We all love hotel beds – their promise of luxury, comfort, and a good night’s sleep. In this post, I’m going to try and give you’ll a lowdown on how to make an informed decision when purchasing expensive high thread count bedding. Yes, thread count can make a difference, but it’s not the only indicator of softness or quality. Here are few major markers that make up really good luxury linen –

Material - I’m a strong believer that your search will end at cotton. Linen is more breathable, and textured than cotton, but tends to wrinkle in a jiffy, and let face it – no one has the time to be ironing sheets everyday. Silk is soft but more slippery, and while they denote luxury in most bedding photo shoots, you’ll have to dry clean these every time!

Thread Count - Refers to the sum of the warp (length) and weft (width) woven together in one square inch of fabric. Therefore, the higher the number (thread count), the better the fabric. Sheets or Duvet cover that have a high count will have a very soft, luxurious feel to them. Once you sleep on these, there will be no going back to the low count bedding. We guarantee you will love the way they are even after numerous washings. If you launder them by the instructions, they can last for decades and you will feel like you have a new set of sheets every time you wash them! Because of the high thread count, they will continually retain their softness and durability.

Weave - How the threads are woven together has a big influence on how sheets feel on the bed. Percale sheets, for example, are a simple weave and usually on the crisper side. Sateen sheets are softer, and have a shiny quality (my favourite, and what we sell at AA Living). Jacquard or satin stripe sheets usually have a subtle design inbuilt into them but won’t be as soft.

So now you know! Have a restful Sunday! Off to Zzzz….