I know, this is "bedding" chic, but really, when you're at the beach - - your beach towel is sort of like your bed for the day.  So... you might as well have a seriously chic beach towel too.

Of course the ne plus ultra of beach towels is the Hermes beach towel.  Yikes, are they expensive though!  Bluefly has some right now with at least a minor savings of 10%.

Hermes Grey Cub Printed Beach Towel, $459.

I know, that is really steep for a beach towel... but they are really nice. They're made with thick cotton terry and hemmed edges, good size (37 x 60") and made in France of course.

Speaking of chocolate brown... I love a dash of this color in an all-white bathroom.  Think white marble floor, white subway tiles, white Kohler fixtures... This shower curtain from Ballard Designs looks great and is an amazing value at just $42, monogrammed!

It also comes in black, red, sage and taupe.

Then, to match, these "Bel Tempo" Matouk towels... They're quite pricey, but the quality is really nice. I'd skip the monogram on these... I don't like things too overly matchy.

I have the bath mat.  I love it.  $68 is a lot for a mat though...

Wow, look at this beautiful leather bed by Crate & Barrel (Archer Leather Bed, $1,899 - $2,099). It looks like a nice leather couch turned into a bed.  I love chocolate brown leather...

Perhaps you're getting ready for your Summer share (Hamptons or NJ Shore), or even luckier you have a place to yourself for the Summer...  Well, then it's the perfect time to think about sheets in prints!  I really like prints, even the silly ones, but I would never put them at my home because I prefer my room to have a certain "look".  But I would definitely have them at my Summer house.  Prints are great for shares too, because your sheets certainly won't get mixed up with anyone else's.  I think The Company Store and Garnet Hill have the best prints around.

Here are my picks from The Company Store:

Swimming Fish Percale, $16 - 99

Sienna Percale, $19 - 109  (hold the yucky green coverlet though)

Medallion Percale, $19 - 89

And from Garnet Hill:

Dots, $20 - 72 (sale)

Caribbean Fish Percale, $25 - 98

Shell Cove Percale, $25 - 98

Here's a different twist on the monogram idea.  These towels have the single initial actually woven into the towel, cool right?

Matouk Auberge towels

They come only in white and are a nice 650 gram weight Egyptian cotton.  They don't make all letters though, for example of you wanted Y or Z you're out of luck.  They're a bit expensive too and you have to buy them in case packs.  Fine Linens offers the bath towels in packs of 2 for $68 each.

I've always admired Bloomingdale's Hudson Park line. For a store label, they really do a great job, both with fashion bedding and basics.

Right now they're having a fabulous deal on Italian Percale bedding. It's sold open stock and is half off right now!  Wowzers, for a full size set it's 39.99 for each piece (flat, fitted and std cases) for a total of only $119.97.

That's a great deal for Italian sheets! 

I'm thinking about buying a new mattress.  I've had mine now for too long I'm sure... I read online that you're supposed to replace your mattress every 7 - 10 years.  That seems excessive and wasteful, doesn't it?

My problem is that I want a normal, old fashioned mattress.  I think those 20-inch thick monstrocities are ridiculous. I like the idea of a natural mattress, but seriously those Hastens mattresses are just TOO expensive. If you have to "finance" a mattress, then it's just too expensive.

It looks like 1-800-Mattress still offers the old fashioned kind of mattress, like this one: CEO'S Private Collection "Whispers", and it's only $349.98 for a Full set.  Yes, unfotunately since I live in a tiny Upper East Side apartment I have to get a Full and not a Queen.  It's amazing how much difference just a few inches will make in a small space!

They also have a name-brand option by Sealy that is very reasonable, Sealy Posture Premier "Giovanni" Firm, $379.99 for a Full set.  It looks like this one would sit higher because the box spring looks thicker.

I'm not sure yet though.  I'm going to keep looking and I will report back with a review on whatever I end up buying.

Dilemma: What to do with your duvet cover as the warmer weather approches.  It needn't be a dilemma at all.  Chances are good that you may have a decorative (and expensive) duvet cover that you may not want to put away for the whole of the warmer season.  I suggest having your cover laundered and ironed and then just use it by itself as a bedspread of sorts.

They often show this in magazines, although the viewer wouldn't even know that it was a duvet cover. Here's a feature from Domino magazine with DwellStudio's Talon duvet cover used in the coverlet style.

The only thing to look out for is to make sure the bottom of the duvet cover where the button closure is, is ironed very well so it stays closed and neat looking.

It this weird in-between season it can be hard to get the right level of warmth on your bed. Many buildings have finally turned off the heat for the season, but then a cold snap comes and you're freezing...

I think a lighter weight wool layer is good for this dilemma.  A thin wool filled comforter is great especially if you don't want something too puffy (like down). 

If you do like puffiness, then a summer weight down duvet is good.  I find the "summer weight" concept for down rather funny.  It's "summer weight" if you crank the A/C up really high and it's cold in your house... otherwise the down is just too warm. That's why a summer weight is actually good for right now.

It seems so rare these days, but sleeping on 100% linen sheets is a real treat.  I slept on linen at the Ritz in Paris a few years ago... (you have to request it, normally they make the beds with cotton sheets)

Linen sheets are very expensive which is probably one reason why they aren't very popular. Also, I think many people just don't think of it.  Too bad for them!  Washed linen is so soft and wonderful to sleep on - it's very breathable and is lint free.  Linen is a very strong fiber too, your sheets will last a long time.

A queen set at Cuddledown will run you $426.00. Expensive, but it's made in Italy so you know you're getting very high quality. Monogramming is extra.

At Williams Sonoma Home, a queen set is $325.  They also offer monogramming for $6. I have a pair of Euro shams from this line. They are super soft and I love to use them on an all white bed in the summer.  White linen is so Hamptons, I think.  These are cheaper in price, but are not made in Italy, they're made in China. 

Another good option is the Eileen Fisher line available at Garnet Hill.  A queen set is $365. I really like the raw edge detailing on the flat sheet and pillowcases.  That's a nice touch... sort of shabby chic. I'm not sure where they're made, it just says "imported", so they're probably made in China or India.