We all know that decorating your home can be expensive. There are the fun expenditures – the paint colors, the rugs, the decorative chairs of the world – and then, usually later down the line and when your budget has all but dried up, come the less exciting, functional costs, which you resentfully fork out the least possible amount of money for. And when people look to scrimp and save, the bedding budget is often the first to take a hit.
In a perfect world, everyone would kit out their beds in the finest threads – we’d all like to feel like we’re slipping into the satin sheets of a five-star hotel every night. But 'good' bed linen tends to come at an eye-watering price. So instead, it’s tempting to settle for what seems to be the lowest possible price-to-quality compromise.
Good sheet quality means good sleep quality, and in turn, a better quality of life. After all, most of the time we’re at home is spent in bed – so perhaps this is one area you shouldn't pinch the pennies in. As interior designer Matthew Coates from Coates Design + Architects puts it, “If your sheets and blankets feel luxurious, it’s like a personal retreat every night.”
That being said, you shouldn’t need to remortgage your house to get your forty winks. Curating a hotel-worthy bed setup is about being savvy about your budget, or knowing where to look for the best price-to-quality bargains. Plus, there are sure to be some great Black Friday bedding deals on the horizon.
We’ve consulted experts to provide some guidance on the matter, sharing their thoughts on the best fabrics, pillows and piles, and whether hyped-up products are actually worth the cash. For a good night’s sleep, just follow these tips…
Which fabric should I choose for my bedding?
It’s the foundational block in a good nights’ sleep, so picking the best bedding material is important. Not only does it need to be soft and supple to your skin, but durable too – consider the amount of wear it gets.
“The most important thing for me is comfort and quality — bedding should feel amazing to sleep in and hold up over time,” shares Matthew Coates. “I always look for fabrics that are breathable and soft, like cotton percale, sateen, or linen. I tend to avoid synthetic blends because they can trap heat and don’t feel as luxurious.”
The big question — does bedding thread count matter? "Fiber content and quality are more important than threadcount as you could have a high threadcount of poor quality threads," explains interior designer Alexandra Peck. "The best quality threads are made of long fibers that are spun into high-quality yarns. The shorter the fiber, the more susceptible the threads are to damage; whereas a longer fiber will resist breakage."
When shopping for bedding, materials such as linen have naturally long fibers. In cotton, look for Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton as these have long fibers, too.
Price: $79
Simplicity is sometimes the best option – follow Matthew's tip to choose percale with this luxury-feel Pottery Barn set.
Price: $75 for a king set
This 250-thread count striped percale set is washed to feel like vintage sheets, and comes as a four-piece set including one fitted sheet, one flat sheet and two pillowcases.
Price: $87
Sateen sheets bring an ultra-soft feel and luminous sheen for a slice of luxury in your bedtime routine.
"I avoid microfiber and polyester sheets because even though these can be very soft to the touch they tend to trap heat (even when they say they are "cooling")," Alexandra adds. "In general I recommend natural fibers over synthetic materials as they are more breathable and easy to care for."
Where to spend, and where to save
Choosing how you spend your bedding budget is about balancing aesthetics with practicality.
“If I’m prioritizing where to spend my budget, it’s on sheets and pillowcases, as they’re the closest to your skin and make the biggest difference in comfort,” says Matthew. “A high-quality duvet insert or comforter also gets a decent portion of my budget because it impacts how cozy and restful your bed feels.” After all, all the decorative pillows in the world can’t stop you from shivering under a threadbare comforter every night.
However, cheaping out on the surface level of your bedding can make your scheme look inexpensive. "In terms of styling a bedroom I would invest more in the duvet cover, shams, and decorative throw pillows as that is what is seen and enjoyed in the visual sense," Alexandra says, "however, on a tactile level, I would recommend investing in quality sheets that are soft, breathable, and have long-lasting durability."
If there's one place to spend, according to Alexandra? "The most important place to focus on quality are your sheets, or if you follow the European trend - the bottom/fitted sheet and the underside of your duvet cover (Europeans don't use top sheets!) The reason why you want the best quality here is because this, of course, is where you most interact with your bedding."
Price: $208.00 – $258.00
Blend comfort with style with this pretty duvet cover set from Anthropologie.
Price: $19.99
Opt for cheaper decorative items as Matthew advises, as with this IKEA pink throw.
Price: $39.99
Carefully selected decorative cushions can make the whole bed more inviting – try out this scalloped-edged number.
What brands do our experts love?
If there's anyone we'll take recommendations from, it's people who buy bedding for a living.
"On the higher end I love Frette bedding," Alexandra says. "For a more mid-level price, I'm loyal to Parachute for their sateen sheets and duvet covers. Bed Threads is my go-to for their linen bedding as I love mixing and matching their pieces to create custom sets."
"Lastly, I specify a lot of velvet coverlets from Restoration Hardware," Alexandra adds.
Is expensive bed linen worth the cost?
There’s no denying that bedding can sometimes come at astronomical prices, begging the question – do high prices equal high quality?
“Price and quality often align, but there are exceptions. You can sometimes find great deals on quality bedding during sales or by sticking to classic cotton or linen instead of luxury weaves,” explains Matthew.
And as a bonus question, is good bedding really worth the price? “Splurging isn’t always necessary, but spending a bit more on good sheets is a choice you’ll never regret—it really elevates your daily routine,” says Matthew.
