Since 1995, Victoria’s Heirloom Linens has been adorning customers’ homes with quality linens that stand the test of time.
Family-owned and operated, the original owner’s daughter Kristen Stannix purchased the business from her parents in 2023, continuing their tradition of helping customers craft creative and comfortable spaces that send them into a state of blissful slumber.
Now, Stannix is sharing her family’s most simple yet best-kept secret for developing the ideal conditions for drifting off to dreamland…Selecting the right sheets!
Below are her top tips for this basic yet brutally important foundation to take you from up all night to out like a light.
Don’t skimp on quality
Although Stannix says it’s common for consumers to gravitate towards fast fashion for both clothing and home décor, she submits that quality sheets can make all of the difference for your amount and quality of shut-eye.
“You spend one-third of your life in bed,” she explains. “If you’re too hot, you’re going to be waking up and flipping the covers on and off at night. They’re not just a luxury.”
Know your mattress dimensions
“Many customers who come into our shop don’t know the depth of their mattress,” Stannix describes.
When shopping for sheets, she recommends adding three to four inches to the depth for cotton sheets, four inches for flannel or bamboo sheets and one to two inches for polyester, polyester blends or microfibre sheets. This will allow your sheets to snugly stay on the bed and not pop off when you roll over.
Forget what you think you know about thread count
There’s a common misconception that higher thread count translates to higher quality. However, Stannix claims this is far from the truth.
Thread count represents the number of threads in one square inch per fabric. In this way, a lower thread count can actually be great for the summer months when you want more breathable sheets. And the myth that higher thread count means a sheet will be softer isn’t true either. Several factors can impact a sheet’s softness, such as its weave and material.
Understand a sheet’s weave
While thread count is often promoted on packaging materials, it’s a sheet’s weave that will more greatly impact how a sheet feels. The two most common weaves are percale, which is a tight weave that feels crisp and cool, and sateen, a looser weave that feels silky and smooth.
“Percale is very durable,” Stannix explains. “I’ve had customers who’ve had our percale weave sheets for 15 years. They tend to be cooler and crisp sheets and they’re good for people who are sweating a lot at night.”
Then, there’s sateen, which tends to feel softer.
“You can have higher thread counts with a sateen weave and tends to give it a smoother feel,” Stannix continues. “Sateen tends to be less durable than percale, and less breathable because they’re a higher thread count.”
Build a sheet wardrobe
In cooler months, opt for higher thread count sheets with a sateen weave. Come spring, switch over to cotton sheets in the more breathable percale weave option.
Building a seasonal sheet collection isn’t just great for comfort, it also means less wear and tear. “If you’re sleeping in your sheets 365 days a year, they’re not going to last as long as they would if you were rotating through multiple sheets,” Stannix explains.
Ready to shop? Visit Heirloom Linens in-store at 777 Royal Oak Drive in Victoria or browse online at heirloomlinens.com.
