Interiors by Design: Linens and things provide luxury and comfort

Fifteen years ago, my elegant friend, Naz Esit, was dashing about the Upper East Side from the Carlyle to the Plaza Athénée, from luxury hotel to luxury hotel, literally changing out their sheets for her fine Italian linens.

Why? Because Ms. Esit’s well-heeled European clientele could not stand sleeping roughshod on American sheets, having grown up understanding the remarkable difference between the two.

We have, however, come a long way baby, and both the hotel industry and the American consumer can now tell their “plys” from their thread counts.

But before a favorite client of mine casually asked me to find her the finest sheets and towels possible, I really wasn’t as well versed in the world of quality linens as I should be—so with the aid of designer Kate Reid, she and I set out on our quest.

When judging sheets, thread count is always one of the first things to come to mind. But the higher the thread count does not always mean you hit the jackpot.

The thread count number refers to the amount of threads per square inch—meaning the higher the thread count, the tighter the weave. It goes to say, the denser the weave, the smaller the thread, the less it pills, and usually (but not always) the softer and silkier the “and” will be. But when you get 600- to 700-thread count, the material does not always “breathe” well simply because it is so dense.

However, if you’re sleeping out on Gerard Drive with the cold March northeast wind bearing down on your cottage, 1,000-thread count would keep you warm. If your sheeting material is two-ply (two threads twisted together) and also a high thread count, your sheets will be both heavy and warm.

Finer hotels enjoy this kind of sheeting now, partially due to durability, but most budget hotels view sheeting as heavily used, and highly disposable, and therefore will purchase lower grades.

When selecting sheets one must also consider the kind of cotton the sheets are made of, Egyptian cotton being considered the finest and Pima cotton (the Egyptian cotton plant varietal grown in the United States) running a distant second.

Quality cotton is essential, but where it is processed and then woven is equally important. Egyptian cotton processed, spun and woven in China is a far cry from the cotton gently processed, temperature controlled, woven on centuries-old looms and overseen by textile manufacturers who view linens as an art form, not merely a business. These manufacturers are the Italians and, according to Ms. Esit, they are the masters of weaving, passing their exquisite knowledge down from generation to generation.

“The Italians view linens as an art, not simply the intricate hand embroidery, finishing stitching and lace borders, but the fabric itself. Italian linens last for years. Simply observe Sotheby’s auctioning the Italian bed linens of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor—only the finest. It’s in the hand,” observes Ms. Esit. “And after all, it’s the feel of the sheet that is the most important, eight hours of bare skin against fabric.” She cannot stress enough that touching and feeling the sheets before purchasing them is essential.

Another factor in selecting sheeting, of course, is the kind of weave. Percale is closely woven out of carded and combed cotton lending a silky feel; flannel has a soft napped finish with a fluffy appearance, perfect for cozy warmth in the winter; and sateen possesses a weave that has more yarn surface, which gives it a more lustrous satin-like feel and appearance.

Cotton polyester blends used to be more popular due to their low cost and low wrinkle-ability, but they feel slick. They are colder and definitely clammy. For those who are more particular, 100-percent cotton breathes better and is never sticky against your skin.

“Polyester may wear like iron and never need to be ironed, but your skin knows the difference,” according to California-based retailer and high end linen supplier the Linen Closet.

Ms. Reid points out, “Upon entering the bedroom, the largest element is, of course, the bed. It is what you visually notice first and is of premier importance.”

Attention to the quality of bedding is paramount. Also keep in mind that you spend, on average, eight hours in bed, so why scrimp in a place where you spend a third of your life?

Warning, the best Italian linens do not come cheap! Couture brands, such as Ms. Esit’s Euroletto and Cittadini can be upward of five digits. L’Heron and Porthault are not much less, as are more mass produced luxury brands such as Frette (less durable) and Pratesi. Anichini, concentrating on more fashion-forward designs, can be a good purchase as well. Court of Versailles is also a high “street-level” product according to Ms. Esit.

Care is simple for precious linens: use a gentle detergent that contains no bleaches that will eventually discolor, yellow and weaken your sheets. Keep in mind that washing sheets and towels together will result in pilling.

Now that we’re on the subject, what makes a good towel, one that you want to wrap yourself up in forever? The criteria for a good towel are thickness, absorbency, softness, and durability. And I’ll add one more, dry-ability.

I always look for a thick, dense towel, but I also look for a longer length of fiber which increases the absorbency. Softness is a shaky area because what might feel soft in the store might indeed be covered in silicone which can create a feel of softness, but once washed will turn the towel less pliant.

Egyptian cotton, once again, wins the award for the softest and most absorbent with Turkish cotton coming in second. Bamboo and hemp are considered eco-friendly because they grow so fast—but they are also more absorbent than cotton because the fiber has tiny gaps that wick quite efficiently. But I do not find these towels are yet in the same league as cotton. Perhaps that is because the master weavers of towels have not as yet experimented with bamboo or hemp.

In search of the softest towel, I came across Matouk’s Milagro towel, which is everyone’s dream of kitten-puppy soft, but not as thick nor absorbent. Hands down though, six out of the seven retailers queried felt that the Portuguese towel company Abyss & Habidecor created the best product.

Very heavy, very thick towels with no decorative borders, Abyss towels also rank high in the longevity category. The company’s “Superpile” ranked the best of the best in six out of seven—but the price tag was hefty as well—running up to $150 for a bath sheet.

Several towel side notes, though. Restoration Hardware has some wonderfully off-colored, urban-hued towels made in heavy, impossibly dense Turkish cotton. Though one of my clients favors their longevity, I feel like I’m drying myself off with a piece of broadloom.

Yves Delorme makes a spectacular range of colors, intense like only the French can be! Beautiful bordered too.

Additionally, Calvin Klein’s are cool, thick and Calvin colorless.

Also note that all stores and websites begged the user not to wash their towels in bleach or to use fabric softener. The bleach request should be fairly easy to get but the softener, against logic, will actually clog the cotton fibers and prevent them from wicking moisture.

Nothing other than your clothing comes in contact with the entirety of your body as often as your sheets and towels, so it’s not a bad idea to lend some focused attention onto these household goods. Along with the pampering and the beauty, aren’t you and yours truly worth it?

Marshall Watson is a nationally recognized interior and furniture designer who lives and works in the Hamptons and New York City. Reach him at 105 West 72nd Street, Suite 9B, New York, NY 10023.