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The Guide to the Well-Dressed Bed: Sheeting basics: Sateen, percale, cotton and alternative fibers
Bedding image: The Finley Collection by Sferra
Sheeting is the little black dress of the bed. It’s the base of the “look” and it must feel good and compliment the wearer.
Believe it or not, we’re all a bit like the princess in the fable “The Princess and the Pea.” Our skin is pretty amazing at detecting qualities in fabric that are too small to see with the naked eye. That is precisely why one set of cotton sheets can feel rough and the other as smooth as silk.
Once you make the shift to a higher quality sheeting, you will never view sleeping the same. I’ll never forget the day I replaced our cheap sheets to luxury sheeting. I’m pretty sure my husband and I made “sheet angels”—you know, like the ones you make in the snow, but this time it was with sheeting. Now that we are completely spoiled, our sheeting purchases will be based on something entirely different than price (although that still makes a bit of a difference.)
When purchasing sheeting, there are a two main things to take into consideration: construction of the fabric (percale vs. sateen and thread count) and fibers used.
PERCALE vs. SATEEN
All sheeting is woven. The texture, or hand, of the fabric created is determined by how it is woven. Woven fabrics have two directions that the fibers run: horizontal (or the warp) and vertical (the weft.) Remember the old fashioned pictures of Native American women weaving blankets? The yarns that are strung on the machine going up & down are the warp. She then takes a shuttle with other yarn attached and weaves it side-to-side through the warp yarns. The shuttle yarns make up the weft. If a fabric has a pattern woven into it, it is typically due to the weft fibers and how they are woven through the warp.
Classic Percale by SDH
Percale sheeting is woven in a simple basket-weave—over one and under one. This creates a strong fabric with a somewhat crisp hand. Percale sheeting breathes well and is usually inexpensive to produce, but tends to wrinkle.
Percale sheeting is well suited for bedding that will get a lot of use, such as in hotels, time-shares and Bed & Breakfasts. Also, women who suffer from night-sweats would benefit from the cool nature of percale sheeting.
Sonata Sateen Sheeting by SDH
Sateen sheeting is woven where the weft fibers may cross over the top of several warp fabrics before going under. This pattern is offset in each row in order to offer fabric strength. Sateen fabrics have a more smooth, slightly shimmery, silky hand than percale as the skin delicately perceives the interruption of fiber direction, even on that minute level. Preferably, sateen sheets should be ironed after laundering to retain that lustrous look.
Sateen sheeting is perfect for the person who wants the luxury of satin sheets without the slippery feel. It is also a good alternative to flannel in cooler climates and offers a very luxurious sleeping environment.
THREAD COUNT
Thread count is an area that is widely misunderstood. How is it that you can find a 500 thread count Egyptian Cotton sheet set in a kiosk at the mall for $59, yet find another set of luxury brand 500 thread count Egyptian Cotton sheeting for $400?
There is little regulation on how a company determines “threads per inch” or thread count. What differentiates high-quality and inexpensive sheeting is the individual threads, or yarns, that are used to make the weave. This inconsistency usually occurs with natural fiber sheeting.
To attain a high thread count, the weave must be tight. Simple enough. However, a lower-end manufacturer may use short-staple cotton, or shorter yarns that are twisted together to produce a longer yarn, or a “ply yarn”. Some manufacturers will consider the ply yarn as two yarns, which is a misrepresentation. Higher quality manufacturers will only count the single ply count or longer fibers in their thread count, giving a truer representation of the character of the fabric. Fine sateens will have less raveling, a higher density, feel smoother to the touch, and have a longer lifespan than budget, multi-ply thread count sheeting.
Clearly, the thread-count issue is confusing. Researching your sheeting brands before purchasing is a good way to understand how they produce their material and if you’re getting a quality product.
SHEETING MATERIALS FOR THE LUXURY BED
Legends® 600-Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Sheeting by The Company Store
Cotton is the most widely used sheeting material. It’s relatively inexpensive, breathes well and feels great. In budget sheeting, cotton is often combined with polyester to reduce wrinkling and lengthen the lifespan, but quality sheeting will be made from 100% natural fibers. The different cotton varieties used can change both the quality and price of your sheeting.
The best kind of cotton to be used for sheeting is “long staple”…meaning that the plant produces long fibers (staples), enabling a smoother, stronger yarn.
Egyptian cotton is considered the best cotton in the world. It produces the longest, smoothest, softest staple and is used in the best sheeting available.
Pima cotton is produced in Western part the United States, Peru and Australia. It offers a long, silky staple and is a fine, cost efficient cotton option.
Organic cotton is cotton that is produced without the use of pesticides. Often, organic cotton sheets are also dyed with natural dyes to have the least invasive production possible. This is a great option for eco-conscious consumers.
Cotton can be woven in both percale or sateen, and in a variety of patterns called brocades.
