How can you help ensure guests get a good night’s sleep? Clair Minto shares her tips for choosing luxury bed linens and how to make sure the sheets stay stylish.
When the guests step on board and into their cabin, the bed is the first thing they notice and often the focal point of the whole room, so it’s extra important for it to look great!
Some yachts still use day covers onboard, but this is becoming less and less common and a more popular approach is that the bed will just be made with beautiful bedding and some decorative accents such as throws and cushions. But how do we choose the sheets that are going to be look great, last well and feel like a dream to sleep in?
The first thing to consider is the material. Linen is perhaps the most luxurious for bed sheets, but it tends to be heavy, taking up more storage room and creases very easily making it impractical for yachts.
Egyptian cotton is a safe choice and there are two main cotton fabric types. Percale and sateen, both are long staple cotton fibres with the main difference between them being weave type. Percale cotton weave consists of one thread under and one thread over. This results in a flatter look and a crisper feel. Although Percale does soften with each wash it will always retain that crisp texture. It is highly breathable so great for warm climates and ‘hot sleepers’, however that texture makes it a little more difficult to iron.
Sateen is woven with one under and three over, making the material a little thicker and softer with a slight sheen or lustre. This material is more wrinkle resistant and so a little easier to iron and keep looking great. It is a little warmer so great for people that like to have a cosier feel.
Another lesser seen option is silk bedding. As silk is a natural fibre it is a great material to regulate body temperature, it is also naturally hypoallergenic, it causes less friction than cotton and if you have a silk pillowcase you already know the benefits on your skin and hair. However, the washing and care of silk can be a little more labour intensive, which is a big consideration in a small laundry space
Next is thread count. Thread count is the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch. A higher thread count will result in a softer and more durable fabric. The sweet spot for guest linens is usually 600 -1000.
You may also see or hear the term ply in relation to linens. Ply refers to the number of strands wrapped together to make a thread. Single thread will appear more sheer and lighter, whereas double ply will produce a stronger and more luxurious fabric.
With all this in mind, the decision comes down to the practical aspects, how heavily the sheets will be used on board, whether there is time and space to dedicate to ironing and, of course, if the owner has a certain preference.
Another consideration to think about when looking at new bedding is style. What is the décor of the cabin, do you need something classic or modern? The most popular colour by far is pure white, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring! There are lots of different options to consider. Accent colours with embroidered lines or patterns, customisation with the boat logo or another detail from the interior that can be brought into the design of the bedding.
Also, think about what kind of fastenings will work best. Poppers and buttons don’t mix well with roller irons, so you may want to select a flap opening if thats the case.
Another Important thing to take into account is how many sets you will need; this will depend on your laundry capacity and storage space. It’s recommended to have three sets per cabin as a minimum, one for the bed, one in the laundry and one spare!
