Selecting Bed Linen

There is nothing as luxurious as sinking down into a comfortable bed which is dressed and adorned with the finest quality linen. We are lucky to be able to get luxury linen, damask and cotton to fit most standard sizes of bed. Quality online home decor accessory stores offer all manner of bed linens and dressings, including some truly magnificent heirloom quality lace edged linens.

Maybe you are getting married and looking for high quality bed linens to go on your wedding list? Let us clarify exactly what we mean by linen. Today we use the word linen to describe textiles which are used in our homes --- such as towels, tablecloths and bedding. Modern linens are usually made of natural fiber like cotton, modal and occasionally flax.

We are all familiar with the modern poly-cotton a mixture of polyester and cotton, much beloved of our parents generation. While these synthetic blends may be easy to care for, they do not offer durability. One would probably have to buy three or four sets of synthetic mix bed sets to come anywhere close to the long life and durability offered by quality linen. And they simply do not offer the luxury feel of linen or damask.

Historically, linens were made almost completely of fiber from the flax plant (linus usitatisimum), but also from hemp or cotton, or indeed, a blend of these fibers. Flax is a good choice for bed linens because it is equally strong when wet or dry, it is highly durable, and resists rotting, especially in damp climates. Raw fiber in its un-spun state is referred to as flax. When it is spun into yarn it then is termed linen.

Perhaps you prefer the elaborate woven designs of damask? Damask is a fabric with a pattern formed by weaving. It generally refers to a linen texture enriched by weaving with designs of flowers, fruit or other kinds of ornament. These designs are woven intricately into the essence of the fabric. Damask may be made of cotton, linen or silk. Originally it referred to highly ornate silk fabrics. Sometimes, additional gold or other precious metal threads were woven into the material.

Damask was produced first in Syria, China and India. The city of Damascus was so famous for its woven cloth, that it gave the fabric its modern name.

The finest quality damask is made from the very best linen yarn. The best results are achieved when the so called double damask weaves are used. The main feature of damask is the highlights in the cloth when viewed from different angles. This is achieved by using cross weaves set at right angles; the yarn then reflects light differently according to the angle of the light and the viewer.

Now you are armed with the lowdown on selecting quality linen and damask, take some time to check out some of the finer online unique home decor stores. The money you spend on high quality bed dressings and linen will be money well invested in the long term, as they will last for many years.

About the Author:

Diane Ashe, owner of www.unusualhomeaccents.com