Great bedding is a luxury in life. Sleep is so essential for our mental and physical health. Creating a space where you love to lay down at night practically guarantees a productive morning...and a lot of that comes down to impeccable bedding selection.
Top Considerations for Murphy Bedding Selection
Choosing bedding is most often associated with thread count, which while important, is not the “end all, be all” of selecting the right sheets. Don’t settle for ho-hum bedding. In this article, we’ll discuss how to choose the right sheets for your Murphy bed or any other bed frame.
Thread Count
Thread count is what likely comes to mind when you’re considering bedding. In a marketplace of products that look very similar, thread count helps differentiate between what’s available on store shelves.
Thread count is a measure of how many threads are woven into one square inch of fabric. The yarn is woven in a crisscross pattern, with the vertical strands being referred to as warp weave, and the horizontal pieces are called weft weave, as explained by Sleep Advisor. The total thread count number is calculated by adding up the warp and weft yarns.
Does higher thread count mean higher quality?
Contrary to popular belief, higher thread count doesn’t necessarily translate to higher quality. Sheets that have a range between 200 and 400 are generally the best — though there are sheets with thread counts into the thousands.
According to Sleep Advisor, anything less than 200 will feel similar to itchy sandpaper, while anything higher will have a much steeper price tag with no real added benefits. It is important to note that some bedding manufacturers inflate thread count numbers, but there is an easy way to spot this tactic.
“In theory, the higher the thread count, the tighter the weave, resulting in a more durable and longer-lasting product," said Beth Arrowood, the creative director at textile company NIBA Collections. “However, it must be noted that some manufacturers use ply to artificially inflate the thread count.”
The ply is the number of threads wound together in a single thread. A good rule of thumb is to look for the highest thread count number you can get from a single-ply rather than the highest thread count overall.
“Most high-quality bed linens are made with single ply, but in some cases, manufacturers will use two-ply to double the numbers and increase the thread count,” she explained.
(Learn more about double Murphy beds next)
Fabric Considerations
Thread count is important, but it’s not the only factor to consider. Some fabrics may suit your preferences better than others. Microfiber and cotton are the most common fabrics used for sheets.
Microfiber sheets are comprised of extremely fine polyester fibers. These sheets aren’t made from old-school itchy polyester fabric. Today’s microfiber sheets are soft, affordable, and resist pilling — or bunching — associated with traditional polyester. However, polyester is less breathable than cotton jersey. It’s probably not the best choice for those with sensitive skin, according to the experts at HGTV.
Cotton jersey sheets are also reasonably priced and are often likened to sleeping on a soft, worn-in t-shirt. Jersey cotton sheets are knit rather than woven, making them very breathable, stretchy, and sometimes a bit clingy.
Another option is woven cotton sheets, which have a cool, crisp quality. For example, if you like to flip your pillows to the cool side all night long? Then you're better off looking at an inexpensive cotton percale, the HGTV pros noted.
Flannel is another popular choice, especially during cold months. Flannel is soft, warm, and cozy, except the material tends to pil and can be on the bulky side.
(Does a Murphy bed require wall mounting? Visit this post next to find out)
Choosing Sheets for a Murphy Bed
The good news is that you don’t need special sheets or bedding to accommodate a Murphy bed. All the bedding basics discussed above will serve you well no matter what type of mattress you sleep on at night.
Standard bedding and sheet sizes, like twin, queen, and king, usually fit Murphy beds. However, let's say you have an extra-deep bed frame or high mattress. Then, you might consider buying sheets one size larger than your mattress.
For example, king-size sheets for a queen-size mattress so that you can tuck the fabric fully under the mattress, according to the bedding experts at Mattress Nut. Most of the time, you will not need to do this with standard Murphy beds. This includes the Lori Bed!
Additional bedding selection considerations
Keep in mind that you’ll want to make sure that all the bedding and pillows aren’t too bulky, so they fit into the wall bed cabinet when it’s in the upright position. Each Murphy bed cabinet can accommodate a specific maximum thickness for both your mattress and bedding.
Keep in mind that if you’ll be storing linens and possibly pillows, it may increase the thickness of your mattress by an inch or two. The Lori Bed can accommodate any mattress that is 12 inches tall (a relatively thick mattress) or less.
If you prefer fuller fabrics, pillows, or comforters, consider storing the bedding on the shelves or hanging rods on the front-facing cabinet when the bed is in an upright position. If you choose to remove fluffier bedding, you should still keep the fitted sheet on to protect your mattress from dust particles.
Bedding selection for your Murphy bed — and any other mattress — all comes down to what makes you feel the most comfortable. Finding the sheets that feel good to the touch will help you get the restful night’s sleep you deserve.
Did you learn a lot from this post about bedding selection?
Here are two more posts to read next:
This post was first published in 2021. It was updated in 2022 just for you.
