Martha Stewart Types... I Need Your Help and/or Advice

[arwalden]

I think I already know the answer to this question... but my answer differs from my partner's opinion on this subject. Also, two other friends of ours have split the vote.

QUESTION: When putting sheets on the bed with a print or any other embellishments, do you put the printed sides together---meaning that the top-sheet has the "unprinted" side face up? Or do you put both printed sides "up"---so that the unprinted side of the flat top-sheet is face down?

My feeling is that the prettiest (printed/embellished) side of the flat sheet should be face DOWN. So that after the bed is made and when you turn down the sheets, the bed looks its best.

My partner thinks the flat sheet should be treated like a bedspread, or like the fitted bottom sheet---that is to say: he believes ALL the pretty sides go up, and all the plain sides go down.

What say you?

-- Allen

P.S. I always put the open ends of the pillow cases toward the CENTER of the bed (facing each other) so that the visible edges of the pillows look nice and neat.

Too weird?

[madmax]

1. I'm with you Allen, except for the pillows

the embellished side to the outer edge of the bed.

on edit: do you use shams? I do, sometimes :)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Your feeling is correct.

Face down so when you fold it over the comforter the print actually shows. Tell your partner to stick to taking out the trash :D

Open end of pillow cases face the outside.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. here's my evidence

note: the printed side of the top sheet is folded over meaning it is face down and the opening of the cases are outside...they paid BIG moeny for this picture...they wouldn't do it wrong.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. OMG - if my partner ever did that to our bed (and thank God

she would hate this as well) I'd kill her.

If she ever bought that pattern, I'd kill her.

If she ever put six pillows on the bed - I'd like to kill her, but I wouldn't, because she often HAS put six pillows (usually more) on the bed. But at least they're all in pillowcases that aren't an abomination, pattern-wise. :-)

What the hell is it with women and pillows all over the freakin' place? And what is it with people who put their pillows in fancy schmancy cases that you aren't supposed to use, like those back two rows of pillows? Or put the sheets, then the blanket, then the comforter, than whatever the hell that last thing is they insist on putting on the bed that isn't a blanket or comforter, and which you aren't supposed to use when sleeping? Why put it on the bed, if you can't use the damn thing? ARGH!!!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. Um maybe it's taste?

I'm not fond of that print but GIVE ME LOTS AN LOTS OF PILLOWS every freakin shape and size...pillows for my head..pillows for my neck....pillows for my ass! ( and they come in handy when doing nasty things too) :D GIVE ME PILLOWS OR GO GET YOUR OWN FUCKING BED! Better yet...sleep on the couch (but you'll have to move the pillows)

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. AGH!! Pillows on the couch are the worst!

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

My partner likes that, too. She also puts pillows on the chairs. So every time I wanna sit down, I have to find a place to put the damn things.

But, NSMA, you go right ahead and do what you like, and ignore my crass criticisms. It's not for me, but apparently, it IS for many. :-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. NO WE MUST HAVE PILLOWS!! YOU MUST AGREE WITH ME!!!

OR I WILL SICK SKITTLES ON YOU AND SHE WILL KICK YOUR ASS!!! :D

[arwalden]

24. We Have Just SIX Pillows On Our Bed... ALL FEATHER STUFFED.

Fluffy, SQUISHY, and so mmm-mmm good to snuggle and sink into.

Two regular pillows, two full-sized shams, two 1/4 size shams.

-- Allen

[Rabrrrrrr]

28. Have all the pillows you want! I agree with you!

I DON'T WANT SKITTLES TO KICK MY ASS! Though I would be honored to have my ass kicked by her, I'd still rather not. :-)

[Book Lover]

20. Rhetorical excess or not, "kill her" sounds pretty effed up

>What the hell is it with women and pillows all over the freakin' place?

Yes, every single one of us. And if we catch a woman who is not into the pink fluffy hell, we have her hand over her uterus and kick her out of the club.

Sheesh.

[Rabrrrrrr]

29. Wow - y'all actually kick women out of your club

for having too few pillows? AND remove their uterus? That's amazingly rude. Rhetorical excess or not, "remove their uterus" for not having enough pillows sounds pretty effed up.

But, it's your club. :evilgrin:

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[roughsatori]

15. Not to be picayune, but this season the overly co-ordinated pattern

as per your your example will not do. Spice up your bed by using a wider range of color and patterns in the pillows: be daring. Tie them together by the fabric being the same.

Of course there are other ways to spice up your life in bed--but I think you may be quite skilled in those areas already. :P

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

17. snicker

[populistmom]

3. I'd have to agree with you

Printed side down so when you fold it back, you see the nice part over the blanket.
However, while I like frilly, girly, flowery, and sometimes crafty type things, I want to clarify I'm not the control freak like Martha. Relax and enjoy the beautiful things of your home (and life)!

[DrGonzoLives]

4. I'm no Martha Stewart type

but I would just put the printed side up. It all depends on how many people see your bedroom and how many will care :P

[madmax]

6. Since we're on the subject of sheets

We just bought a new mattress and box spring. The mattress is 15 inches thick and has a pillow top attached. It's so comfy, but I'm having a hard time finding sheets to fit this thick puppy. I bought a set in Bed Bath and Beyond but, theyr'e not deep enough. Any sources??

