Tag Archives: bed
Bedroom Design: Dancing With the Daffodils
Post by Stephanie Noble.
For my English class during my semester abroad in London, we had to memorize two poems to recite to the class. The first I learned was “Home Thoughts from Abroad,” by Robert Browning. The second was “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” by William Wordsworth. Today my son found my pocket version of Wordsworth’s poems in my purse. It is just the right size for his toddler hands, so he has been carrying it around with him all day. Seeing it triggered the verses of the poem to play in my mind:
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
Even though six inches of snow fell this weekend, Spring is just around the corner. I know because I saw the daffodils in the grocery store floral department. Even though they won’t push through the ground in our area for another month, knowing that the cheerful yellow trumpets will be arriving soon is enough to get me through the rest of March. Knowing that soon, the windows can be opened to let the winter mustiness out and be replaced with a feeling of rebirth.
Apparently, I am not the only one who appreciates yellow this time of year. Benjamin Moore has chosen Lemon Sorbet as its color of 2013. While the pastel yellow isn’t as strong as the daffodils hue, it is a subtle warming shade.
Lemon Sorbet: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/lemonsorbet
If pastel yellow doesn’t inspire you, here are a couple bedroom designs that showcase a bolder shade of yellow.
Bold primary yellow from HGTV: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/must-see-spring-color-trends/pictures/index.html
Blue and Yellow combination from Better Homes and Gardens: http://www.bhg.com/rooms/bedroom/color-scheme/yellow-bedrooms/#page=9
As the snow comes down as I type this while sitting on the couch, Wordsworth’s final stanza is brought to life:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mode,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Movies in Bed: Face Off
Post by Josh Zinn.
Recently, whilst on assignment in Kuala Lumpur where we were researching the increasing rise of Malaysian youth huffing dried yak blood, my colleague Dena and I, after a long day out in the field, stumbled upon an American television show that was playing in our hotel’s tapas lounge. Tired and slowly coming down from the psychedelic effects of the aforementioned yak fluid (part of being a renowned scientist/movie reviewer is sampling the wares you are assigned to write about), we were in no mood to be subjected to a Southeast Asian version of “The Bachelor” or a program about how the Petronas Towers may be construed as a metaphor for Jessica and Ashlee Simpson. Naturally, our guard was up.
As we relaxed over a beer and a variety of dips and delights, the television screen roared to life with images of people madly running to and fro, clutching werewolf heads and bloody brains in their hands. No, this wasn’t some long lost documentary on the underbelly of Burning Man; this was “Face Off,” the movie makeup competition airing on the SyFy network.
Like most other competition shows on television these days (“Top Chef”, “Project Runway”, etc.) “Face Off” begins with the premise that people like to win things. Not only that, but people like to win things whilst being filmed in confessionals where they are dressed incredibly hip and are armed with a variety of derogatory quips. The show is like high school, but with an advocacy on accentuating, rather than hiding, facial blemishes.
“Face Off” pits these contestants against one another in a series of challenges meant to highlight the positive effects a steady diet of Mt. Dew and Sun Chips can have upon the mind’s creativity. If it weren’t for prepackaged snack food, we soon surmise, who knows whether half these folks would have the ability to shape a zombie groin to the correct level of desiccation needed for its special moment in front of a movie camera. It’s a matter of understanding the natural progression of things and seeing how something flavored “Harvest Cheddar” can enable you to sculpt a really killer witch’s nose.
As Dena and I watched a marathon of episodes (fortunately, tapas is a 24-hour phenomenon in Malaysia), we couldn’t help but wonder if, much like the contestants on “Face Off,” our own talents were being put to a test by a panel of judges whose authority stems from their ability to sit behind a logo-emblazoned desk. After so many reports filed on topics ranging from plants in Kuwait that react negatively to the music of John Mayer to a kind of Norwegian chewing gum that has been linked to demonic possession, we can’t help but feel that there’s got be something more than just receiving a pat on the back from the head of our department. In short, that yak inhalation better win each of us a Prius.
Because of the exposure it gives to the flipside of movie magic as well as the entertainment it provided two Americans coming down from an O+ yak high, I heartily recommend “Face Off.” While it’s true that—unlike, say, “Top Chef”—it doesn’t give suburban viewers the inspiration to host awkward dinner parties where they mistakenly think they can cook, the show nevertheless offers each and every one of us a reason to believe hope can still exist even when the chip bags are empty, the soda cans run dry, and even our sweatpants don’t fit anymore.
Things We Like: The Sound of Sleep
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
What sound do you hear when you think about falling asleep? Is it the sound of your ceiling fan whirring above, or a noisy heater in another room? Maybe it’s car horns, or other noises from the streets below. Whatever comes to mind, chances are it isn’t complete silence. While you may think that complete silence is the best thing to hear when you’re lying in bed right before drift-off, there are a number of studies that show certain sounds help us sleep better; that silence isn’t necessarily golden when you’re asleep.
