Brides get your wish lists ready, Frette, the Italian maker of high-quality linens, has created a wedding registry which recently launched both online and in stores. Now affianced couples can select from linens, home accessories, Frette to Wear for men and women, bath and the Essentials Collection. Upon registration the bride and groom will receive their own personalized his and hers embroidered Frette100% Egyptian cotton terry robes. For every $5,000 worth of purchases off your registry you will receive a $500 gift card. After one year, Frette will offer a one time savings of 10 percent on the remaining items in your registry.

Last month I attended the FRETTE Beverly Hills Designer Event on Rodeo Drive checking out bedrooms designed by Barbara Lazaroff, Mark Cutler and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard Furniture (a few pictures in the gallery below). As a parting gift, Frette was handing out a set of linen napkins (shown after the jump). One commenter chosen at random will receive the napkins, just leave me a note with your tip for an elegant table.

Now that Memorial Day has passed, and it's unofficially, officially summer, it's time to think about switching bed linens from winter coziness to summer crispness. If you're going to freshen your linen closet, the folks that make the fine linens at SFERRA have a message for you: stop obsessing about thread count.

Most of us use thread count -- that is, the number of threads per square inch of fabric -- as a proxy for quality. And it is definitely important -- just go to any good linen department and give the samples of different thread count a good stroke and scrunch. But it's not the only thing that matters, nor is it what matters most: the quality of the fiber matters more. (You could have a sheet of densely woven straw, for example, and you wouldn't want to sleep on it.) Egyptian cotton is most used in luxury linens because it produces a long fiber, or staple, which means it's easier to spin into smooth, fine yarn.

After that, the weave that's used influences the feel of the sheet. For summer consider linen, a loose weave of long flax fibers, like SFERRA's Classico line fitted queen sheet for $210, king flat sheet for $315. Or go with percale, a tight uniform cotton weave that results in a matte look and a smooth, crisp feel. For example, pictured here is SFERRA's Sereno line, fitted queen sheet for $410, king duvet for $1,080. But okay, just because you're not obsessing about thread count doesn't mean you have to forget it entirely: the Sereno line has a very luxey thread count of 800.

Learn more about SFERRA's "Lose Count" campaign by friending the company on Facebook.

Luxury linens company Frette is offering the chance to win a luxurious escape to Italy for a break from recessionary ennui. Frette chose the ultra-luxe Mezzatorre Resort & Spa (above), perched on a bluff above the sea on the island of Ischia off the Amalfi Coast for the getaway (of course they use Frette linens). Grand Prize is a trip for two to Ischia including seven days complimentary stay at the Mezzatorre Resort, including business class airfare for two. Second Prize is a free bedroom makeover by Frette Creative Director Scott Formby, including a complete set of Frette linens. Third Prize is a Frette Essentials bed set and duvet cover.

Anyone in the U.S. can enter via www.frette.com or at the Frette stores located in New York, Beverly Hills, Boston, Manhasset, Chicago, Aspen, South Coast Plaza, and Palo Alto. No purchase is necessary and there are no tricky questions. Deadline for entries is July 15th. The winners will be chosen through a drawing at Frette's U.S. headquarters in New York. Founded in 1860 and based in Milan, Frette blends Italian craftsmanship and contemporary design to create elegant and luxurious collections for the home, bath and body. Frette has provided linens to royalty, the Vatican and the world's most prestigious trains and ocean liners including the Orient Express and the Titanic.

Even the most formal of brands have to relax once and a while. Frette, purveyor of elegant and expensive linens, has come out with a new more relaxed line targeted at the younger, aspirational customer with a lower price point (components for a standard bed are in the $400-$450 range). The collection is named Edmond after Edmond Frette, the company founder and it ranges from sheets and pillows to throws and blankets made of fine merino wool and cashmere. The new sub-brand pays homage to Italian style with black and white geometrics and exotic animal prints. The brand will be sold at the Edmond Frette shop in London and at all 10 Frette boutiques in the United States this fall.

As I was browsing a home magazine I was stopped by an ad for Sherle Wagner doorknobs, I mean, "hardware." They were so beautiful, I wanted to know more. So now I share ... Sherle Wagner International, headquartered in NYC but with eight U.S. showrooms and one in Kuwait, offers a number of home accessories in these categories: finishes, stones and patterns; bath fittings; bath fixtures; accessories; hardware; lighting; furniture; textiles; linens; and wall coverings. All Sherle Wagner products are originals, made by the company from the design inception stage to completion. The company uses "old world artisans and timeless techniques, so that every piece is a true original." And the staff is experienced in working with architects, designers and clients on projects of any scale. If you browse the catalog, be sure to check out all the categories on the lefthand nav bar; there was much more on the site than I noticed the first time around. No prices, however, but I'm going to guess on the high end.

Frette's holiday collection is always something special. In 2006, we had Sophia, a line inspired by ancient brocades and damasks used by royal dynasties across Europe. In 2007, we experienced Helena, a golden set inspired by Helen of Troy. This year the inspiration was 17th Century Swedish Queen Christina and her stirring portrayal by Greta Garbo in the 1933 film. The dramatic collection rendered in rich reds with a tapestry look consists of just 64 numbered sets in an ebony box containing a duvet, two Euro shams and two pillows. The retail price is $6,000.

The rest of the holiday collection includes mink slippers, a mink throw, wool blankets, cashmere scarves and a few selected high-end pieces of loungewear. The collection will be on display in Frette windows in November but you can catch a sneak peek in the gallery below.

[via Home Textiles Today]

Cittadini, founded 18 years ago, specializes in high-end, luxury linens. Made in the region of Florence, Italy, the styles are detailed and feature much embroidery. You can order custom bed or table linens, as well as towels. Select from 10 flange styles, 50 towel colors, 100 sateen colors, and 200 embroideries (0 up charges). If you're in the NYC or Long Island area, there's a showroom on Fifth Avenue (by appointment) and a boutique in Manhasset. For more info and prices, contact the company.

The April issue of W has a piece on Loretta Caponi, the 82-year-old designer who sells beautifully embroidered towels and tableware as well as children's clothing and lingerie from her elegant shop in Florence, Italy. The company has made silk gowns and pajamas for some of the most celebrated people in the world including royalty, both the crowned and the Hollywood kind. The children's line consists of the type of delicate garments that are handed down generation to generation. My favorite pieces however are the boat accessories like this colorful set of towels.

True Love Always has some really gorgeous bedding that is completely different from anything you'd find in an ordinary line of linens. Their designs are very unique, from bold and colorful splashes to artistic and risque drawings, including Love Honor Obey, Whippy and True Love World (pictured). The pillow cases and duvets are made of Egyptian cotton with the designs screen-printed on top. Organic cotton is available for an additional fee, but a complete set, with pillow cases and a duvet is £199 in black and white and £259 in color. The duvet covers come in double and king sizes.

[via The Cool Hunter]

The spring collection from John Robshaw, one of my favorite fabric designers is out, and if you're looking for lightweight pillows and bedding, you can't do better than his stuff. With an Indian-Asia-boho feel, his designs are simply lovely. His web site is pretty sparse, but does list retailers. Online sites like Nochalant Mom and ShopatGood also carry his line.