I Called the Baccarat Hotel to Ask What Sheets They Use
The reality check I got from being ghosted by an Italian textile mill
I once stayed at the Baccarat Hotel in New York. Nearly 2.5 years later, the one thing I can’t stop thinking about is the sheets. Not afternoon tea in the Grand Salon. Not the crystal. Not the service. The sheets.
The sheets left an impression on me long after I checked out so much so that I called the hotel about a week later to ask them who made them. “Somma 1867,” said the woman on the phone who seemed accustomed to providing guests with that answer.
Something about how matter-of-fact she was and how easily I was able to gather this intel made me feel like I would be swimming in my own version of the Baccarat Hotel bed in no time.
I fired up a Chrome tab only to discover that I didn’t actually know which sheets I was looking for and that none of the dimensions on Somma 1867’s website matched my mattress size.
I emailed Somma 1867. No response. I emailed again and still nothing. This sent me into an obsessive spiral. I needed these sheets. In my mind, they had somehow become the missing piece. I started down a rabbit hole researching bedding brand after bedding brand all while remaining hopeful that Somma 1867 would get back to me. I searched for Somma 1867 distributors, called the Baccarat hotel back to see if they could sell me sheets, and tried keyword after keyword, only to come up empty-handed.
It was time to pivot. I got a set of sheets at the Frette outlet and I remember feeling so chic and mature. If I couldn’t have the Somma 1867 set I dreamed of/in, then a brand as renowned as Frette would be an excellent consolation prize. There’s just something about making your bed with a fresh set of fancy sheets that slaps so hard. That euphoric feeling lasts all of about 30 seconds though if your bedroom isn’t a luxury hotel suite.
I suddenly realized what my brain was up to in trying to recreate that restful night of sleep. I thought I could simply buy my way back into a memory.
But the thing is my bedroom already had blackout shades, a great mattress, crisp AC and a beautiful silk quilt I scored at the Frette outlet (10/10), but my bedroom was never going to be the Baccarat Hotel because the Baccarat Hotel doesn’t have a dishwasher I need to unload or a pile of laundry I need to put away(!!!).
We experience luxury as though it’s the result of a single extraordinary object when it’s almost always the accumulation of dozens of very thoughtful decisions.
Yes, of course the sheets mattered. But so did the fact that someone else made the bed, that the hotel had a signature scent, that this was one of the last trips my husband and I took before our baby arrived, that I felt energized after hanging out with friends I hadn’t seen in a long time in one of my favorite cities in the whole wide world.
The moment I managed my own expectations I was able to realize that importing sheets from Italy wasn’t going to be the life-changing purchase I expected. Note to self and anyone else who obsesses over homewares thinking fancy textiles will turn you into a new person: luxury isn’t one perfect thing, it’s a bunch of tiny things working together.
Looking back, it’s actually pretty funny that I believed the answer to better sleep was hidden inside a textile mill in Como that continues to ghost me.
In the meantime, here’s where I landed in the sleep department. Flagging that my only real test for whether something is worth it is whether I’ve stopped noticing (obsessing over) it.
Frette Sheets and Aeptom Sheets
While the search continues for the perfect sheets, I’m currently alternating between Frette and Aeptom.
Both brands are good, not great, and leave me wanting more.
The Frette are 100% cotton, beautiful and feel luxe. They are sateen, which sleeps warmer than I want in Miami, and they started pilling after a few washes (despite using my washer and dryer’s delicate setting). I don’t remember the exact amount I paid at the outlet, but it was somewhere around a quarter of the retail price, which is why I highly recommend checking out the outlet before purchasing full-price.
The Aeptom are 100% Viscose derived from FSC-certified Organic Bamboo. They’re cold to the touch almost to the point they feel damp (in a crisp, good way), but are a bit too slippery for my taste. If you like your quilt and sheets to stay aligned and employ any form of a hospital tuck to your bed making, these are unlikely the sheets for you.
From my research I learned that Somma 1867 is a 150-year-old manufacturer based in the Lake Como region of Italy. It originally started out as a wool mill before it started making the most perfect sheets known to womankind. In addition to its consumer site, it has a separate line called “La Suite” where custom products are made for hotels, yachts, spas, etc. My best guess is the sheets I slept on were made bespoke for the Baccarat. Probably the most useful thing I learned is that Somma 1867 markets its cotton percale on being cool, light and breathable, which is exactly what I’m currently missing. What clearly matters more than the brand is the weave.
Still on my list to try (percale obviously):
Somma 1867 ;(
Sferra
Matouk
Anything I’m missing?
Purple Plus vs. Saatva Classic
We upgraded our Queen Purple Plus to a King Saatva Classic mattress and never looked back. The Purple was great, but as someone who sleeps on both my stomach and side, I realized I prefer a mattress with a little less give. I never think about it anymore, which now that I think about it may be the highest compliment I can give.
Blackout Shades
The automatic ones in our bedroom came with our house and I can’t believe I ever lived my life without them. Six months ago we had them installed in my daughter’s room. They cost ~$5K for two big floor-to-ceiling windows (we live in Miami, in case that’s helpful context). They were another purchase I stopped noticing immediately—well, until one of the new ones started squeaking. We’re invoking warranty rights, so I’ll share the brand once that gets resolved.
Byredo Tree House Room Spray
On days where I’m feeling a bit extra, I’ll give my sheets a spritz of Byredo’s Tree House room spray. The Baccarat Hotel has its signature scent and my bedroom has this one.
The purchases that work disappear. The ones that don’t get a Substack written about them. Somma 1867, if you’re reading this, check your email!