Choosing a luxury designer bedding brand comes down to identifying what makes this type of bedding unique: high quality fabric and workmanship; excellent reputation and customer service from the manufacturer; and the fact that this heirloom-quality linen will last for years or even decades. Understanding these variables and prioritizing them for your needs will help you choose the best luxury designer bedding brand for your bedroom.
At Fine Linen and Bath, we believe that sleeping on luxurious bedding is one of life’s greatest pleasures. And luxury sheets are a wonderful investment: the high quality of a luxury bedding set means it will last and remain beautiful for years to come. But knowing where to start when choosing a designer bedding brand can be a bit overwhelming. Some inside knowledge of what to look for can definitely help you navigate your options and find the perfect sheets to match your style.
Fortunately, the Fine Linen and Bath design team is here to bring you up to speed. Whether you’re new to the world of luxury bed linen (and if so, welcome!) or a seasoned interior design aficionado, read on to advance your linen literacy. We will help you streamline your shopping experience with information on why luxury designer bedding is different; ideas on what to look for when buying; and tips on making the best choice. We’ll also introduce you to some of our favorite luxury designer bedding brands and explain why you really won’t find them in department or big box stores!
What do you get with luxury designer brand bedding?
Let’s begin by defining what makes a luxury bedding brand and exploring the qualities that set it apart from ordinary bedding. It is essential to know that luxury designer bedding is not simply bed linen emblazoned with a well-known designer’s name on it; in fact, many well-known clothing and accessory designers license their names to mass-produced bed sheets (more on that later).
We define “designer luxury brand bedding” as high-quality sheeting made by well-respected linen designers and manufacturers. These companies can frequently be found in Europe, although they may be located in the United States or other countries. The design and manufacture of luxury linens is the core of these companies’ business; they are not brand extensions or licensed out. As such, the quality of these bedding collections is unparalleled. From bed sheets to bed skirt, duvet cover, comforter, decorative pillow and beyond, this designer bed linen is made to exacting standards.
Finest quality material
Luxury bedding is made with the finest quality cotton, silk, and plant fiber on earth. You will notice that many luxury cotton bedding sets are made with Egyptian cotton, which is the strongest, softest, and most durable cotton for lasting beauty and comfort. Similarly, luxury silk sheets, which are wonderful for sensitive skin, are made with the finest grade silk in the marketplace. We will discuss details of what to look for when shopping for fabric in the next section.
Workmanship
Luxury designer bedding -- particularly the European brands -- is made by fabric artisans in small factories who have honed their textile skills over decades and often generations. This bedding is not mass produced, which is why you will not find it in department, big box, or discount stores. The craftsmanship is a source of pride and can be found in details like hemstitching and hand-sewn embroidery. These details definitely factor into the higher cost of luxury bedding.
Design and elegant details
Luxury linen manufacturers offer bedding with elegant details and design touches such as the hemstitching and embroidery we mentioned above. Luxury brands are frequently known for their signature styles, classic designs that are offered for years and change very little over time. These manufacturers also employ in-house design teams that create on-trend limited edition styles that are exclusive and made in very limited runs.
What to look for in a luxury designer bedding brand
There are several important things to look at when choosing luxury designer bedding.
Quality Fabric
You will need to research what kind of fabric works best for you and also the quality of that fabric. Cotton, silk, and natural fiber like wood pulp and bamboo are all wonderful options for luxury bedding. You should choose silk of the highest grade, 6A, for beauty and durability. When buying cotton sheets, you should research and learn where the cotton is grown and where the sheeting fabric is made, bearing in mind that Egyptian cotton and American-grown Supima cotton are of very high quality.
When choosing your cotton sheet sets, you’ll need to determine whether you prefer percale sheets or sateen sheets; percale weave is crisp, cool, and breathable like hotel sheeting, while sateen weave is softer, warmer, and known for its attractive drape. You can read more about choosing between percale and sateen sheets here. Lastly, don’t fall into the trap of focusing on thread count, which only tells part of the story. In fact, the quality of the fiber used to make the fabric can be far more important than thread count.
Cost
Luxury designer bedding is on the higher end of price and -- in our opinion -- these sheets are well worth the expense. Even among designer brands, however, you will find a range of price points:
- Designer cotton sheets can range from around $350 for hotel-quality percale up into the $1,000+ for the finest Egyptian Giza cotton
- Silk sheets can range from around $450 for a lighter weight 19 momme set to around $800 for a heavier 30 momme set
- Sustainably grown wood-pulp fiber sheets can cost around $1,000.
Color and Style Options
This is a matter of personal preference. You may want to purchase items from a single bedding collection, or mix and match styles from a favorite manufacturer. When you find a company whose offerings you like, do a bit of research into the range of styles and colors they offer. You can start out with an initial investment in a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and pillowcases, and expand your bedding ensemble over time. Many manufacturers craft collections made to coordinate with one another. Note that in some cases, the most expensive sheets are available in more limited color choices (again, due to the fact that these textiles are not mass produced). You will, however, have more options for size customization with luxury designer bedding brands.
Safety and certification
A genuine luxury designer brand will be entirely transparent about the origins of the materials it uses; its manufacturing processes; and the safety and sustainability of its products. There are independent certifications that many home textile companies choose to obtain for their products; GOTS, which is an organic certification and OEKO-TEX®, which offers a portfolio of textile certifications for safety and sustainability. You can trust that any products bearing the GOTS or OEKO-TEX® labels have been rigorously and independently tested.
