Rule of Thumb on How To Style a Bed

The easiest weekend home decor makeover is changing how you style your bed. We don’t necessarily mean piling more throw pillows onto your bed, though that may be an option for you. Instead, we have some design tips to take the guesswork out of the process to maximize the impact of your decor.

Include These Ingredients for a Luxurious Focal Point

A gorgeously styled bed is about more than using popular colors and dynamic patterns; it is the focal point of your bedroom, and all eyes will be drawn toward your headboard or that sea of pillows you have stacked against the wall in lieu of one.

Whether this redesign is for your own enjoyment or for a guest bedroom (You get extra points if you can make the living room fold-out feel like a swanky guest room for your visitor!), you’ll want your bed to anchor your interior design nd provide quality sleep.

Invest in a Good Mattress

The most important ingredient for a good night’s sleep is a quality mattress, so read reviews or try before you buy, if possible. Don’t forget you can add a mattress topper for the perfect amount of support.

Select Sheet Sets That Breathe

The hullabaloo about thread count in bed sheets has been exposed as somewhat of a myth. The discourse has shifted to whether or not the sheets in question are made from organic, breathable fabric. Sheets made from 100% organic cotton, eucalyptus, and linen are a safe bet, working for both warm and cool sleepers. Familiarize yourself with the feel of percale, sateen, and twill weave to choose the one that is right for you by taking our fabrics course in BeSpoak School.

Sheets are an excellent place for bold patterns and color because only a bit peeks out from under the duvet. Put together a color and pattern palette to add depth and interest to the bed in Spoak’s color palette generator.

Pick Quilts and Blankets That Coordinate

Having a light quilt or blanket as an extra layer or as your main coverlet in warmer months is handy and another way to add patterning to your bed. Try for three different patterns or colors in your bed linens.

Using odd numbers is a trick interior designers, artists, and even filmmakers use to present pleasing geometry and add visual depth to a space. Choose a quilt that coordinates with your sheets and duvet in some way while adding a new textural element with its stitching.

Get the Duvet Cover Right

A duvet cover should coordinate with the sheets and blankets while serving its primary purpose — holding the insert in place without bunching. When it comes to materials, some people prefer a linen duvet cover since it’s typically stronger than cotton and softens beautifully with repeated washing. Finally, consider if you want matching standard pillow shams that will stack on your sleeping pillows or taller Euro pillows for eye-catching depth.

So. Many. Bed Pillows.

The use of bed pillows is a huge part of how we dress our beds and, in an attempt to create a hotel luxury-like moment, can sometimes get unmanageable. Seize control of the pillow craze and consider a few common design tips for your pillows.

Arrange Pillows From Largest to Smallest

Whether you adore the look of a massive wall of pillows or just two on a simple boho floor cushion, you’ll want to layer your pillows from largest to smallest to create an arrangement that moves from wide to narrow. A pattern guides the eye to the focal point and is practical for sitting up in bed. Do this by placing your largest-sized pillows (usually your standard sleeping pillow size or sham) along the back.

If you are styling a twin bed or two twins, consider buying separate king-size pillowcases and pillows that match your sheet set for a solid base pillow that spans the width of the twin bed.

Support Your Design With Odd Numbers

The next layer of pillows may be taller, as in a Euro pillow, but they won’t spread all the way across the bed. Throw pillows should be in a different shape or coordinating fabric that helps tie the look together. If you choose pillow inserts that are slightly larger than the dimensions of the pillow covers, they’ll be extra fluffy.

Though piling enough pillows to get lost in on half of the bed has been popular in the past, consider placing one long velvet lumbar pillow across the length of your stacked standard pillows. Remember to arrange the pillows in odd numbers that direct the movement of your eye across a space. (Think of how your eye scans across a painted triptych on a wall.) Source unique decorative pillow styles in Spoak’s product discovery feed.

Layer Your Bed Like a Pro With These Tips

• Dress your bed in your delicate floral fitted sheet as usual, but put your flat sheet on inside out so the pattern will show when you turn it back.
• Next comes that contrasting quilt or blanket folded back about 12 inches with your top sheet, then tucked in all around the sides of the bed with a hospital-style tuck. (Now, the floral pattern of your inside-out flat sheet peeks out over the quilt stitching.)
• Fluff your bed pillows at the head of the bed and add another couple of standard pillow shams in a contrasting camel color that matches your duvet.
• Pull your top layer (try a cream and camel windowpane print duvet cover or light coverlet) up to the fold of your quilt and then fold the top two feet of the duvet back 12 inches, then forward 12 inches onto itself (a triple fold to make your bed look plush).
• Go back to your pillow situation and add in those extra layers of throw pillows in an odd-numbered combination until you have just the right amount of pillow factor. We love a rich brown boucle lumbar pillow spanning the back pillows.
• Fold or triple fold a fringed textured throw blanket and drape it over the end of the bed (Set it at an angle for a casual look.).

Add a Few Finishing Touches

Now that the fundamentals have been covered, enjoy adding some icing to the design cake with standout details and personal touches.

Change With the Seasons

Keep darker (or warmer) throw blankets, duvet covers, or cushion covers in your linen closet so your bed can change with the season. Swapping cushion covers for your pillow inserts around the house can inject a fresh perspective on a whim.

Add Little Decorative Details That Stand Out

Small details like contrast navy piping at the edge of a duvet cover or bright pink stitching in a cream quilt can majorly impact a minimal space. Tie those little pops of color into the room design with a tufted pink pouf or a navy-striped cushion on your end-of-the-bed bench.

Use a Bed Sheet Spray To Induce Calm

Last (but never least!), spray your bed with a sleep-inducing sheet spray. Whether the scent that calms you is lavender, vanilla bean, or a cardamom spice concoction, these scents can trigger the body’s sleep mechanism. If you’re sensitive to strong scents, spray your bed in the morning as you make it so that the scent will be subtle by evening.

Try These Styling Tips for Sweet Dreams

Much of the fun of styling a bed is experimenting with colors, textures, and patterns. When you layer that over comfortable cushions, a deep mattress, and — yes, more pillows — you’ve just given yourself the gift of greater relaxation.

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^{Photo Credit: (Left) Design Files}

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^Sources:

^{The rule of odds and what it means for your film | Videomaker}

^{Design by numbers | Herald Times}

^{You're Shopping for Sheets All Wrong—Experts Reveal the Truth | The Spruce}

^{7 Different Types of Bed Sheets and How to Choose One | The Spruce}

^{The 8 Best Pillow Sprays for Relaxation of 2022 | Very Well Mind}