Unpopular Opinion: I Don’t Like Linen Sheets

Project 365, Day 187/365

Or rather, I do not like the *feel* of linen sheets. The *look* of linen sheets, that I like, but I don’t just look at a bed, I sleep in a bed and pretty and rumply and Pinteresty just doesn’t cut it for me. Am I alone here?

At some point maybe five or six years ago, linen bedding became the bedding choice for any room that would grace the Internet. Photos abounded of wrinkled, casual, skewed linen duvet covers on half-made beds. Is it inviting? Yes, of course. But like I said, it looks…nice and cozy, but listen I’m just going to say it: linen sheets are scratchy and make me really hot at night.

And before you stop me there and say “but Arlyn, they need time. The more you use them and wash them, the better they get,” I’m going to have to disagree with you. Many moons ago, I did a sheet test for an article I was working on and I was a linen sheet newb. I was so excited to get Brooklinen to send me a set of their washed linen bedding. I made up the bed with such enthusiasm, admiring the wrinkled-but-on-purpose finished product. It was like something straight out of Instagram. What more could a design editor want at the time?

Then, I slept on the sheets and immediately hated them. “These are scratchy, no?” I remember pressing Charles. He didn’t seem to mind too much. The next morning, I woke up hot, uncomfortable, drowning in slightly stretched out sheets that didn’t stay put. My whole life, I had slept on cheap 150-thread-count sheets from whatever store, so maybe I just…didn’t know. Maybe I wasn’t elevated enough to appreciate it. So I kept at it. Everyone I knew told me they needed to “patina” essentially, and wear in. Over time, they’d be soft and I’d never turn back.

I bed to differ. It’s been years, and I still hate those sheets, tbh. I’ve tried other linen sheets in the time since, as well, and I always end with the same conclusion: scratchy, hot, too much fabric everywhere. I like a tight, pristine, cool bed. I like to feel my skin moving with ease against the weaving.

You know what sheets I like? Percale. Sometimes even sateen. Crisp hotel-like bedding is where it’s at for me because it sleeps the coolest and doesn’t get all stretchy and rumbled and crumbled by just flipping over to my other side. I might be able to let a linen duvet cover slide just for the aesthetics, but underneath I’d need a percale flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillowcases.

Here’s what I look for when I’m shopping for sheets:

• 100% cotton: I do not like microfiber sheets, or cotton/polyester blends. They do not breathe as well but tend to be much lower in price hence tempting.) I’m not super precious about the threadcounts. I find above 400-500, it all just feels the same, but that’s me. You do what makes you happy.
• Percale cotton: Percale isn’t a type of cotton so much as it’s a weave of cotton for sheets. The weave is one-over, one-under and the thread count is typically over 200. This type of bedding is lightweight, crisp, cool and neat.
• Cotton sateen: This is my second pick, but it’s less breathable than the percale weave. Sateen uses a four-over, one-under weave which gives it a nice sheen and silky feeling. If you like your skin to glide against your bedding this is the weave for you.

I used to have lots of luck getting great percale, cotton sheets at places like HomeGoods and TJMaxx for less than $60 for a queen set, like these:

Left: Made In Italy 200tc Simple Hem Percale Sheet Set, King at Marshalls, $60 | Middle: Bentley Home 400tc Solid Sateen Sheet Set at Marshalls, from $35 | Right: 500tc Solid Sheet Set at Marshalls, from $40

Outside of Marshalls and Marshalls-like places, I’ve always loved Target’s performance sheets. They aren’t technically percale, but they are 100% cotton with a thread count of 400 hundred. I find them to be soft and silky but also crisp (and deep enough for a deep mattress—mine is 12 inches…actually, maybe even taller). I’ve had a set for years that I wash over and over again and they are still in good shape. They don’t pill or shrunk or fade…or at least they haven’t for me. Very good for the price with some fun colors and patterns:

400 Threadcount Printed Performance Sheet Set – Threshold at Target, from $29

Now, in terms of all those direct-to-consumer sheet brands, the only ones I’ve tried have been Parachute and Brooklinen. I REALLY like Brooklinen’s Luxe Sateen Sheets. Honestly, they are super high quality, wash like a dream and look as new as the day they crossed my threshold four or five years ago. They are silky smooth, tight, crisp and when I make my bed with these, that first slide in between the sheets feels like cool heaven. They’re pricier than Target, of course, but you can tell the difference, that’s for sure.

Luxe Core Sheet Set at Brooklinen, from $135 (they’re currently running a sale though so everything is 15% off!)

And finally, Parachute’s wonderful percale cotton sheets. Brooklinen’s sheets are admittedly softer, but Parachute’s are crisper, and if I haven’t driven home the point yet in this post, let me do it again: I love crisp sheets.

Percale Venice Set at Parachute, from $239

This set appears more expensive, but it comes with the duvet cover. If you just want to try out the sheets themselves, they sell those a la cart, as well. Parachute’s percale isn’t as sharp looking as some other brands, but in a good way. If you like the slouchiness of linen but hate the feel, these are some to definitely check out.

Alas, linen just isn’t for me. I love it on a kitchen towel, on my draperies, on a throw pillow, but steer clear of my bed, please. Unless I just haven’t tried the right linen bedding. Please guide me if you have some miraculous linen sources for bedding up your sleeve. I’d be happy to consider it…

See you tomorrow, FOAS.