Modal, Bamboo or Lyocell sheeting is created using pressed wood pulp. This wood pulp is pressed through a “strainer” to create long, super silky strands of yarn. Bamboo and Beechwood offer antimicrobial and hypoallergenic properties. These sheets are amazingly soft and have a subtle sheen. Many of these wood-fiber sheets are woven in the sateen weave, but a few offer percale.
My first experience with modal sheeting is unforgettable. I was dressing out a client’s bed and she chose SDH’s “Classic” by Legna. The hand was unbelievable. If water could be a fabric, it would have been these sheets. Extremely high end, I’ve never felt anything like them.
Linen is one of the oldest fabrics used in the world. Lightweight and strong, linen sheeting is a sign of affluence and fine living. They get softer the more they are laundered and is an excellent choice for hot climate. Linen does wrinkle, so there is more maintenance required.
Silk is another high end sheeting material, naturally hypoallergenic. These silky, soft sheets are more dense than others, so they’re more suitable for cool climates.
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The take-away…purchase the highest quality sheets you can afford. Try a set of pillowcases first for a test-drive at an affordable price, and I’m sure you’ll agree that the differences in your sleep experience are worth the cost.
Next time, we’ll explore the top of the bed—the accessories, options in design, and trends in boudoir décor.
Need help designing your dream bedroom?
Contact us today to schedule an in-home consultation!
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THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: The basics of a well-dressed bed
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THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: The Foundations—Featherbeds, down comforters and oh so many pillow choices…
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THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: Bedding design—From simple to elegant, the décor of the boudoir
Bedding image: The Finley Collection by Sferra; Inset image by Down Inc.
Just as any woman knows, the secret to looking and feeling amazing in a sexy new dress hinges on the undergarments she choses. The same thing applies to the bed…what you put beneath the sheets is as important as what you see.
Nothing compares to the feeling of been wrapped in a cushiony feather bed, pulling up a soft, warm down comforter, and laying your head on a billowy down pillow. Other than the mattress, these are the items that create the foundation of a true luxury bed.
If you’re in the market for down comforter, featherbed or high quality pillow, there are several aspects of these products that you should be familiar with, such as down vs. feather, fill power, how the down/feathers are cleaned, and caring for your down or feather products.
DOWN
Used for its incredible insulating properties, down is highly used in both bedding and apparel.
Down is the soft, fluffy, fine feathers at the base of a full feather. These provide insulation for the bird. Air is trapped between the fine strands and locks in body heat. The most commonly used down for bedding is goose or duck, with goose being preferred for it’s size and texture. The size and fluffiness of the down is based on where the birds originated, for example: A Siberian Goose’s down (the highest-quality down in the world) will be more plush than a European Goose’s, creating more warmth, or fill power.
Fill Power
To put it simply, fill power is the amount of warmth you will get from a particular type of down…the higher the number, the better the insulation and loft, or plushness of the product. In addition, the higher the fill power, the lower the overall weight of the product will be. The fill power number is determined by the size of the down cluster, which is often determined by the species of down used.
Within the bedding industry, a fill power of 500 is average and 800 is excellent. Quality down comforter manufacturers will use a higher fill power down species and adjust the amount of down per square inch to determine the overall warmth.
Typically, people choose a down comforter based on their temperature preferences. There are summer-weight down comforters for people who desire the soft, plush feel of down, but tend to sleep hot and ultra plush comforters for those who live in extremely cold locations. There are even dual-fill comforters, such as the Lucerne Couple’s Comforter by ScandiaDown® that has one side at one fill power and the other at another, accommodating a hot-natured wife and cool-natured husband (or vice versa.)
FEATHERS
This is exactly what it sounds like: the whole feather—the shaft, fine filaments of feather and the cluster of down at the base. Using the whole feather gives structure to the item it is placed in, such as a pillow or featherbed.
For bedding that requires a medium or firm feel, or would need to spring back to its original shape time-after-time, feathers are a good choice.
For ages, featherbeds have been a popular choice for mattress toppers as they are a long-lasting cushion that still retains some of the warm properties of down. While not as vogue in the United States, featherbeds are still widely used in Europe.
Some disadvantages of feather products is that you may have some of the feather shafts poke through the ticking, or encasing fabric. Using a protector made of a tightly woven natural fabric will help deter these uncomfortable occurrences. Also, depending on the ticking, you may be able to see the feather or shaft through the fabric, so that may be a factor in your bed’s appearance.
CLEANING & ALLERGIES
How down and feathers are cleaned prior to construction is one of the largest differences between a low-end and high-end down product.
The allergies that people have with down products are usually caused by goose or duck dander…much like a cat or dog allergy. Quality manufacturers put their down through a rigorous, multiple wash and sterilization process that nearly eliminates these allergens.
Cleaning & care for your down products
It is not recommended that you wash your down (and that is wash, vs. dry cleaning) more than once a year, and only that if there is visible soiling. Multiple washings will deteriorate the down and give it less loft. If you do wash your down, use a very gentle or down-specific detergent.
