It’s possible to treat everyone on your list to a luxury gift without spending a fortune. You just have to know where to find great deals on luxury gifts and how to fit luxury gifts into your budget. If you can’t afford to give an entire designer ensemble, opt for a less expensive accessory. Instead of a mink coat, try mink fur-trimmed gloves. A trip to a day spa, instead of an all-out spa vacation. You get the idea.

How do you define a luxury gift? Webster defines a luxury as

(1) something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary
(2) an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease.

So you see, it isn’t always about the price. A luxury gift can be anything that a person doesn’t find absolutely necessary and probably wouldn’t buy for himself/herself but would love to receive. It’s a special treat.

Here are several affordable luxury gifts that are sure to please:

Jewelry and Watches

A piece of fine jewelry or a designer watch are always welcome gifts but may not be in your budget; especially if you have a long gift list. There’s still a way to get the glitz for much less than retail. Swarovski crystal is a great alternative to diamonds. Or, you could always visit online discount sites if you prefer the real thing. I recently found a Raymond Weil ladies watch for 35% off retail. I’ve also seen substantial discounts on premium designer jewelry and watches on auction sites.

Soothe Mind and Body

Is someone on your gift list stressed out? Treat him or her to a spa service such as a massage, manicure, pedicure or facial by giving a gift certificate. These services cost much less than a full spa day and the recipient will still feel pampered.

Bath and Fragrant Products

This happens to be my absolute favorite when it comes to indulgences. High end soaps, shower gels and bubble bath are richer and more luxuriant than the lower end versions. They also last longer and smell better. I love Bath and Body Works products (especially the new Tutti Dolci Apple Torta line).

Cashmere

There’s just something about cashmere that says luxury. Maybe it’s the feeling of having this ultra-soft wool next to your skin. If your budget won’t allow for a sweater or robe, try less expensive items like scarves, gloves and hats.

Silk

You can find affordable gifts in this luxurious fabric at online discount sites as well. The prices at these sites are so reasonable, that you could spring for silk pajamas without breaking the bank. You could always opt for silk scarves, pashminas or ties.

Fine Foods

Gourmet gifts are great for the person who has everything because they’re consumable. Gourmet foods are generally made of the finest and rarest ingredients and run the gamut from caviar, and lobster to Belgian chocolates. Although some of your recipients wouldn’t dream of paying for these gourmet delicacies, they’ll be glad you did (or at least they’ll think you did). You can impress for less by visiting igourmet.com.

High-End Cookware and Utensils

If someone on your gift list would rather prepare their own gourmet meals, why not arm them with state-of-the-art cookware or utensils. It’s not difficult to find top brands such as All-Clad, Cuisinart, KitchenAid and Le Creuset at savings of up to 70%.

Luxury Bedding

Someone who thinks that all sheets are created equal hasn’t slept on sheets with a thread count above 400. If you want to give someone a luxurious night’s sleep, try sheets with a thread count of 600 or higher. I’ve found a 1,000 thread-count queen sheet set for $179.00 online - 62% off the retail price.

Maid Service

Wouldn’t you feel pampered if someone else handled the house cleaning for you? Give your friend or family member a gift certificate from Merry Maids or Maid Brigade and relieve the recipient of the burden of house cleaning. Service can be scheduled through the companies’ local offices. House cleaning gift certificates are available in amounts of $100 and higher.

Sharon Owens is the editor of Luxewise.com where visitors find tips and resources to become more savvy shoppers of luxury goods.

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For those striving to create a bedroom retreat, a haven from the rest of the world, luxury is a necessity. Along with good color choices and fine furniture, a lavishly dressed bed is top priority. One of the most important ingredients for an extravagant bed is a luxury down comforter, and price is no object.

Down comforters are made from a variety of materials. They can be made from the down of ducks or geese. The most luxurious, though, are those made from goose down. Goose down is heavier and produces warmer, fluffier, and more luxurious down comforters.

