Croscill returns to opulence, ExCell banks on basic bath - Home Textiles Today

At the New York Market - After a brief and experimental journey into simplified contemporary looks, the Croscill division of ExCell/Croscill/Glenoit has returned to its roots as a design house of rich and opulent bedding, soft window and bath styles."We're again focused on the detailing and embellishment that has always been the backbone of Croscill's look," Daivd North, vp of marketing, told HTT. "We moved away from it for a little while to try some more contemporary, simpler, less ornate looks. But it's what we do best, and retailers have asked us to give them back the Croscill look we've been known for."

As part of the renewed statement, the company shifted its showroom, which is on the 6th floor of 295 Fifth Avenue, to accommodate 19 beds dressed in new Croscill styles, including the silver-and-white Corinthia and the bold black Pomegranate collection, among the many others.The theme translates across to the soft window treatment and bath coordinate categories with equally opulent matching groupings.

"We're using the same philosophy in window and bath in Croscill," North added.In that vein, the company has expanded its offering of free-standing soft window with 42 new lavish looks, all of them displayed in a new section alongside the bedding space.Also new to Croscill this market: the addition of kitchen textiles to its line. As is the case in its core categories, these goods are devoid of basic looks. Instead, all of the pieces - kitchen towels, dishcloths, oven mitts and pot holders - are embellished and/or embroidered terry cloth. Designs span every day to seasonal.

On the ExCell side, the company has created a new utility bath accessory collections that take the business into new categories, including shower shelving and caddies, fabric storage caddies and laundry baskets.Glenoit, the company's rug division, is spotlighting its new Kitchen Kashmere collection of super-soft kitchen accent rugs. "An off-shoot of the comfort kitchen mat," explained Debbie Powell, vp of merchandising, these synthetic Kitchen Kashmere rugs take their touch-and-feel cues from the trendy and soft micro-fiber kitchen towels popular in the marketplace.

Shopatron is the world's leading provider of global eCommerce for consumer goods. With Shopatron, orders placed on branded websites are offered to a managed network of global partners for fulfillment, typically for assignment to local retailers.... more

View the original article here

Jan Zimmer: Think spring! Freshen up tired home interior - Port Huron Times Herald

Still have the winter blahs?That teaser of springlike weather a short while ago has some people looking for quick ideas to spruce up their interiors.Redecorating, or changing things up a bit, is a great way to chase away the winter blues.Here are some quick changes that can make a big difference.? First, take an inventory of what you already have.

Assess where to spend your time, energy and -- most importantly -- your money.Decide what are keepers and what needs to go.If you decide to buy some items, start shopping now.It's a good idea to bring measurements and pictures of the room in question when you shop.? If your sofa is in good shape, you can change the look without reupholstering or adding a new slipcover.

Simply replace the back cushions with oversized 26-inch square pillows. Stuffed with down, they can soften the boxy shape and add pattern, color and texture to your room.A new throw pillow or two also can complete the look of the room.? Speaking of furniture, switch furniture from other rooms for a different mix.Bring your favorite piece of outdoor furniture indoors. Replace your coffee table with two ceramic Chinese garden seats or a big ottoman, with room for everything -- and your feet, too.

Add sitting areas with a loveseat and ottoman in the bedroom. A long bench-type stool at the end of the bed adds a polished look.Replace an existing night stand with an affordable round table with a to-the-floor tablecloth, and you gain additional storage space underneath.? Soften your bath's utilitarian feel by adding a comfortable stool, small slipper chair or metal garden chair for seating. Or any of those pieces could double as a table.

Get rid of the boring bath mat and replace it with an area rug for more color and pattern. There are many indoor-outdoor rugs in interesting patterns and colors that can be used. In fact, a rug will hold up just fine.New mirrors can make the biggest change in the look of a bathroom by changing the reflection and maximizing the light.

Or how about changing the light fixture to something more dramatic, perhaps a chandelier? Updating lighting is a great way to breathe new life into a room.Now, get cracking on those changes before the weather becomes so nice it draws you outdoors.

View the original article here

Making Your Home Safer For Your Loved One With Dementia - Senior Housing News

If you have a loved one living with you who has a diagnosis of some type of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, you must take steps to ensure their safety in your home.  You will be challenged every day in ways you never dreamed possible, and your goal will be to keep that loved one safe from harm in your home.  That is much more easily said than done, and I would like to offer some important tips for you to consider:

Even if this person has lived in this home for many, many years, they will eventually forget that fact, and attempt to leave to “go home” to a home they remember when they were young.  They will have vision changes such as loss of peripheral vision as well as depth perception, so that means all stairs should be blocked off because they will not be able to see them.  Even if they’re quite used to using those stairs, the vision changes and the brain damage will not allow them to really “see” them and they will fall up, or down, them.  Don’t wait for a fall to occur, block the stairs off well before an accident happens.  Usually, baby or pet gates are effective deterrents.

One of the most important safety measurements you can take is to install extra locks on all exit doors.  You really have no idea when this person will awaken at 3 a.m. and wonder where they are and attempt to “go home” to a home they are remembering when they were 20 years old.   Sometimes it can be as simple as putting those small deadbolt locks up high, or down near the floor, on the doors.  People with dementia will not usually look up or down, they will just know the door won’t open.  If you’ve recently moved a parent into your home, realize they will not remember they now live there and will be at very high risk for leaving to “go home.”   Sometimes, simply placing a black mat in front of the door will prevent them from going out because they may see only a “hole” and won’t step on it—but you need to know if that’s the case with your loved one.  You need to know if they see the “hole” or the mat.

Throw rugs in the home are a true hazard to anyone with dementia because they begin to shuffle their feet and walk with a different gait.  Falls are a part of dementia, and any throw rug will greatly increase their chances of falling.  Again, the changes in vision will also not allow them to properly judge how to navigate on rugs.   Remove all rugs, especially the ones in the bathrooms.  It’s okay to use a non-slip bath mat when they are taking a bath or shower, but remember to pick it up when finished.

Take a walk through your home and note any glass-topped furniture.  You should think about replacing those items because when a fall occurs, you don’t want to have glass involved.  People with dementia also drop items, or even decide to sit on things that weren’t meant to be used as a seat, and that could lead to serious injuries.

Install a kill switch on the stove and oven, or remove the knobs so they can’t be turned on.  People with dementia will try to live their lives as they always have, and that includes using the kitchen.  They don’t remember they are so forgetful, so the kitchen becomes a hazard for fires.  Also, consider “child-proofing” the kitchen drawers/cupboards containing knives and hazardous chemicals.  It can be much like having a very tall three-year-old child living with you.  You must think ahead to what items could be dangerous for them, and anything that would be dangerous to a child, will also be a danger to any person with any type of dementia.

You may need to install a lock on the medicine cabinet to prevent this loved one from using medications or lotions inappropriately.  I know of elders who drink mouthwash, or shake medicine tablets on their food like candy sprinkles.  You just have no idea what may be going through their damaged brains, so remove the possibility of something like this happening by locking these items away.

There are many things you can do to make your home safer for your loved one with dementia, and these are just a few of the most important things to consider.  I discuss many more aspects of safety in the home throughout my book entitled “Love, Laughter, & Mayhem –  Caregiver Survival Manual For Living With A Person With Dementia.”   Your loved one with dementia can safely live in your home with you if you’re prepared for those changes in their thinking and their ability to function. I hope you will be proactive with your changes and make them before an accident occurs.

Cindy Keith, RN, BS, CDP

Cindy is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and author and can be reached at www.mindinmemorycare.com or keithc@mindinmemorycare.com

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our Free Email Subscription To Senior Housing News or use our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

View the original article here