By Kim
If you want a good night’s sleep, you are going to need a set of good bed sheets. Don’t believe me? Just remember all those that times that you stayed in a luxury hotel bed and slept like a baby! I’m telling you – good bed linen WILL make a difference!
The world of bed linen can seem a rather overwhelming one. There’s Egyptian cotton, thread count, fitted, flat, silk, flannel, and much more to concern yourself with. It can seem as though picking the right bed sheets was a more difficult task than picking a home to live in! Thankfully, we have made life a little easier for you.
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Material matters!
The material is one of the most important things that you are going to need to consider with bed linen. There are lots of different ones on the market, but here is a rundown of the most popular:
- Silk – This material is one that seems to trap and contain the heat, so if you live in a cold climate, these will be worth the investment. If you live in a warmer place, you may want to reconsider. They feel lovely on your skin and scream elegance and luxury, but with this luxury comes expense and you will need to remember that the good quality bed sheets made from silk are going to require a trip to the dry cleaners. The cheaper versions can be washed at home, but they won’t feel as nice on your skin.
- Linen – This is one of the strongest materials you can get, and it also conducts heat well, making it perfect for hotter climates rather than the cooler ones. The only problem with bed linen, (just like linen clothes) is that it wrinkles in a second so proves to be rather high maintenance.
- Cotton and polyester – these are the sheets that you are likely to get for cheap, and there is a reason behind this. They may do the job intended but they won’t feel as nice on your ski; they will look good though as you can normally get pretty much any color or design that you like.
- Muslin and/or percale – the difference between muslin and percale bed linen is the threat count. If it is over 180, it is percale, with some of the most luxurious ones going over 300! The ones that fall in the range of 140 to 180 are muslin. See more about thread count further down.
- Egyptian cotton and puma – These are the same thing; don’t be confused by the name. This is very soft, much softer than normal cotton varieties, but can be expensive, especially with higher thread counts.
- Flannel, sateen, Oxford and Jersey knit – these are basically just different finishes of the cotton itself. Flannel is the warmest of the four, sateen is silkier, Oxford is heavier and jersey knit are stretchy. The Oxford ones are the ones that you will typically find in your grandmas closet.
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What’s thread count?
We keep talking about this, and you may hear the shop assistant mention this a bunch of times too. Basically, the thread count is how many times the thread is woven within a single square inch of the fabric. This means the higher the number, the more the thread, and in turn, the softer the material will feel on your skin.
Little tips and hints
If you are going shopping for bed linen, these tips may help you to make a more educated decision:
- Cotton looks best when it has been ironed. The same most definitely applies to linen, so if you are the type of person that hates ironing, it might be better to opt for a different fabric!
- Don’t always opt for a single color! You can get amazing designs and colors of bed linen these days, so rather than choosing the same old white crisp bed sheet, add a splash of color. You will be surprised at how this can completely transform the bed, as well as the entire appearance of your room.
- You can add more to the transformation effect with throw pillows and decorative cushions. Try not to put too many on there though – you want it to look peaceful and tranquil to get a good night’s sleep, not like a circus exhibition!
- If you can’t afford to get new bed linen, but still want to change the colors or styles of your bed, you will find that chucking a throw over the bottom of the bed is a cheaper equivalent, especially if the sheets and duvet covers beneath it are a neutral color.