Bed linen
The layer between you and the bed you have invested in. Choose natural cotton or pure linen, woven in Europe and tailored to fit, and a good bed becomes a great one.
You can make a poor bed feel better with great linen, and you can make the best bed feel ordinary with poor linen. So we treat what goes on the bed as part of the bed, not an afterthought.
Woven in Europe, tailored to fit
Our bed linen is the Marshall & Stewart collection, woven by Martinelli Ginetto, one of Europe's finest mills for cotton and linen, and tailored by the Italian atelier Lara. Lara has cut and finished linen this way for decades, which is why it fits a luxury bed properly rather than approximately.
The most common mistake we see is someone choosing a beautiful natural-fibre bed, then dressing it in poly-cotton that traps heat and undoes the work. Good natural cotton and linen breathe, regulate temperature, and soften beautifully over years of washing.
Percale, sateen or pure linen
The same long-staple cotton yarn can be woven two different ways, and pure linen gives a third character again. There is no better or worse here. It is personal taste, which is exactly why it helps to feel all three in person.
Percale
A crisp, cool, matte weave, one thread over and one under. If you sleep hot or love that fresh, tailored hotel feel, this is the one.
Sateen
A softer, silkier, more lustrous weave with a heavier drape, three threads over and one under. It sleeps a touch warmer and feels more indulgent.
Pure linen
Woven from flax, naturally breathable and cooling, and softer with every wash. The ultimate summer sheet for anyone who runs warm.
Thread count, honestly
We offer 200 to 1,000, but higher is not automatically better. Around 400 to 600 in good cotton breathes well and sleeps beautifully for most people. We guide you to the right balance for your climate and comfort.
Made for your bed, not off a shelf
- Choose Egyptian long-staple cotton or pure linen. The longer fibres mean fewer joins in the thread, so the fabric is smoother, stronger and softer against the skin.
- Fitted sheets are tailored to the true depth of your mattress, up to 50cm, rather than the standard 28cm that never quite fits a luxury bed. No struggling with corners or gaping sides.
- Pillowcases in Housewife for understated elegance or Oxford for a decorative flange.
- Finishes made to order: hemstitch, double cording, ribbon insert, plains, stripes and jacquards, with bespoke colours through Martinelli Ginetto's digital fabric programme.
- Real cotton and linen start slightly stiff and soften over the first few washes. If a sheet feels perfect straight from the packet, it has usually been chemically treated.
Why it matters
Better sleep
Breathable natural fabrics regulate temperature, keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter.
A fresher bed
Quality cotton and linen absorb moisture, helping the bed stay fresh and hygienic night after night.
Longevity
Strong fibres and expert weaving mean the linen lasts, softening beautifully with age rather than wearing out.
The look of the bed
Linen is what you see and feel every night. It completes the elegance of the room and the pleasure of the bed.
Looking after it
Wash at 30°C with a mild detergent and skip fabric softener, which coats the fibres and reduces breathability. Line dry where you can to preserve the fibres, and rotate two sets to spread the wear. Cared for this way, good linen lasts for years and only gets better with age. It is a fabric that rewards patience.
What we'd steer you away from
The same honest advice we give in the showroom. These are the linen mistakes we see most often.
Chasing a huge thread count
Very high counts feel impressive in the hand but trap heat. For most people, 400 to 600 in good cotton sleeps far better.
Poly-cotton on a natural bed
If you have invested in a breathable, natural-fibre bed, man-made sheets trap heat and undo the work you paid for.
Fabric softener
It coats the fibres, reduces breathability and shortens the life of the sheet. A mild detergent is all good linen needs.
Sheets that never fit
A standard 28cm fitted sheet pings off a deep luxury mattress. Tailored to the true depth, it stays put all night.
Feel percale and sateen side by side
The only way to choose linen is to feel it. Come in, tell us how you sleep, and we will help you find the weave, fibre and finish that suit you.
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