Personal Choice for Sheets

[kittykat]

I have researched this a lot but would be interested in personal choice between the different types of sheets available.
I want luxury for my guests but I don't necessarily want sheets that are really hard to iron because I have never been much good at ironing! But maybe I can get around that by buying a very good steam iron.
What do you use and how easy/hard is it to take care of.
I notice on Richard Howarth that they do plain and striped cotton flat sheets and duvet covers but no fitted sheets other than the 50/50 type, which confused me a little too. Is this because fitted sheets are easier to care for in the mixed fibre?

[tavi]

my bed linen is all 100% cotton. Ironing not exactly fun but easier when sheets are slightly damp and using a steam iron.

can't stand 50/50 so wouldn't buy.

fitted sheets in 100% cotton no harder to look after than anything else, especially since I found the youtube tutorials on how to fold a fitted sheet!

[marsh frog]

We use 600 thread count Egyptian cotton from King of Cotton. We don't iron them ourselves as we are not on site but have the same at home & if you iron them slightly damp with a good steam iron they are fine. The ladies who do our changeover have never complained about the ironing, but I fully appreciate they are not the easiest to care for!!

What I like is whenever we stay there ourselves, the bedding always feels so lovely & crisp & luxurious and I think our guests really appreciate that judging by the comments we get. Just my point of view though - there is plenty more good quality bedding available I am sure, but like you we wanted really nice quality simply because that's what I like myself when I go away

The fitted sheets are available in this range too

[Mouse]

Depends on your market - but if you're in the high end bracket I would go for linen every time. No one minds it looking a little cruppled as that's the style and you can't beat it (I won't sleep under anything else). Washed linen is the best (John Lewis M&S or White Co) as it needs no ironing.
It improves on age and is hard wearing.
Warm in winter, cool in summer.
But the initial outlay is expensive.

I would also go for the best duvet you can afford. I will never forget the sleeping experience I had in a rental property because of the super lightweight duckdown duvet. I would have rebooked for that alone! And immedietely bought myself one

Mouse
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[Ju]

I have various different sheets, bought over a number of years. All 100% cotton. In my experience 100% cotton percale is the best in terms of longevety and easy ironing.

In reality with my roller iron I don't see alot of difference between the various sheets.

The thing that makes the biggest difference is how you wash/dry them. I use a fabric conditioner and wash on an easy iron setting on the machine, then line dry. If I don't do this then I start seeing differences in the different qualities of cotton.

[Ju]

I have various different sheets, bought over a number of years. All 100% cotton. In my experience 100% cotton percale is the best in terms of longevety and easy ironing.

In reality with my roller iron I don't see alot of difference between the various sheets.

The thing that makes the biggest difference is how you wash/dry them. I use a fabric conditioner and wash on an easy iron setting on the machine, then line dry. If I don't do this then I start seeing differences in the different qualities of cotton.

[la vache!]

I use 100% cotton, not Egyptian, but anything labelled 100%. I'm not luxury so wouldn't go for Egyptian cotton of linen, my priority is having something comfortable but easy to replace. I wouldn't want to sleep on 50/50 sheets so don't inflict them on my guests!

[esentziak]

re : Washed linen is the best (John Lewis M&S or White Co) as it needs no ironing.

what is "washed linen" ?

Dominique

[Mouse]

It's a bit like pre-washed denim; in so much that they wash it somehow and make it softer and crumply. Sorry not a good explanation I know!
But basically it means you can throw it in the washing machine and when it comes out it has a lovely lived in look and you just don't have to worry about ironing it It seriously looks good.

Ours came from John Lewis and is divine.

http://www.johnlewis.com/180106/Product.aspx

Mousie
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[esentziak]

Thanks , did not even know such a thing existed.

Dominique

[Martha]

It looks amazing but wowsers! it's expensive!!

We need some new stuff for home though, I might give it a try, sounds lovely

[Mouse]

It is Martha - but boy is it fab! As I say wonderfully warm in winter and cool in summer....and, being prewashed, no ironing!
Plus it improves with age. I've had linen on our (personal) bedding now for many years and it gets softer with age.

Oh and tough as old boots so no problems I would imagine if you had to scrub a bit at stains as it's not a delicate fabric.

Mousie
p.s. the sizes of the one shown are quite large too - we have a king sized and it is so large I can tuck the loose bits right under the mattress (without the duvet being in it...if you see what I mean)

[kitkat]

I'm with La Vache on the 100% cotton (not Egyptian) from local supermarket... they were the middle of the range price wise (if I recall correctly about 28€ for a std double flat sheet) but are still going strong and looking good ready for our 7th season (approx/average 12 weeks letting). Was surprised when chatting to fellow gite owner who are replacing theirs after just 2 seasons (20/22 wks letting). How often do you replace yours?

ps This is going to get confusing as I'm Kitkat not Kittykat!