The Effortlessly Luxe Alternative To Synthetic Bed Sheets

When it comes to your bedding, there is nothing too good for you. Sleep is important to overall well-being, and it can affect your health if you're not getting enough. While your mattress plays a huge role in your REM and sleep patterns, it's your linens that may be keeping you from getting the best rest. Synthetic sheets can create an uncomfortable sleep space, making you too warm or collecting sweat that leaves sheets damp. Synthetics can get scratchy or wear down over time with wash cycles, pilling, or becoming threadbare and requiring replacement more often than other materials. Instead of spending money on those types of fabrics, investing in higher quality sheets like linen will give you a variety of benefits, including softer bedding, the more you wash it, and a longer life span. These materials also create a more stylish finish that feels effortless. The initial cost may be higher, but it's worth the price tag to get a good sleep and have a designer aesthetic to boot.

While it's helpful to have a list of everything you should know before you buy sheets, sometimes it comes down to personal preference. However, it's good to have some ideas of what to expect from different materials, including how they age and if they retain heat, etc. If you're wanting to upgrade your bedroom and especially your bed, linen sheets are a great start. These luxe fabrics create a high-end vibe, and while they are simple and understated, it's the quiet luxury that makes them so coveted. 

Whether you're trying to swap out your winter bedding for better options or just want something more generally breathable, linens are the ideal option for almost any bedding preference. One of the biggest benefits of swapping to linen sheets is that they generally get softer over time, becoming more buttery with every wash. Linen comes from harvesting flax plants and processing them into fabric. Initially, this can make your new bedding seem stiff and scratchy, but machine cycles help to soften the material. Because these sheets can contain pectin, which is starchy and therefore leaves linen a little more stiff, you can add vinegar to the first wash to help. Pectin is soluble, so it will dissolve with water, and any residual vinegar smell will dissipate. 

Part of the appeal of linen bed sheets is that their material is meant to make them look "slept in" while still maintaining a stylish design. Some types of linen can wrinkle more easily than others, but because of how the buttery fabric lies, this doesn't give off a messy feel. While synthetic fibers would just come across as untidy or unkempt, linens create a casual yet lived-in look. 

When shopping for linen sheets, purchasing enzyme-washed or even stonewashed versions will ensure you get that soft, buttery finish. When you get your bedding home, try the baking soda laundry hack that will help remove the starch inherent to the fabric. Baking soda is a good natural option to replace fabric softener, which you might want to avoid on linen fabrics.

Layering linen is an especially unique way to design your bedroom. Many people use solid colors from base to duvet, with a palette in various shades of the same color. Others combine and make use of different colors, like red and blue or green and blue, to create more of a statement. Rather than just using a monochromatic palette, layering allows you to bring more hues to the room, introducing dimension plus the texture that the linens provide. Because these fabrics create that stylishly used finish, you don't even really need prints or patterns.

Not only do these sheets look good, but they offer a more comfortable, breathable option that microfiber and polyester just can't give. This should help keep you cool through the night with fewer disruptions. Linen bedding can also last up to five years, possibly longer, as long as you are properly maintaining it. This exceeds the standard synthetic sheet by two or more years, so the investment does make linen worth it. Just by trying this simple sheet fabric swap, you can update your space and utilize a more eco-friendly fabric that will elevate your rooms!