Fresh and beautiful bathrooms for summertime

In the winter, my bathroom is where I go to enjoy a long hot bath after being out in the cold. In the summer, the bathroom is where I go for a cool, refreshing shower after a hot sticky day.

To create a cool retreat, it helps to keep your summer bathroom as clutter free as possible.  Keep  reflective surfaces clean, as well as and lighting fixtures (Make sure they all have working bulbs, as well).  Since there are more hours of daylight in the summer, it is especially important to keep lighting bright and as close to outdoor light as possible.

Keep colors bright and cheery, or choose simple, crisp whites.

Update anything scented in your bathroom from spicy or musky to light scents, either floral or clean.  Heat activates scent, so you don't want to overdo it.

1., 2., 3. via BHG, 4., 5. Traditional Home

Finding holiday refuge - perfectly peaceful bathrooms

I really do enjoy getting to see most of my relatives over the holidays, especially my three sister, as we're spread over the east coast. However, ever since I was a child, a room or house full of people can start to leave me feeling a bit suffocated after awhile. Whether or not you're like me in this characteristic, it's still important to take a little time for yourself to recharge. My personal favorite is a hot bath with some candles, because it's so comforting and peaceful.

love this quaint, vintage bathroom.

I don't know if I'd ever pick such bright colors for my own bathroom, but I still think it's really striking.

I've never seen a bathtub at an angle like this!  I love "real" furniture in the bathroom, like the upholstered seat you see here.

*Love* this tile and the chocolate

Okay, so I'm not sure if I actually like this bathroom or not.   The color palette is interesting - maybe it's all just a bit too country for me.  What do you think?  Do you like this palette? Like the style?

so luxurious! I could spend a long time in here.

Which bathroom is your favorite?  Do you use the bathroom as a personal sanctuary?

via BHG

Make your bathroom proud with this eco-friendly material

Bamboo! I got Chris a pair of silky smooth bamboo pajama pants, and if he weren't wearing them almost every night, I would be. They're super light weight, and really soft. Understandably, I was really excited when the folks over at Pure Fiber offered me a set of bamboo towels to try out. Here's a little bit of info about Pure Fiber's bamboo towels:

"Unlike cotton towels which are slow to absorb water, bamboo terry soaks up that excess moisture in a flash. The difference is unmistakable, but you have to feel it for yourself to truly appreciate the wonderful bamboo fabric.

And bamboo isn’t all about a cashmere-like softness. Bamboo’s natural properties help to combat the accumulation of unpleasant odors from your bath towel. You will be able to use this towel for much longer during those warm summer months before that mildew smell starts to creep up.

Cotton towels typically get thicker to increase absorbency – all of that extra fabric can feel like you are wrapping yourself in a thick blanket. Bamboo does more with less! A bamboo towel can soak up more moisture than a thicker cotton towel, while remaining lightweight and extraordinarily soft."

The first thing I noticed when I opened the towels was "wow, they are really, really, smooth." They are also much lighter and thinner than typical towels. Chris said, "They are so soft they feel slippery."

So, the claim to super softness and being lightweight: True.
I've been using the towel for a little over a week now, and do not notice any odor. Granted, it's not technically summer anymore, but it's been extremely humid here in MD, and we've been having lots of rainy days.

I was most doubtful about the towel being able to absorb as well as my normal towels, but they actually dry me off just as well and in the same amount of time.

Long story short, if you have been thinking about trying out bamboo towels - go for it. The softness is unreal, and their performance is up to par with traditional towels.

Here are some photos of mine:

The bamboo towels are thinner than traditional towels

The washcloth.  This washcloth is wet now, but one thing I noticed is that the bamboo washcloth doesn't get crunchy after it air dries (which my normal towels do), they dry to the same softness as they are after being freshly laundered.

A close up of the texture.

Want some? You can purchase them at Amazon

Does anyone have any bamboo linens? If so, what do you think of them?


*disclosure: I received a set of Pure Fiber towels as a sample