Allen, thanks for starting this thread. :evilgrin:

[cmd]

34. Having a problem keeping the bottom sheet on?

Go to a fabric store and buy blanket pins. They are giant sized safety pins. Pin the sheet on the bed at the top corners. Go through the corner of the mattress and back out. The sheet will stay on. I haven't had any problems will tears in my sheets, though the pins will leave a small hole in the fabric.

[Susang]

8. Pattern side should be face up

And the part of the sheet that gets folded over gets folded twice, that way only the pretty part is seen. Pretty easy and simple really. :-)

BTW, I buy the pillow cases that fold over the pillow and don't have open ends. They sell them at Ikea.

[arwalden]

22. Cool... I'll Look For Those

Kind of like the old "flip-top" Baggies (pre-ziplock), eh?

-- Allen

[CanuckAmok]

11. Top sheet face down...

...with a 12"-18" turndown over the duvet, so even before the bed is turned-down, there's a portion of the decorative side of the top sheet which is exposed.

Mrs. Amok is a fan of white sheets anyway (flannel in winter, cotton or satin in spring/summer), so it's really not an issue for us, but our bed was featured in a design magazine, so I hope we have a little authority in bed-making issues...

[Booberdawg]

12. Pretty face down

[supernova]

13. Top sheet is design side down

otherwise, you don't get to look at it! Personally, if I'm going to have pretty sheets, I want to see the design, dammit! If you're not going to look at the desing you might as well have all solid colors and be done with it. :)

You also have to do crisp, symmetrical hospital corners. :P

[roughsatori]

14. You are right and wrong

You are right about the sheet. It is so the bed looks more inviting when turned down. However, if you don't turn down the blanket it is okay to do it your partners way.

But the pillows go the other way--neat ends touching. However your comfort, quirks, and personal aesthetics should always be the determining factor in the way you make your own bed, after all you will lay in it.

[sandnsea]

21. Yep, depends on your blanket

I was always taught print side down so you could fold it back out over the top of the blanket. But I haven't made a bed that way in years. Well, to tell the truth, I don't care about making the bed at all!!

So you're both right and as Martha would say.... that's a good thing!

[arwalden]

23. I Think I'll Reassess My Feelings On Which Way The Pillows Go...

... you all are making good arguments for putting them the other way.

-- Allen

[TreasonousBastard]

18. I read this thread...

and my head is about to explode.

[peacefreak]

27. LOL

I was just thinking the same thing! Count me happy if they're clean & soft.

[tishaLA]

19. Ummmmm. What are you all thinking?

Of course you have the "pretty" side up! In the minimalist version of home decorating--which has been going on for the past 10 years in tasteful households--one does not fold the top sheet down, anyhow. Besides, if you have a duvet, you also presumably have a duvet cover, which takes the place of a top sheet, so there is no need for a sheet to turn down.....BUT even if you DID have a topsheet to turn down (and you don't turn them down, anyhow, because they are called FLAT sheets for a good reason: they lay flat) you should have to suffer with the bad decision by looking at the ugly exposed print.

INstead, if you have a duvet, use your duvet cover to make a flat sheet unnecessary. Failing that, keep your flat sheet flat by NOT turning it down. And for pete's sake, no more than six pillows on a bed. Four for your head and two, if absolutely compelled, for "aesthetics." Be sure to keep a copy of Henry James nad/or Proust next to the bed, too. It's a good thing.

[harper]

25. When I used a top sheet did printed side down

so I could enjoy the design. But I went to Sweden this summer and fell in love with the bottom sheet/duvet cover instead of a top sheet thing they have going on over there. I used to get all tangled up in the top sheet and wake up wrapped up like a mummy. Also, now that I'm having those pesky hot flashes its easier to just flip aside the duvet/duvet cover to cool off when I wake up in the middle of the night.

[arwalden]

30. Electric Warming Blankets....

I like the convenience of that also... but I definitely need a top-sheet to put between me and my electric warming blanket. Mmmmm.

On the coldest nights, I'll turn on the warming blanket about 10-15 minutes before I get into bed. Gets things all nice and toasty before crawling in. --- Also, having a warming blanket allows me to keep the thermostat a bit lower during the night.

-- Allen

[emad]

26. Thank goodness this was a perfectly legitimate question!!!!

For a minute I thought it was going to be one of those REAL
Martha Stewart type of questions.......such as: "MY good friend Sam Waksal is in deep sh-t about some dodgy drug research....should I dump the shares I hold in his co. and conspire to cover up this insider dealing because I could end up doind 7 - 10 in a state penitentiary.....or should I lose a packet on the nosedive price, and not worry, 'cause my latest cupcake recipie on cable will more than compensate for this dilemma?"......

[radwriter0555]

31. All correct providing you use HOSPITAL CORNERS for the tuck

in at the bottom.

If you don't use hospital corners, what's the point?

;)

[Rowdyboy]

32. Michael educated me...

Yes, you are correct. Pretty side down, hospital corners. Michael drills me daily. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound right...Anyway, Allen, you're right!

[Cheswick2.0]

33. Martha Stewart says

pretty side down

[elfin]

35. Save time and worry like I do

Don't make the bed.