August 31, 2018

The Magic of Linen + 5 Linen Care Tips

 

Warm, breezy days and flowing linens were made for one another. The centuries old fabric is made from the fibers of the flax plant, and the lightweight, breathable fabric is perfect for slower, more rumpled days. You’ll notice I didn’t bother to iron out the fold seams in these photos, and that’s because I think they add to the charm of all things linen.

MagicLinen is a family business located in Lithuania that combines their knowledge of textiles and love of décor to create linen pieces meant to be passed down through generations. All of the company’s goods are made from high quality European OEKO-TEX certified linen fabric and is softened through stonewashing, the modern way of doing so without any harmful chemicals. MagicLinen’s collection is entirely handmade and includes linen bedding, clothing, napkins, towels, placemats, table runners, towels, scarves, aprons, and more.

 

 

“We care a lot about eco-friendly, organic and slow living. We cherish classic values, at the same time being modern, opened to a world and new ideas, doing our best with a lot of enthusiasm and hard work. These principles reflect in the goods we deliver – we choose the most organic fabrics and enjoy the process of making items by hand than going to big factories.”

 

 

MagicLinen is aptly named, because the fabric really is just that and has been used through the ages to make everything from canvases and wallpaper to clothing and bedding. It’s super durable because linen is naturally thicker and 30% stronger than cotton, so it will keep its shape and withstand more washings while growing softer over time. It can absorb up to 20% of its own weight in water before starting to feel damp and dries quickly, making linen the perfect material for bath towels and clothing. The material is also a natural insulator meaning it keeps you cool in the summer and retains heat from your body in the colder months. It’s also hypoallergenic which is fantastic for people who have sensitive skin or suffer from allergies. A big bonus – linen is sustainable and eco-friendly.

 

 

I’m not fussy when it comes to the textiles in my home or in my wardrobe, so MagicLinen’s pieces fit right in. The dishtowels are super absorbent, the bed linens so cool and soft for summer, and the tablecloth and napkins my favorite options for pulling together a quickly dressed table. I want these pieces to last for along time, so I did my research when it comes to caring for them.

Washing
Linen items can be both hand washed and machine washed, though preferably on their own. When machine washing use the gentle cycle with warm water with a mild detergent. For hand washing also use warm water and about a teaspoon of mild detergent. Allow the linen to soak for 10 minutes before swishing it around while avoiding the urge to wring, twist, or scrub as it can stretch the fabric. Rinse with cool water until all of the soap is gone. To combat any stubborn stains, soak the spot in a detergent and water solution and launder as usual.

Drying
Washed linens can be machine dried on low heat. Remove them from the dryer while still slightly damp and hang or lie flat to dry completely. Air drying adds softness to the linen items, you can line-dry lay them flat on a white towel. The only linen pieces that will ever require dry cleaning are more structured garments such as linen jackets, suits, and hemstitched items in order to preserve their shape.

Avoid
Bleaching your linens or using detergents with optical brighteners can weaken linen’s fibers and cause discoloration. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets can weaken the fibers and reduce their absorbency and moisture-wicking properties. Don’t store linen in plastic bags, instead choose linen bags or reuse old pillowcases.

Ironing
I prefer the wrinkled look, but if you’d like a crisper appearance you can use a medium-hot iron on the fabric while it’s still damp or overlay it with a damp towel.

Storing
Make sure they’re are completely dry to avoid mildew before storing your linens in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area that’s located away from direct sunlight.

 

This post sponsored by MagicLinen. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting our carefully chosen partners that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

Posted In accents, behind the scenes, house and home, living, series, sponsored post, tips + tricks
0
August 31, 2018

TsuruBride AKA Meghan Willis

 

TsuruBride AKA Meghan Willis has been sewing since the age of 6. Making clothes for her Barbie led to a degree in fashion design and a career in the apparel industry. To keep that creative spark alive, Meghan spends evenings exploring the art of undressing, movement, and sensuality through her embroidery. All of her textile art is stitched on linen unless otherwise noted, while leather appliques are machine stitched before being hand painted with acrylics.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In create, textiles
0
August 30, 2018

Chicken Salad 10 Ways

Chicken salad sandwiches are kind of a sentimental food for me, filled with memories of my junior high best friend and I wiling away the hours eating them in the mall’s food court. They were my first positive interaction with mayonnaise, which sounds strange I know and with which I still have a love/hate relationship. Lately my lunches have been getting boring and I thought searching out the perfect chicken salad recipe could help remedy that – here are ten recipes I’m going to experiment with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In food, living, recipes, round up, series
0
August 29, 2018

Bison Home

 

Twenty-one years ago creative director Brian Turks founded Bison Home by combining Scandinavian and Asian influences to create an aesthetic with simple lines and put colors. (Side note: the logo draws its origin back to the elegant simplicity of Bronze Age cave paintings in Altamira in Spain!) Since then the label’s range has expanded, always using the finest materials and including a wide range of colors and textures.

