And so to bed
YOU SPEND EIGHT hours a day in bed - that's one third of your life. The perfect bedding can make the difference between a night of tossing and turning and one of sweet dreams. But with so many sheets and pillows from which to choose and buzzwords such as 'thread count' and 'Egyptian cotton' ringing in your ears, buying a set of sheets can be more difficult than it seems.
The bed consists of three layers: the foundation, which includes the mattress and box spring (which supports the mattress), the tactile layer, meaning the sheeting, and embellishments such as cushions, bolsters and throws.
Selecting a quality box spring and mattress is the first step to creating the foundations of your dream bed. A good mattress and box spring set should provide you with maximum support and comfort, while a wool mattress pad will protect the mattress from any stains. It will also prevent your sheets from slipping, especially if your mattress is covered with scratchy or slippery fabric.
After the mattress pad come the sheets - a fitted bottom sheet or flat sheet, and a top sheet. There are a number of decisions to make when shopping for the perfect bed sheet and the first is the fabric - cotton, linen or silk. Linen is fresh and great against humidity as it absorbs water, but it creases. Silk, on the other hand, is very warm. 'The absolute best, though, is Egyptian cotton,' says Laura Ros, group director of Italian luxury linen brand Frette, 'because it grows with a longer fibre, which gives a stronger yarn with less lint and fewer imperfections.'
And then there is the thread count. When Jennifer Lopez checks in to a hotel, she demands Egyptian cotton sheets with a thread count of at least 250. But what does that actually mean? Simply put, thread count is the number of threads woven per inch. In principle, a higher thread count signifies a denser fabric with a thinner thread, hence it is lighter and softer.
However, the higher the thread count, the higher the cost. A queen-size bottom sheet by Frette in a basic colour with no pattern costs $1,900. Factor in the matching flat sheet ($2,300), top sheet ($2,300), duvet cover ($5,500) and pillow cases ($1,000 each) and the whole lot could set you back $14,000.
Queen-size bottom sheets by Yves Delorme, a French linen maker founded in 1845 and known for its floral designs, are slightly cheaper starting at $1,250 for a basic colour. If you want something with more style, Pratesi - a family-owned Florentine company - has sheet sets, which include a patterned or embroidered duvet cover, matching bottom sheets and two pillowcases, for about $24,000. That's not including the flat sheets and top sheets you must buy separately.
So is thread count really that important? 'A higher thread count can make a textile softer and stronger, but it is the quality of the yarn that is the most important,' says Mark Prendergrast, general manager of home and lifestyle at Lane Crawford. 'Any thread count above 200 is luxurious and it is important to understand that some thread counts given are based on the use of a double-ply yarn where the thread
count is doubled, so be wary of brands that advertise a thread count of 1,000.' This being the case, it is worth purchasing bedding from brands that are known for their quality and reliability.
Those who don't have the budget for diva-like thread counts should invest in embellishments. Decorative accessories, such as shams (pillows placed behind the sleeping pillow when the bed is made), neck rolls (cylindrical pillows), bed skirts (ruffled covering for the space between the mattress and floor), and boudoir pillows (small rectangular pillows) are great ways to add extra comfort without breaking the bank.
Major linen brands Frette, Pratesi and Yves Delorme make embellishments to match their linens, but if you have solid-coloured sheets you can mix and match. Missoni Home Collection makes pillow shams in its signature stripes and zig-zags for $1,400 a pair. Similarly, the Calvin Klein Home range, soon to be making an appearance at Lane Crawford, offers home-owners bed skirts and decorative pillows in neutral tones at more affordable prices. Armani Casa (located at Chater House) also has a range of throws and cushions, from $1,500.
Keep your sheets crisp by cleaning them every seven to 12 days. It's best to hand-wash them or have them dry cleaned, but if time and money are of the essence, machine wash them in warm water on a gentle cycle. Stay away from fabric softeners, bleach and stain removers as these will damage them. Instead, opt for fabric conditioner ($220) by New York brand The Laundress, available from Lane Crawford. Dedicated to the art of laundry, The Laundress' Fabric Fresh ($170) will keep your bed linen smelling of spring. It may sound like a lot of work for a few sheets, but for the quality of sleep, it's worth it.
'When it comes to luxury linen, we are talking about a different galaxy,' says Ros. 'It's so obvious that even those who pay no attention to textiles notice it.'