Different geese produce different qualities of down. Eiderdown comes from the Eider duck of Iceland. As you can imagine in such a cold climate, the Eider duck has a very full and luxurious down, resulting in a warm and fine comforter. Eiderdown has to be hand harvested from Eider duck nests, making it difficult to acquire. At around $7000, its price reflects that quality and rarity.

Siberian goose down is considered the best, and is available for around $1000. Siberian goose down is known to have superior warming power, and is fluffier than all other varieties.

In shopping for luxury down comforters, one of the most important things to consider is the fill power rating. Fill power refers to the comforter’s fluffiness, the higher the rating, the better. While any fill rating over 550 is considered good, the more luxurious down comforters often have ratings of over 800.

Thread count is another important consideration. The thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch. Again, the higher the number, the better the quality of the comforter. A high thread count means the comforter will be softer, lighter, and less likely to leak filling.

The comforter cover material is less important because the comforter itself should be covered with a duvet. However, some truly luxurious cover materials exist. Some comforters are covered in silk or Egyptian cotton for optimum softness.

Down Comforters Info provides detailed information about various types of down comforters, including goose, luxury, down alternative, and discount down comforters, as well as down comforter covers, and instructions on washing down comforters. Down Comforters Info is the sister site of Waterbed Sheets Web.

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A bath tub is a very space consuming element of the bathroom, therefore utmost care and time must be given when it comes to choosing the style as well as its location. Keep in mind that because of its dimensions, bath tubs will require a considerable amount of time and effort to install, so it is a smart move to plan this process well.

Choosing a design

There are a number of designs that you can choose from but space is a big factor regarding the choice you will pick. The bigger the area of your bathroom, the more options you have in terms of the size of the bath tub as well as its shape. The standard bath tub has the following measurements: 1.70 meters by .70 meters or 1.80 meters by .80 meters. Some bath tub designs will have a bit wider tap end to maximize space. If these dimensions clash with your planned bathroom design, you can choose on bath tub variations.

You can get a shorter tub with a length measuring about 1.50 meters while at the same time retaining the standard width of .70 meters. Another option would be a corner tub which runs diagonally and it is also a space saver. Corner tub sizes range from 1m X 1m to 1.50m by 1.5m, this means flexibility when planning the tubs location.

Premier luxury acrylic baths are much lighter and versatile compared to its steel contemporaries. But steel tubs on the other hand offer additional strength as well as a classic look compared to the acrylic tub. But steel tubs are harder to maintain than acrylic ones. Some luxury baths combine practical features that allow the use of a shower on it.

Bath room peculiarities and concerns

Have a small or unusally shaped bathroom? This will not be a problem since there are thousands and thousands of designs and models that you can choose from. Definitely there will be a bath tub that will it your bath room! Are you too busy to even decide on what will be great for your bath room? Do not worry, you can simply ask your local contractor or supplier about possible designs that will look great on your bath room. But it is also a good idea to squeeze enough time so you can go and view products at the nearest showroom.

Safety concerns

Safety is a big concern for everyone. Is therefore important to choose bath tub products that are safe, looks good, and dependable from reputable and well known bath tub companies. Good companies can easily combine elegance, safety, and durability into a single luxurious bath.

Going acrylic or gel coat?

Both materials have very similar properties and are resin based plastics. They offer great finishes and their main difference is that acrylic is acquired in sheet form before being molded into a tub while gel coat is in liquid form which in turn is solidified into the desired shape. Gel coat has an advantage in the sense that repairing it is more cost efficient and the result is permanent. Repairing an acrylic tub is expensive and sometimes repair patches don’t work at all and does nothing to prevent a leak.

Acrylic is a type of plastic that may change its shape when it becomes too warm. It has memory and it softens changing its shape and look which may affect the total look of the bathroom. Gel coat on the other hand is a thermoset type of plastic meaning once it has been set, it will not change its shape even when heat is applied.

These are some of the things that you should take into consideration when getting a luxury bath tub. Weigh the advantages that a steel, acrylic, and gel coat made bath tub present to you.

Claire Bowes is a successful Webmaster and publisher of bathtub refinishing. Claire provides more information on her site about bathtub refinishing and designs.

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