Each piece is designed… based on a personal experience or reflection. Our milk bottles stem from handleless jugs at my grandmother’s home. The mixing sets from baking and the battle over who got the spoon versus the bowl. Cucina platters originate from outdoor summer dining in Sweden with an endless supply of seafood. Our fågel pitchers are based on geese and their spouts reflect the indolent way they hold their heads as they walk. Each memory resonates with us and in the same manner we try to convey it to others.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In accessories, house and home, kitchen, living
0
August 29, 2018

Amelia Millard

 

Don’t adjust your screen! Amelia Millard‘s latest collection reads as if viewed from a dream or veil, maybe even a pair of rose colored glasses. Her fashion-inspired paintings are flawless and modern, sometimes with erotic undertones.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In create, painting
0
August 28, 2018

Introducing Milk Factory

This past spring a lot of my time was spent designing for a project my friend Jaime and I had been discussing for a long time, and now it has a name – Milk Factory. Design Milk’s first collection of merchandise includes t-shirts, stickers, a tote bag (my favorite), and an enamel pin. We did a test run pop-up at the Milk Stand at ICFF in May before the shop opened and it went really well. All of the products are proudly printed by Commonwealth Press right here in Pittsburgh, PA and Milk Factory is happy to ship internationally. The plan is to add more items as we come up with additional cheeky things we’d want to buy for ourselves!

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In behind the scenes, my design, shameless plug, style, wear it
0
August 27, 2018

Franck Bohbot / Angels

 

French-born, New York-dwelling Franck Bohbot‘s photos all have a touch of the theatrical about them. His past work on film sets lends the formal and aesthetic influences of cinematography to his work, as well as a documentarian feel. The way Bohbot views L.A. in his Angels series isn’t necessarily the way billions of minds across the world imagine the city, but if you’ve ever visited and stepped outside of Hollywood you know it’s the truth.

“Almost everyone has some idea of what Los Angeles is, even if they’ve never been there. Home to Hollywood, the city churns out myth after American myth. Some see the city as a necessary part of a glamorous life — they migrate there to become stars. Others live ordinary lives and work ordinary jobs in this city of spectacle. Here, even the metallic glinting pole of exercise equipment along the shoreline, or a solitary streetlight in neon darkness, or a thrust of power lines cutting across the sky, captures something essential about the so-called “city of angels.” by Sarah V. Schweig

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In create, paper, photography, prints
0
August 27, 2018

Adding Exterior Character with James Hardie

 

It’s been nearly four years since I found myself buying an old house and moving back to the Pennsylvania town where I grew up. As you’ve seen, since then I’ve put my modern and eclectic stamp on the 118-year-old structure through projects and updates while trying to retain its character. I’ve added window shutters to the front facade, switched out all of the interior doorknobs, and replaced the front and backdoor entry sets among many other things.

The exterior is still not where I’d like it to be however, and doesn’t match up with my aesthetic. My hope is to give it a much needed facelift with new siding, as well as boxing in those columns and adding a porch that most certainly existed at some point in the past.

 

 

For your reference, this photo was taken last summer. The light fixture and mailbox have been replaced and some new plants have been added to the front flower bed, but that’s the extent of this past year’s progress.

One of my biggest peeves about the curb appeal – where the majority of the house’s character lies – is the mix of sidings used, both in colors as well as directionality. While I understand that this is an aesthetic some prefer, I’d love to have wide plank horizontal siding in one style and one color.

 

 

Something like this.

After putting some research time into this eventual project, I realized what a massive collection of products James Hardie has to offer as well as the quality that backs them up. Their product line offers a great selection of profiles, textures, widths, and colors, while their commitment to artistry and innovation allows for timeless designs and performance.

 

 

Now for the nitty gritty. James Hardie‘s ColorPlus Technology coats surfaces, edges, and features of each siding plank uniformly while multiple layers of color are baked onto each board for a great finish and a strong bond that resists chipping, peeling, cracking, and fading for years to come. With HardiePlank lap siding, HardieShingle siding, and HardiePanel vertical siding, you have the design versatility to achieve a look that’s sure to stand out on your street. They also allow you to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a 30-year non-prorated warranty on siding, a 15-year non-prorated warranty on trim, and ColorPlus Technology with a 15-year limited finish warranty.

 

 

Only James Hardie fiber cement products are Engineered for Climate. In the northern U.S. and Canada, HZ5 products resist shrinking, swelling, and cracking even after years of wet or freezing conditions. (Perfect for climate zones that experience it all, like Pennsylvania!) HZ10 products resist damage from hot, humid conditions, blistering sun and more. These products are actually tougher than the elements – they stand up to storms and harsh weather, are water resistant to protect against swelling, warping and cracking, and also resist mold. They’re fire resistant and her reduce the time and money you’d spend on maintenance of other materials. With all of these assurances you can feel good about everything James Hardie has to offer.

 

 

At this point I have a specific idea of how I’d like to add more character to the exterior of my home, but if you need some help check out James Hardie’s site for additional design inspiration. And if you’d like to check out their siding in person be sure and request some free samples to compare – choose from textured, smooth, or beaded.

 

 

This post sponsored by James Hardie. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting our carefully chosen partners that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content! Follow James Hardie on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Houzz, and YouTube.

Posted In behind the scenes, living, outdoors, sponsored post
0