I’m Convinced This Is the Best Color for Your Sheets (No, It’s Not White)

As someone who writes about bedding essentials for a living, I have a lot of opinions on pillows, sheets, mattresses — pretty much anything that makes your room cozy. But my hottest (and slightly controversial) bedroom take is also my best-kept design secret: I don’t use white sheets. I know I’m casting aside a classic bedding essential, but hear me out, okay? 

Like most design enthusiasts, I know that crisp, white sheets are gorgeous and can make any space look like a five-star hotel. But white sheets can get dirty and quickly lose their luster, whether from an ink stain from a journaling incident or a splash of coffee during a leisurely morning. You could regularly bleach your sheets to keep them crisp and clean, but that can weaken the fiber, not to mention it sounds a bit tedious. 

Instead of struggling to keep stark white sheets stain-free, I’ve recently gravitated toward a serene bluish-gray hue — and I’m convinced it’s the very best color for your bedding. Cooler tones like blue evoke calmness and serenity, making the peaceful shade perfect for the oasis that should be your bedroom. Unlike a bright blue that could read childish, or the ever-polarizing navy, gray-leaning blues offer a similar serene vibe as classic white sheets minus any major upkeep (read: your stains will be less noticeable).

You can also mix and match bluish-gray sheets more easily than the tricky undertones in all-white sheets. With the latter, sheets from one brand might not mesh with a white comforter or duvet from another. In my experience, your space can appear unkempt if you layer your mattress with multiple white bedding sets that don’t exactly match. With blue-gray sheets, however, pairing a duvet cover from one brand with a flat sheet from another will add an inviting depth to your bedroom. 

Of course, I’m not the only one who’s a big believer in blue-gray sheets: From Parachute’s newly released Spa colorway to Riley’s signature silver shade, more bedding brands are adding this color to their offerings — and for good reason. “We love the softness that our silver brings to sheets,” says Nahoum Houri, head of product development at Riley. “It still feels very serene and calming as more traditional sheeting colors like white or cream, but it has a subtle hint of added elegance that elevates the bedroom beautifully.” 

If you want to break away from all-white bedding, keep scrolling for a few favorites worth adding to your cart (and bedroom).