Frequently Asked Question

Not only does a well-dressed bed look luxurious, it makes the entire room appear more inviting and a deeper, more restful sleep is practically guaranteed.

There are a couple of names that you might need to know to fully dress your bed. Include the following items in your bedding ensemble.

COVERLETS made of quilted cotton matelasse and pique serve a different function than bedspreads. Coverlets are sized to drop over the sides and end of the mattress only slightly more than the mattress depth. Extremely versatile, they can serve as a lightweight blanket or as a surface to introduce additional patterns and colors. Because of size and construction, they may be made reversible with contrasting patterns, and may be used with or without a duvet.

DUVET COVERS are envelopes of fabric that button, snap, zip or fold closed over the duvet or comforter. They are not only decorative, but protect your comforter from soil, moisture, and body oils.

BEDSKIRTS are used to cover the boxspring, bed frame and underbed space as well as decoratively to complete the bed.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while you look at fine linens

What is thread count?

Whenever you hear people talking about fine linens, the subject of thread count is bound to come up. Technically, it is a measure of how many threads are woven into one square inch of fabric. It may seem like a small detail, but in fine linens details make a big difference. The higher the thread count, the softer and more comfortable the sheet. Good quality sheets start at 180 thread count, 200 and higher is considered premium. All Bedside Manor linens and bedding are at 200 thread count or above.

What is linen anyway?

Because it is so strong, soft and luxurious, linen is considered by many to be the ultimate material for sheeting. It is woven from flax and extremely durable.

What other materials make good sheets?

At Bedside Manor, we carry a variety of different fabrics, each more luxurious than the next, to help you create the bed that is right for you. Some of the materials we use are:

EGYPTIAN COTTON, which can be spun into a finer texture thread with more tensile strength, and then woven into a softer, more lustrous fabric. Bedside Manor’s exclusive line is handcrafted from Egyptian cotton.

ORGANDY is a fine, thin cotton fabric with a durable and crisp finish.

SATEEN is a high quality cotton fabric made in a satin weave. Silk-like to the touch, sateen makes wonderfully smooth sheeting.

What are some of the textures that are available?

One of the distinctive ways you can mix and match our bedding to create your own bed is by choosing linens with a variety of weaves and textures. Here are just some textures that we carry:

• PERCALE is a closely woven plain cotton fabric weave of more then 180 thread count. Its simple yet tight weave makes wonderfully long lasting and crisp sheeting.
• DAMASK is a weave made on a Jacquard loom where alternating satin and matte textures create the pattern. The pattern is reversible with the inverse coloration and texture on the opposite side.
• JACQUARD is both a loom and type of weave that creates a woven pattern in fabric by individually adjusting the warp threads. Jacquard looms are used to make damask, brocade and tapestry fabrics.
• HEMSTITCHING is a decorative stitch, usually along a border or hem, that creates an open weave pattern by drawing out several parallel threads and catching the cross threads in uniform groups.
• MATELASSE is a Jacquard weave that creates a raised pattern, giving the fabric a quilted appearance.

How do I pick a comforter? Isn’t all down the same?

Goose down is a much better down than duck down. The larger clusters fluff up to better produce down’s unique insulating quality, which makes you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

What is fill power?

Fill power is a measure of the volume filled by an ounce of down. The greater the fill power, the more the down will loft, or expand and trap air. Comforters of the same weight may have different fill powers. The average fill power is 500. Fill power of 550-650 is considered high.

What is the difference between a pillow case and a pillow sham?

Pillow cases are open at one end. Pillow shams are fashioned with a European or envelope closure. In a sham, the pillow slips between a tailored flap of overlapping fabric in back, so that the pillow edge is not visible from the side. Both styles work well on all types of beds, and you can even mix and match.

What are the standard pillow sizes?

Here are the standard pillow sizes:

• BOUDOIR PILLOWS 12x16 can be used as travel pillows or to accent the bed.
• STANDARD PILLOW 20x26
• QUEEN PILLOW 20x30
• KING PILLOW 20x36
• EUROPEAN SQUARES 26x26 also called Continental, are large pillows that can be used propped up against the headboard for support or just for their visual effect.
• NECK ROLLS or bolsters are tubular pillows designed to support the head and neck while resting. The shape makes a nice decorative accent. The sizes of these pillows vary.

Now I know how to speak linen. Is there anything I’m missing?

How do I care for fine linens?

With some care, linen will last quite a while and here’s an added bonus: linen actually feels better as it gets broken in! So don’t be afraid to wash yours. Linens should be separated into light or dark colors.

• Avoid overloading the machine to prevent breaking long fibers like those in Egyptian cotton. Cotton, pure linen and cotton/linen blend bedding should be washed in warm water, using a gentle laundering agent with a final cold rinse. If presoaking is necessary it should be in cold water.
• Allow your washing machine to fill up and begin agitating before you add detergent. Unless your linens are extremely soiled, use half the commercial detergent recommended; this will reduce damage to fibers and clean your linens just as well.
• Remove washed bedding promptly from the machine; this helps reduce wrinkling. Shaking damp linens out before drying (at low heat) will also help reduce wrinkles.