At London & Avalon, we love spending time in bed. And after the Christmas and New Year celebrations, it's especially hard to get up and motivated. But we've always found that a New Year spruce of our bedroom gives us the spring in our step we need to plough into the Year ahead. Here are our trusted trade secrets to help you create the perfect bed:
- Choose good quality bed linen: Bed linen made from finely woven long staple 100% Egyptian cotton fibres, with meticulous stitching, and an understated and elegant design will ensure you have long lasting, fabulous bed linen. Don't get hung up on thread counts, they are mostly a marketing myth and a waste of your money. Some companies falsely elevate their thread counts by using short fibres tied and twisted together. This will just give you bobbly sheets after a few uses. The highest thread count you can get from single long staple fibres is 300! So, instead, look for high quality cotton. Our best-selling 300 thread count Island Bed Linen Collection is made using a Percale weave, which means it is wonderfully cool and crisp, and just gets better over time as the fabric tends to mesh together. Alternatively, our Heritage Bed Linen Collection made using a Sateen weave gives a soft, silky and super luxurious feel. All of our fabrics are woven especially for us, so the unique feel of all of our London & Avalon bed linen makes sliding between the sheets irresistible, for years to come.
- Launder and store it properly: There is nothing like the feel of freshly laundered fine cotton on the skin and good quality linen should last a long time and also improve with age, so it is worth taking care of. Wash at the lowest temperature (40-60 degrees) without filling the drum too tightly as water must be able to circulate to ensure a thorough wash. Always iron sheets while they are still slightly damp for an easy glide and a perfect finish. Make sure to store neatly - ideally in a separate linen cupboard or drawer, perhaps adding a favourite scent to infuse the linen. The result will be impeccable, freshly scented linen, which should make it a treat to get into bed every night.
- Design your perfect comfort zone: What is your ideal comfort zone? Soft and fluffy pillows or something with more support for your neck? Do you read or watch TV in bed and need a more supportive square pillow? How do you want your bedscape to look? Soho House style with 3 squares at the back and regular pillows in front or a paired down 2 pillow situation? Once you have given these questions some thought, you can get to work and design your perfect haven (or call us and we'll do it for you!). And remember, without the right mattress and pillows that are right for you, you can't fully appreciate excellent bed linen - you don’t want to feel big clumps in your pillows or sleep on a lumpy mattress, it would simply be a waste of a great opportunity to finally enjoy the rest that you deserve. A mattress topper is fabulous way of quickly updating your mattress if you're not able to replace it right now. With many different fills and depths to choose from, you can really go to town here.
- Don’t hold back: Your bed is your ultimate private space. Do you prefer to sleep in a cold room, but under a warm duvet? Do you welcome the reassuring weight of a heavy blanket, or do you insist on the lightest and fluffiest 100% Duck Down Duvet? Do you dream of a Princess and the Pea style bed, or a hard, totally flat mattress? Is a high, super size emperor bed more your style? Or do you feel happier in a double bed tucked up against a wall? Whatever your preference, when it comes to bedding, it's an all or nothing situation and it is worth getting it right. Focus on your bedroom being your perfect space, whether you prefer it to be cool or warm, with soft lighting and fresh flowers, with your favourite books and the best art in the house. Or zen-like, unfussy, pure and peaceful. This doesn't mean that you can't do it all on a budget, but it does mean that you have to pay attention to what you are using and how you are setting up your bed. We can help with all your requirements, for all budgets. It's what we do!