Keeping your down in a covering, such as a duvet, feathered or pillow protector, will help reduce the effects of body oils and perspiration. The protector needs to be a tighly-woven natural fabric to allow the fill to breathe and have air movement.
To refresh your down, place outside in the sun for a few hours and fluff regularly.
PILLOWS
50% Down / 50% Feather Filled Pillows by The Company Store
Sleeping pillows are typically all down and the amount of down used determines the firmness of the pillow. Again, it is very important that you use a pillow protector in addition to a pillowcase to protect the longevity of your down pillow. If you prefer an extra firm pillow, there are products out there that feature an encased feather core that is surrounded by down. This provides a more consistent firmness, yet gives the tactile softness of a down pillow.
Decorative pillows can be all feather, all down, or a combination of the two. You will find a ratio of down/feather on the tag. I tend to use either a 50/50 pillow form for sofa toss pillows or 30/70 (30% down/70% feather) for Euro pillows and pillows that are purely decorative. I find that they keep their shape best, but are pliable enough to create that plush look desired on a luxury bed.
DOWN ALTERNATIVES
Yes, there are alternative products for those who want the look of down, yet are most concerned about allergens (especially for lower-end manufacturers) or working within a tight budget. Made of synthetic fibers, these end up not being as plush or full as a real down product and do not distribute heat as evenly as the natural counterparts.
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I hope this has given you a good overview of what to look for when making your down comforter or featherbed purchase. Next, we will look at the vast world of sheeting and how not all 500-thread-count sheet sets are the same.
Need help designing your dream bedroom?
Contact us today to schedule an in-home consultation!
•
THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: The basics of a well-dressed bed
•
THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: Sheeting basics—Sateen, percale, cotton and alternative fibers
•
THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: Bedding design—From simple to elegant, the décor of the boudoir
Bedding image: The Finley Collection by Sferra; Inset image by Down Inc.
The anatomy of a luxury bed has evolved over the past several years. Once a show of excess, a well-dressed bed would include a plethora of pillows, layers upon layers of sheeting, coverlets and duvets, and enough down to make a flock of geese jealous. As the trend towards simplicity continues, we are seeing less pillows and elaborate adornments and are focusing on the basics of a comfortable, yet stylish bed.
Layering is still used for modern or contemporary beds, but the lines are crisper, the top-of-the-bed designs and patterns are simpler, and certain components are eliminated altogether.
Traditional rooms, however, still utilize the full gamut of boudoir fashion, so we will explore the basics of bedding with that in mind. Each area will be covered in more depth in subsequent articles.
1) The Foundations
As any woman knows, the secret to looking and feeling amazing in a sexy new dress hinges on the undergarments she choses. The same thing applies to the bed…what you put beneath the sheets is as important as what you see.
The well-dressed bed includes:
• Plush mattress pad or featherbed
• Down or down-alternative comforter
• Euro pillows
• Standard pillows
• Sleeping pillows
The contemporary room may opt to skip the standard pillows for decorative shams and only display Euro shams and sleeping pillows. Or, choose a down-filled mattress pad over a featherbed to ensure a crisp look.
2) High Quality Sheeting
Understanding the differences of the different types of sheeting can be confusing. Terms such as percale and sateen describe how the sheeting is woven, and can define the sheeting’s hand, or how it feels to the touch. The most common fiber used is cotton, but there are differences even in that category. Alternative fibers, such as modal, bamboo are also alternatives that are gaining popularity due to their supple and silky softness.
More on sheeting and how to choose what’s best for you will be covered in a following article.
3) Cohesive Design and Aesthetics
Dressing the bed in layers creates that soft, comfortable, inviting look that dares you to abandon your day and jump on in.
The well-dressed bed, from back to front, features:
• Euro shams
• Standard shams
• Sleeping pillows in coordinating pillow cases
• Lightweight coverlet
• Removable duvet cover
• Dust ruffle or bed skirt
• Accent pillows
Again, a simpler design will forego the number of pillows or even variety in patterns used. A complex and beautiful traditional bed ensemble can feature at least five different patterns and fabric textures in the top-of-bed alone! Add features such as ruffles, trim, sequins or fur and the bed is truly an elaborate and exquisite focal point to the boudoir.
Coming up, we will discuss what comprises the different aspects of the well-dressed bed, which will help you make an informed decision on how you can have the most beautiful bed and best night’s sleep you’ve ever had.
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Need help designing your dream bedroom?
Contact us today to schedule an in-home consultation!
THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: The Foundations—Featherbeds, down comforters and oh so many pillow choices…
•
THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: Sheeting basics—Sateen, percale, cotton and alternative fibers
•
THE GUIDE TO THE WELL-DRESSED BED: Bedding design—From simple to elegant, the décor of the boudoir
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