Bedding expert Jennifer Hamilton provides tips on what to look for when purchasing bedding.
- Rather than purchasing an expensive duvet cover for a comforter, buy a couple of flat sheets in the size and color you need and sew them together on three sides. Sew grommets into the fourth side and close with a decorative ribbon (see photo).
- Hold up a sheet to the light to determine its quality. Light will not shine through a high-quality thread-count sheet. Also, higher quality thread-count sheets will not fuzz or pill. Another great way to test this is to scratch the sheet with your fingernail to see if any pill comes off. If so, this is a lesser-quality sheet.
- You can purchase a full flat sheet to use instead of a queen flat sheet on your bed. Not only is a full sheet less expensive, but there's much less material hanging over the edge when you make the bed.
- When purchasing flannel sheets, make sure that the label says preshrunk. Otherwise the flannel will probably shrink, causing your fitted sheet to no longer fit.
- Cotton sheets are described by thread count, which literally means the number of threads in the cloth. Most sheets are in the 200 range, while expensive sheets can go from 250 to more than 300. The higher the thread count, the softer and more durable they are.
- For the summer months, purchase easy-care cotton or thermal blankets. These will allow air to flow through them.
- The finest-quality wool blankets that can be purchased are merino wool. They are also the warmest. Synthetic blankets, however, are non-allergenic, less expensive and easier to wash.
- Fill power is a measurement of the quality of down products. Down comforters with great "loft" (fill power) have "fluffy" clusters of down that have the power to fill the comforter with less ounces than inferior types of down. Down comforters with higher fill power listed on the package are lighter and warmer than down comforters, where there is less fill power or the fill power is not stated at all. Remember, it's not the ounces that are important, it's the fill power of the down.
- If you want to give your current mattress a "pillow-top" look and feel (like the newer mattresses), buy either a featherbed or a polyester fiber bed. They're soft and luxurious and give your bed that "lofty" look. It's also less expensive than buying a new mattress.
- When purchasing a new mattress with a pillow top, it's important to buy fitted sheets that are deep enough so they don't "pop off." Many people think that buying a larger size will do the trick, but they're just longer and wider and end up not fitting. Deep fitted sheets run anywhere from 13 inches to 22 inches depending on how "thick" your new mattress is. If you own some wonderful sheets (prior to purchasing your deeper mattress) and yu want to continue using them, just buy "suspenders" for the fitted sheet. This will keep it from popping off. Remember, you don't have to worry about flat sheets because they will fit standard or deeper mattresses.
- When filling a decorative sham, always buy an inexpensive queen-size pillow. It fills the sham completely--even in all the corners--versus a standard-size pillow. Plus, this will give your bed the beautiful full look.
- European shams require a European-size pillow. European pillows and shams are 26 inches square in size and provide a sophisticated elegant look to your bed ensemble.
Guests Jennifer Hamilton
Corporate Representative, Bed Bath and Beyond
Toll-free: 800-462-3966
E-mail:
customer.service@bedbath.com
Website:
www.bedbathandbeyond.com
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