Hiding one’s head under the duvet seems the most attractive leisure activity on offer at the moment as news of the economy gets grimmer and grimmer. How fortunate, then, that in duvet-land the weavers of linens and finest Egyptian cotton have been setting to and providing us with ever more enticing options. While my tastes generally run to the standard classics – white finest Egyptian cotton – there’s no denying that I start to waver when faced with some of the delectable patterns conjured up by designers as skilful as Ralph Lauren (I regularly swoon over his blue and white collection) and Tricia Guild of Designers Guild, whose sunny, uplifting palette of singing greens, blues, pinks and reds is infinitely tempting.

Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer recently upped the ante when it launched a range of bed linen within its upmarket Autograph collection. It’s come to something when a big supermarket chain now offers fine Egyptian cotton bed linen with a thread count of 400 – a sign that this has begun to matter even on the high street. Just to remind you, thread count is the number of strands in a square inch of sheeting and, generally speaking, the higher, the better (although most people think anything more than 300 per square inch is showing off). Anybody wanting to perk up their nights and enjoy a change from classical white should look at Autograph’s newest olive-green Jacquard pattern: sophisticated and gorgeous, a king-size duvet cover sells for £89, pillowcases for £19.50.

But other high-street shops are also worth investigating. I’ve long thought that one of the best aspects of House of Fraser is its linen department, and it currently has a simply gorgeous white-on-white design called Crochet Circles, combining the merit of a strict colour palette with the charms of some decorative embellishment, although its thread count is not revealed. Double duvet covers are £70, pillowcases £15, and to go with it, there’s a lovely Margaret Muir Opal white bedspread for £120 (though it seems in some circles, bedspreads are now deemed naff – and no, I don’t know why, either).

Feather & Black (01243 380600; www.featherandblack.com), which incorporates the Iron Bed Company and now sells the adjustable mattress I wrote about a little while ago, has a fine range of bed linen, too, all in pure cotton with thread counts of 200. Chester is a delightful white cloth with lace insets; you can get a double duvet cover for £70. If you’re looking for something in a more gentle, rustic mood, the company also sells an enchanting pink and blue Alexandra toile de jouy throw for £119.40.

Two names new to me have also entered the bedtime market. The Cosy Company (0870 8030190; www.thecosycompany.com) offers silk-filled duvets and pillows (this means they’re very light and drape over the body beautifully), recommending a three-tog duvet for spring and summer (from £79) and a seven-tog version for autumn and winter (from £112). The company has three ranges of classic white bed linen, all made with 100 per cent Egyptian cotton and with a thread count of 300. They come in plain, with hemstitching and double-cording, and prices vary slightly: £190 for a double duvet cover, and £120 for a double flatsheet.

JH Trousseau is a rather less expensive version of Josephine Home, a very upmarket bedding line. It offers sheets in Egyptian cotton with a 500 thread count that are rigorously white with just a single line of coloured edging. Whereas Josephine Home’s bespoke lines come at astronomical prices, JH Trousseau has a double duvet, single flatsheet and two pillowcases from £133. For snuggling up on a sofa in front of the television, the Josephine Home collection has a selection of soft-as-kittens throws. They come in finest two-ply cashmere and cost from £550, but JH Trousseau does them, just as finely made, in angora and lamb’s wool, from £150. You can get them all online at www.jhtrousseau.co.uk.

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