Second only to a sofa or sectional, a bed is the largest piece of furniture – yes, your bed is furniture – in your home. Hopefully, you have already moved beyond the standard mattress and box springs on a metal frame period of life and have actually invested in a quality head and footboard. If you have already made that leap, read on and get some tips on dressing a stylish bed.
Mattress and bedding manufacturers suggest that the average American spends approximately 38 percent of his or her life in bed. However, most of us spend less than thirty-eight minutes selecting bed linens and the other bedroom accoutrements that would make that large amount of time a period to truly be enjoyed. I sometimes think that most people are simply too intimidated to spend time and energy making wise bed linen decisions.
Most Europeans view American beds as a place of decadence – all those pillows, sheets, blankets and coverlets/throws/bedspreads, etc. In Europe, duvet covers are the norm, with a heavier duvet insert used in fall and winter and a lighter insert used in spring and summer. Additionally, most European beds are dressed with a bottom sheet, a duvet and those curiously slim, small bed pillows. Does that sort of Spartan linen line-up do the job? Yes, but I am a huge fan of the decadent bed. I want so many pillows and covers on my bed that it takes a special map to arrange them all correctly.
The anchor to all American beds are sheets: flat or fitted, they are the cornerstone of any bed ensemble. Higher quality (read: more comfortable) sheets have higher thread counts. Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch in a sheet; the higher the number, generally speaking, the softer and more luxurious the sheet. Microfiber and polyester sheets have their place (like in correctional facilities and/or hospitals), but the best sheets are woven from a natural fiber, like Egyptian cotton, and have a thread count of 300 or more. These sheets caress your skin with soft fibers and actually get softer and softer as they are laundered and used.
A typical bed will have a fitted sheet on the bottom, with a flat sheet over it. Pillow cases complete the basic linen foundation. In case you didn't know, you should always match pillows to the size of your bed: there are standard pillows, as well as queen and king pillows. Queen size pillows are a little harder to find; generally, twin through queen size beds will work with standard pillows, but a king size bed demands a king size pillows. Sheets come in basically two standard treatments or finishes. Standard finish sheets have a hand (texture) much like a men’s dress shirt. Standard finish sheets are durable and long-wearing. Sateen finish sheets have more of a polished appearance, and some suggest they have a softer touch to the skin. Either finish is equally appropriate and it really just boils down to a matter of personal preference.
