When you think of home improvements you probably think of a new kitchen or a new bathroom. You may not immediately think of bed linen and bedding. However, you can completely change the look and feel of your bedroom by changing your bedding and bed linen.

At one time the most important aspect of bed linen was that it was easy-care. This was not surprising considering the amount of hard work that went into doing the household laundry. Anyone who has watched a programme about household chores in the Victorian era will be only too aware that washing the bed linen and other items could take all week. Fortunately wash-and-wear products are commonplace these days, and the consumer is now looking beyond convenience to find bedding that is more luxurious. There is also a huge range of colours and designs on offer, from brilliant white to deep purple and from stripes to flowers.

There are three things that contribute to good bed sheets; the material, the thread count and the hand. To get sheets that are cool, soft and of good quality you should choose 100 per cent cotton. Although polyester sheets are harder wearing and don’t require so much ironing, they never have the feel of high-quality cotton. The advantage of cotton is that it wicks moisture away, making the sheets comfortable. 90 per cent of the world’s cotton is American Upland cotton, but this medium fibre cotton is not suitable for bed sheets. Egyptian cotton is a long, staple variety and is better for bed linen, producing softer and more durable bed sheets. Generally speaking the higher the thread count is, the better the sheet is. For high-quality sheets you should expect a thread count of around 200. A sheet that has a high-thread count will improve with washing, increasing in softness and lustre. A poor sheet will become stiffer. The hand of a sheet refers to how it feels to the touch, which can be affected by the cotton variety, the thread count, carding and combing, the type of weave and the dying process. The weaver of the sheet is also important, Italian weavers being particularly good.

Other materials that you might choose are flannel, silk, satin and linen. You could also select a good cotton blend. Flannel is great for cold winters, and for sheer luxury satin and silk can not be surpassed. Check your sheet sizes carefully as there is no standard for bed sizes, and remember a sheet can shrink by as much as 7 per cent after the first wash. Finally, check the laundering instructions. Silk is a fabulous material, but can you afford to dry clean your sheets every week?

Improving your bedroom is a much simpler task than improving some other rooms of the house. A new kitchen or bathroom can cost a lot of money as you often have to get in experts such as plumbers and electricians to carry out the improvements. With a bedroom there is no necessity to get an expert in, although it does depend on what you want to do. For example, if you want to have fitted bedroom furniture then you may require the services of a carpenter.

Fitted bedroom furniture can have advantages, especially if your bedroom is not that large. This is because unlike traditional bedroom furniture and wardrobes, fitted bedroom furniture will utilise all of the space giving you much more storage space. Just as with any other room in the house there are many styles that you can choose from. Pine wardrobes and beds can give your bedroom a rustic feel, and you can follow through the country feel by choosing appropriate curtains and bed linens. If you want a more urban and sophisticated style, go for wardrobes with clean lines and sliding or mirror doors. Mirror doors are also a good way of making your bedroom appear to be larger than it actually is. Sliding doors are also good space savers. If your bedroom is large then you can go for darker, more dramatic colours and larger furniture, but if your bedroom is small, stick to lighter colours to create a more spacious and airy feel.

If you have an additional bedroom and you are expecting a new addition to the family, then you could turn it into a nursery. This can be done very easily. Nowadays there are plenty of wallpapers to choose from which will create a fun nursery. There are also plenty of companies that specialise in producing nursery furniture. Cots, wardrobes, a chest of drawers and changing units can all be purchased in a variety of styles from traditional Shaker to brightly coloured modern designs. If you are buying nursery furniture you should consider the practical aspects. For example, a cot bed performs the same function as a cot, but it will last 5 to 6 years because the sides can be taken off to turn it into a bed. A changing dresser is similar to a changing table, but it is sturdier and has drawers and a changing mat that fits on the top of the dresser. The most important thing to consider is safety. All furniture should be well made and should not have any sharp edges or rough areas. Also make sure that you buy furniture with the BSI Kite Mark and the European CE marking.