Thread counts and where to buy great bedding

[flugelhorn811]

Hello!

I'm looking for the perfect bedding. I really like the look of John Lewis 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton bedding, but it's expensive.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an alternative? And is it worth splashing out on a high thread count?

I want a crisp, hotel feel rather than soft and silky.

Thanks!

I got some lovely bedding direct from the Centre Parcs supplier about 8 years ago and it was perfect - crisp hotel feel that can be boiled and a fantastic price. Went back to get more and they wont sell to the public any more. Interested to see if anyone has good source for white hotel type bedding.

Ooh yes that sounds like exactly what I'm after! I hope someone has the answer...

Tielle love luxury supply the Dorchester hotel and a few others and are more reasonable than my favourite bedding shop - The white Company.

Also try Soak and Sleep.

The full set of bedding I got was the price of a pillowcase at somewhere like Tielle. Annoying that centre parcs don't sell it as you can buy their matresses. If anyone does know how to buy centre parcs bedding I would be very grateful. I got 3 sets but am on my last set now.

Tk maxx and homesense, loads of high end brands and products at great prices.

There was some very tempting bed linen on brand alley recently. Might be worth a look to see if there's anything left.

Agree with TKMaxx.

They also sell deeper fitted sheets that are hard to find anywhere else.

@flugelhorn811 Kirsty Allsop apparently swears by Matalan high thread count bedlinen. Well certainly did for her Devon , renting out doer upper. We don't have one near us but might be worth a go if you do - can't swear to it - just a suggestion

TK Maxx can be great, I've had good luck there buying for single or kingsize beds but never had any luck trying to buy for a superking.

I recently bought 600tc from King of Cotton (www.kingofcotton.com/product.php/484/600_thread_egyptian_cotton_sateen_triple_pin_tuck_bed_linen) and it's fabulous. The difference the extra tc makes (had a mix of 300, 400 & 500 before) - and it being single ply - is amazing. I wouldn't now buy higher TC unless I had someone who was going to do to my washing & ironing for me!

The bedding I bought is sateen but it's noticeably thicker and less soft & shiny than, say Hotel Brand (House of Fraser) or John Lewis sateen - I think that's down to it being single ply cotton as well as higher tc. Lovely to sleep in - even my husband noticed & commented, and that's saying something. If you really want very crisp, you'd need to look for a percale weave.

I'd certainly recommend KoC, they often have sales/special offers and I'm very happy with the quality.

Thanks all! I've also had mixed experiences at TK Maxx. I've bought really lovely pillowcases and towels from there but the latest duvet set I bought was a bit flimsy. I've seen one on Dunelm that looks good, and is still over £100 but quite a bit cheaper than John Lewis! Thanks for all the tips - some really good ideas.

Not a recommendation, more a stay away from suggestion-Orla Keily. I've bought three sets (at the same time, otherwise I wouldn't have bought more than one!) and the king size doesn't fit properly. I even bought a new expensive duvet because I thought it was my crappy duvet that was the problem. Nope. And the singles that I bought have washed weirdly so that the pillowcase are a different colour now to the duvet covers.

Percale is what I go for nowadays and they was beautifully. And fit. Habitat bedding is continental sizes so beware of that one too!

Thanks! I bought some Orla Kiely pillowcases years ago and was really unimpressed with how they washed. Good tip about Habitat! We actually have some continental pillows so that's useful to know.

My Soak and Sleep silk duvet covers have torn so I've had to sew them.
I can't afford new ones.
My own fault, I suppose, as I washed them at 40 degrees. But I felt 30 degrees wasn't hot enough to clean properly.

I bought 2 lots of bedding from myza and I cannot recommend enough! - www.myza.co/shop/bedroom/bed-linen They sell a range of thread counts, I think the highest they do is 600 so worth a look :)