Tips on how to choose luxury designer brand bedding
The Fine Linen and Bath design team has put together the following list of tips for choosing luxury designer brand bedding. These tips are not meant to be an exhaustive checklist, but rather some suggestions to give you a strong start in your search:
- Talk to others. Many people choose sheets based on a friend’s recommendation and word of mouth. If you’re a guest at someone’s home or a hotel and you love the sheet set you are sleeping on, check the label or ask where they were purchased (and congratulations on getting to try before you buy!)
- Browse the Fine Linen and Bath website. Read the reviews to learn what other clients have to say about specific brands and styles. Check out the offerings across the brand to see whether they are meant to complement and coordinate with one another.
- Ask our design team for assistance. We are here to serve as your personal interior designer, with specific recommendations based on your budget, taste, and needs. Take advantage of this service.
- Get a complimentary swatch sample to review at home. Fine Linen and Bath has been a pioneer in offering swatch samples to our clients. This is a wonderful way to evaluate a sheet set for feel and color prior to purchasing.
- Look for established brands that are well respected in the industry (see our recommendations below). These companies have wonderful reputations for both quality and -- in the rare case of any kind of manufacturing defect -- warranty on workmanship. At Fine Linen and Bath, we have developed wonderful relationships with our brand partners, and our clients definitely benefit as a result.
- Remember that luxury designer bedding is an investment that is made to last. You will pay more up front, but with proper care, your new bedding should feel and look beautiful for many years. Do some research into how to properly care for luxury sheets bedding and use a detergent specially made for fine linen like Heritage Park Luxury All-Purpose Detergent. Also bear in mind that washable silk needs to be cared for a bit differently with detergent specially formulated for protein-based fabric.
Buyer Beware of These Three Things
In closing, we want to remind you to beware of these three things when shopping for designer luxury brand bedding:
- Designer luxury bedding is not the same as “designer licensed” bedding that is mass produced and sold in big box, department and discount stores
- If a price is too good to be true, you are not getting high quality bedding. As we mentioned earlier, Egyptian cotton is the finest on Earth. But many mass market companies claim they are using Egyptian cotton when, in fact, they are using the seeds of Egyptian cotton and growing it elsewhere under different conditions. This is not genuine Egyptian cotton.
- Watch out for thread count scams. Thread count is commonly known as a measure of quality in sheets, but it is often misunderstood and misrepresented. Read our blog on thread count scams to learn more.
Top Luxury Designer Bedding Brands
As you begin to consider your options for luxury bed linen, take a moment to review our curated list of cotton percale, cotton sateen, silk, and wood pulp bedding recommendations.
Matouk Nocturne Sateen Sheets
Matouk's Nocturne bedding is made of a luminous 600 thread count Egyptian cotton sateen that is woven in Italy. It is finished with a self-colored 1-inch tape border that frames this signature sheeting for an effect that is sophisticated, but never stuffy. Oeko-Tex certified. This is the bedding of your dreams.
The Matouk Nocturne Sateen sheets are available in 28 fashion forward colors.
Mulberry Park Silks Sheet Sets
The Mulberry Park Silks 22 momme signature silk sheet set is made of pure grade 6A Mulberry Silk. All Mulberry Park Silks products are OEKO-TEX Certified (Standard 100) to be free of chemicals and colored with environmentally friendly dyes.
22 momme sheets are available in the colors Steel Blue, Gunmetal, Ivory, Rose Quartz, Sand, Silver, White. Also available in 19 momme weight in Black, Ivory, and White and 30 momme weight in Ivory.
Peacock Alley Nile Percale Sheets
Peacock Alley’s Nile bedding is luxuriously soft right out of the package. Made of a 300 thread count 100% Egyptian cotton percale, they are cool to the touch and create an easy, sophisticated look.
The Peacock Alley Nile Percale sheets are available in White, Dusty Pink, Light Grey, Misty Blue, Pearl A queen set costs $495.
SDH Legna Classic Bedding
SDH Legna Classic sheet collection has the smooth and supple feel of silk combined with the easy-care of cotton. The fiber for this bedding comes from the wood pulp of beech trees grown in managed European forests, which are known for sustainability and environmental guidelines. Luxuriously soft Legna bedding has true and lasting beauty.
The SDH Legna Classic sheet sets are available in thirteen designer colors. A queen set costs $1086.
SFERRA Giza 45 Percale Sheets
SFERRA’s Giza 45 Percale bedding is made with the softest, smoothest and longest staple cotton grown in the fertile valley of the river Nile. Woven to the ultimate luxury and stunningly smooth finish by master craftsmen in Italy.
The SFERRA Giza 45 Percale bedding is available in White, Ivory, and Tin.
SFERRA Giza Sateen Bedding
SFERRA Giza 45 Sateen sheets are made with the softest, smoothest and longest staple cotton grown in the fertile valley of the river Nile. Woven by Italy’s master craftsmen to a stunningly smooth finish in 700 thread count.
Yves Delorme Athena Sheets
Yves Delorme's Athena bedding blends traditional elegance with new fashioned style. It is the interplay of a white background against the graphic perfection of intersecting stripes. Classic white luxury long-staple combed cotton in 500 thread count percale features bourdon-stitched borders that extend vertically and horizontally for a modern, edge-of-the horizon look.
The Yves Delorme Athena bedding has a bourdon trim in 10 color options on white sheeting. A queen set costs $760.
Yves Delorme Triomphe Bedding
Yves Delorme Triomphe bedding is a subtle, autonomous collection available in multiple colors in luxury long-staple combed cotton with a sateen finish. The 300 thread count fabric is as soft as silk and includes a simple decorative raised double, saddle stitched border.
The Yves Delorme Triomphe is a classic that stands alone and coordinates beautifully with other styles.