Even while your asleep, your brain processes sound to varying degrees depending on your own sensitivity and the type of noise perceived. Some people may be able to sleep through a fire alarm, while others will awaken at the sound of a floorboard creaking on the other side of the house. The type of sound can also aid or disrupt sleep depending on whether it is an alarming sound, like a fire alarm, or a relaxing sound, like waves crashing onto the beach.
Since everyone is different, it’s important to find out what type of sounds relax your mind while sleeping and which ones do not. Below, are several different types of noise that people generally find relaxing. You’ll have to experiment a bit to figure out which one works for you, but it can pay off handsomely once you know.
White Noise is created by combining all the available sound frequencies together into one, similar to how white light is the product of all the other colors in the visible spectrum. Since white noise contains all frequencies, it is often used to mask other sounds. A ceiling fan is a good example of white noise that is commonly used as a sleep aid to drown out unwanted noises. There are also white noise generators that can create the “perfect” white noise, and are generally available for listening online.
Nature Sounds are another popular type of noise to fall asleep to. Whether you prefer the sound of rainfall, waves crashing against the shoreline, birds or wind chimes sounding, or crickets chirping in the night, many people find that listening to the sound of nature helps them sleep better. Additionally, you may find that certain sounds are better for blocking out different types of unwanted noise. For example, rainfall is better at blocking out household noises like appliances.
Music has long been a favorite type of noise to fall asleep to, though it may not actually help you sleep as much as it makes you happy to listen to your favorite band. If you’re goal of listening to music before bed is to actually sleep better, then you should consider very down-tempo, “chill” tracks, like the kind of music you would expect to hear at a massage salon.
Silence some people can’t stand the sound of anything when they are falling asleep, and if you’re this type of person then you have a bit of work cut out for you. Sound proof windows, well-insulated walls, and tuned-up in a very remote location are about all that’s going to
When using sound for better it’s important to experiment and figure out which sounds works best for you. If you’re looking for sleep-inducing sounds, try listening to playlists available through Internet radio stations like Pandora, Spotify, or LastFM for inspiration. And, as noted earlier, you may even find that certain sounds help you sleep better for different occasions, like if the neighbors are being loud one night, or you suddenly can’t stop focusing on the sound of the refrigerator.
Bedroom Design: Kiddos
Post by Erin Sears.
It’s vacation week at my day job, but even when I’m away, I’m still thinking about the kids. I know a lot of families who took great care in preparing a nursery for their lovely little miracle, but once the kid got older, the design part of the room got kind of lost. Raising kids will wear you out (with love and other stuff).
Here are a few ideas for super awesome kid rooms to give your little one a special place that feels just like home. Be aware that professional decorators created most of the rooms in these examples and they may feel a little far from your current life. Don’t worry- you don’t have to be an overachiever to gain a great space. These photos exist to inspire, so let’s glean the best from them!
KIDTASTIC ROOM #1:
Art!
Every kid is born an artist. Honor their good works in the landscape of their own room. If you value their art, they will value their art. What is valued persists.
KIDTASTIC ROOM #2
Color!
Source: http://mamamekko.blogspot.com/
Children aren’t afraid to use color and you shouldn’t be either. I recommend painting rooms in vibrant shades, but if that isn’t practical in your home, why not add colorful furniture and art?
KIDTASTIC ROOM #3
The Good Stuff!
I believe that kids deserve REAL furniture. When it’s time for a big kid bed, go for it! This blue iron beauty of a bed is kid friendly heirloom material. You’ll keep it and use it FOREVER.
KIDTASTIC ROOM #4
Elements of Joy and Whimsy!
Source: pinterest user Jonathan Lo/happymundane
Kids are fun. Decorating should be too. Don’t forget that your audience is really your child. Be a little silly. PLAY. You won’t regret it.
Bedtime Stories: Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem
Post by Mark T. Locker.
Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Adam Rex.
You know what is annoying? When parents make all kinds of unreasonable demands on their children. And what’s even worse than that? When they go making completely unbelievable threats like, “Do your homework or I’m sending you to the moon.” Or, “Don’t make faces or one day that face will stick.” In Twitters family, it’s always, “Billy, take out the trash or we’re buying you a blue whale.” Or, “Billy, eat your vegetables or we’re buying you a blue whale.” Which is of course a RIDICULOUS threat because nobody in his right mind is going to burden a kid with a real live, full-grown blue whale!
So, maybe Billy’s parent’s are in their right minds because what do you think Billy saw staring through his window one morning? That’s right: the giant eye of a blue whale. Not only that, but Billy couldn’t leave the whale at home; it’s his responsibility. And to make matters worse, his teacher was so excited by the whale’s presence he decided to devote the class to a study on cetology, when they were SUPPOSED to watch a movie in class. It wasn’t Billy’s fault, but the kids all blamed him.
Adam Rex and Mac Barnett have teamed up for another hilarious story. I am personally in love with Adam Rex and his attention to little details. Like the fact that Billy put the whale on a skateboard before trying to pull him up the hill to school on his bike:
It’s fun. It’s silly. It’s totally worth a read.
