) Make sure the inserts fit the shams and the pillows fit the pillowcases.
Continue reading “W Hotels Inspires Us to Make Over the Bed” »

Two things we love: bright, bold flowers and exquisite, museum-quality art. So we were more than thrilled to sit down with artist David Leaser whose innovative techniques produce museum archive quality pieces and bring a whole new (wildly detailed) life to flowers.

Rue La La: In our Rue Style Report: Brights For The Home Boutique, we’re featuring your limited-edition dramatic botanicals. What’s the background for these pieces?
David: I had just finished work on the book, “Tropical Gardens of Hawaii,” and was visiting the Huntington Library and museum in California. They were exhibiting a collection of artwork from Frederic Church, one of my favorite painters from the 19th century. Many of the works featured his trip to the Amazon and Andes in Ecuador. When I left the exhibit, I started thinking, “Maybe I should go to South America and retrace Frederic Church’s footsteps.”

Rue La La: And did you actually go?
David: I hopped on a plane and went to Ecuador. When I was deep in the Amazon, I started taking primitive photos of the small flowers on the floor of the rainforest. I was struck by these little ecosystems. When I came back to Los Angeles, I tried to recreate this “bees-eye” view. After a lot of trial and error, I was able to perfect my craft to create highly detailed images.
Continue reading “Five-Minute Pow-Wow: David Leaser Talks Flowers & Art” »