You'll sleep easy thanks to our guide to choosing the most stylish, comfortable and easy-to-maintain bedding.

There's absolutely nothing better than slipping between fresh, crisp bedsheets with a beautiful quilt as the centrepiece. Plus it's an easy way to update the look of your bedroom. But how do you know what's best? Here, we take the guesswork out
of beautifying your bedding.

 

Thread count explained

You'll often see a thread count on the label when buying sheets - the number tells you how many strands are woven into one square inch of the fabric. You may think a higher count is better, but while it means a denser weave, it's the quality of the fibre that actually makes the difference.

Egyptian cotton with a 200 thread count can feel better than a 400-count sheet made from inferior cotton. So, if possible, touch the sheets to see how they feel before buying.

 

Play with textures

If you love white, you can mix it up a bit by adding texture. A waffle weave quilt cover with a throw rug at the foot of the bed looks effective. You can also add some pizzazz to your bedroom using quilt covers with embroidered flowers, shapes and even sequins, which are in fashion right now.

 

Easy care

If you don't want to have to iron your linen, go for pure cotton with a textural finish. There are also some great polycotton bed linens available - try to find a percale with a thread count of 180 or higher. Jersey feels much like a comfortable T-shirt and doesn't tend to wrinkle as badly as other materials. And quilt covers and pillowcases in Jacquard are also a good choice if you don't want to slave over a hot iron.

 

What's in a weave?

Flannel's fluffy surface texture means it's warmer - perfect for snuggling into on cold nights.

Percale is crisp and cool as the rougher fibres have been combed out, leaving just the fine-quality cotton, which has a thread count of at least 180.

Sateen has a higher thread count, is woven from finer threads and has a very soft feel.

Silk is a natural fibre known for being exceptionally thin and smooth. When woven, it creates shiny, satiny fabrics.

Satin is not as comfy as silk, and it tends to feel warm and stick to the body. But it's ideal
for the top of a comforter.

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