With the weather changing from 30 to 70 degrees and back again, you may find yourself tossing the covers on and off when you lay in bed, so it may be time to switch up the sheets. We spoke to Steve Coval, the owner of Cristions in Birmingham, to get the lay of the land when it comes to bedding.
Let’s start at the beginning with the material. The most common types of sheets, according to Coval are cotton. Cotton comes in two main weaves; percale, which offers a crisp clean feeling and is a bit more durable; and sateen, which feels buttery soft. Other options for material include linen, known for its durability, and modal which is made out of tree fibers and very wrinkle-resistant. There are others, like silk, or flanel, but those are the major options when it comes to bedding.
So, what type of sheets should you use if your a warm sleeper, or just want to switch it up for summer? According to Coval, linen and modal are the better options because they both have wicking properties. If you want to stick with cotton, however, then a precale cotton is the better option.
Coval also said that while you should change up the sheets, you should also look at the top of the bed. Down comforters are great at holding in heat, so in the summer it might be best to switch to coverlets, these come in a variety of thicknesses and warmth levels, but are overall thinner than a comforter. You can also pair a coverlet with a cotton blanket if you want to ramp up the warmth on an extra cold night, but don’t want to get out the warmer down comforter.
Now, when picking out your new pair of sheets, you might be wondering, what is the sign of a higher quality sheet? Well, Coval says do NOT look to thread count. This is one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to bedding, according to Coval. Instead, you want to look at the quality of the material itself. Cotton comes in several grades and lengths, the longer, stronger fibers are going to be your higher-quality materials. You should be able to feel the difference in a higher quality sheet.
For more great advice on bedding, Coval has a lot of videos on his website, Vero Linens, including how to care for your sheets.
Cristions is located at 205 N. Old Woodward Avenue in Birmingham.