If you haven’t noticed, we’re big fans of Pottery Barn here at AT. They’re one of our favorite online sources for small space furniture, and we’ve even tested their sofas, rugs, and bed frames. And while I’m very familiar with all the decor they have in store, I have to admit that I don’t know much about their bedding and bathroom collections. In fact, Pottery Barn was never among the places that came to mind when I thought about buying new sheets or towels. So when I had the opportunity to test out the Pottery Barn 400 Thread Count Organic Percale Sheet Set, I jumped at the chance. You never know how good a sheet is until you try it yourself, and after almost two months of using these sheets, I can tell you this: They are a sleeper hit!
Design features that stand out
Pottery Barn’s 400-thread count organic percale set is available in five sizes and has a a simple design that is sharp and clean at the same time. I tested the Queen set, which comes with a flat sheet, a fitted sheet and two pillowcases. Crafted from 100% organic cotton percaleleaves have a Thread count 400 (optimum percale thread count range is 200 to 500) which gives them a polished hotel-quality feel. Each set is available in five soothing shades: White (my preference), Classic ivory, gray mist, pearl blue and navy.
When I first took the Pottery Barn 400 Thread-Count Organic Percale Sheet Set out of its packaging, I could immediately feel the quality—literally. Rubbing the top sheet between my fingers, I could tell they were durable and built to last. While the brushed cotton sheet wasn’t super soft, it wasn’t rough or scratchy either. Pottery Barn recommends pre-washing the bedding before first use, so I did that. Taking them out of the dryer, I didn’t notice any real difference in the feel of the fabric, but the real test of how comfortable they were came later, when I put them on the bed.
Slipping between the sheets, my initial reaction was that they felt very luxurious. They were smooth, crisp, cool and firm, similar to sheets in nicer hotels I’ve stayed in and similar to sheets from more expensive brands I’ve tested. Lying on them was almost a treat, and needless to say I slept very well that night.
The sheets impressed me even more as the weeks went by. True to Pottery Barn’s claim, they started to feel softer after each wash and were so comfortable that I practically had to force myself out of bed every morning. But what really blew me away was how well they regulated my body temperature, despite fluctuating external factors. During the first few weeks I slept on them, New York City was experiencing major winter weather changes, with some spring-like days followed by arctic blasts. Since my building controls the heat in my apartment, the temperature in my studio was also all over the place – when Jack Frost wasn’t biting my nose, I felt like I was living on the surface of the sun. Through it all, I’ve slept comfortably using only 400-thread-count organic percale sheets and an all-season comforter, and I’ve never woken up feeling too cold or too hot.
You should definitely wash the sheets before the first use to help break them in and start the softening process. Although they are comfortable right out of the box, you will notice that after the second wash, and even more so, they started to feel softer. Another thing to note is that although the sheets are crisp, they look quite wrinkled straight out of the dryer, so expect some creases when you put them on the bed.