10 Pro Tips for Dressing a Bed

Don’t just make your bed, style it!

Whether in a master bedroom or guest room, the bed is the centerpiece of any bedroom’s design scheme. The right bed linens, comforters, pillows, and throws can turn your bed from boring to beautiful and help to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Whether you like your bed relaxed and casual or chic and sophisticated, there are ways to make your bed look its best. Here’s ten styling tips for dressing your bed like a professional interior designer to make it picture perfect.

Invest in high-quality bedding
As with any product, you get what you pay for when buying bed linens, so opt for the highest quality you can afford. Not only will quality bedding look and feel better, it will last longer and give you more value. Invest in high-thread count cotton or linen bed products. Unlike synthetics, these fabrics naturally breathe and are absorbent to help regulate temperature and moisture levels and keep you from feeling too hot or clammy. They are also lighter and softer to the touch for greater comfort. Bed linens that stay cool and comfortable without weighing you down will ensure you get a better night’s sleep.

Layer it
Typically, a bed should have anywhere between three and seven layers. The layers of bedding can include the following: a mattress protector, bed skirt, fitted and flat sheet, blanket(s), duvet/comforter, blanket/throw and pillows. These layers can vary depending on your personal style preferences and the type of look you wish to achieve.

Start with sheets
Sheets are the first thing that touches your skin when you get into bed, so make sure you buy the highest thread count or GSM (grams per square meter) fabric rating your budget will allow to ensure you sleep on soft, silky comfort. Since many sheets can be treated with chemicals, look for OEKO-TEX or Certi-PUR certifications when buying sheets to ensure they are free from chemicals or harmful substances.

Buy a fitted sheet to cover the mattress, a top sheet to cover you, and pillow cases to cover your sleeping pillows. Under the fitted sheet, you can also add a mattress cover to add an extra moisture barrier to protect your mattress or a memory foam or feather-down mattress topper to provide additional comfort.  

Bedspreads, duvets, comforters, and quilts
Top off your bed with a beautiful bedspread, duvet, comforter, or quilt to add color and texture to your bedroom. If your bed cover has multi-colors in its design, select a key color from it to coordinate with your curtains, area rugs, throw pillows, and artwork. Using complementary colors in your room accessories will tie them into your bedding for a more cohesive style.

Reversible duvet covers and comforters
If you like to periodically switch up the look of your bed, choose a duvet cover, comforter, or quilt with a reversible design. You’ll get two looks for the price of one without having to buy two separate bed covers to change out between warm and cold weather seasons. You can select a reversible design that has a solid color on one side and a print or pattern on the other for when you want either a pared-back aesthetic or a bold, eye-catching look.

Position the pillows
For double, queen, and king-size beds, you will need two pillows for sleeping (one for each side) covered in pillow cases to match your sheets, plus two others covered in pillow shams to match your duvet or comforter. Place the pillow shams on tops of your usual pillows to hide them and give your bed an elegantly coordinated look worthy of an upscale hotel.

Pick pillows that keep your head, neck, and spine in neutral alignment, and support the natural curvature of your spine. The right pillow will relieve pressure in your neck and shoulders, providing a buffer between your head and mattress. Pillows come in a variety of firmness levels and fill types. Depending on your preferences and your favorite sleep position, you may select softer or firmer designs and choose from feather down fill to synthetic polyester or memory foam fill.

Add a throw
Blanket throws are not only handy to have when you need some extra warmth, they make great styling devices for your bed. Depending on the room and bedding style, you can opt to place it neatly folding along the bottom edge of the bed over the comforter, or you can drape it more informally over the corner. A colorful and cozy throw will add a soft, tactile element to your bedding, especially one that has fringe or a woven texture. Plus, on chilly nights when you just might need another layer to keep you warm, the throw will be in handy reach to spread over the rest of your bed covers.

Accent pillows and bolsters
A well-presented bed also incorporates some stylish accent pillows or bolsters as part of its dressing. These will add more color and texture along with helping to fill gaps between the pillow shams. Pick accent pillows with colors, styles, and motifs that complement the overall look of your bedroom and blend well with the rest of the bedding.

Add between two to six accent pillows depending on the width of the bed and group them so the smallest pillows are in the front with the largest ones layered behind them. Accent pillows range in designs from square or round shapes, neckrolls, rectangular lumber pillows, and even novelty shapes. To keep the bed from becoming too busy and overly crowded, add at least one decorative pillow to a twin bed, and at least three accent pillows to double, queen, and king beds.

Pay attention to details
As you dress your bed, pay close attention to even the smallest details. Fringe, piped edging, quilted stitching, types of fabrics, and woven textures all play a part in creating interesting layers, added sophistication, and an overall cohesive appearance that is warm and inviting. The hidden details matter too. Make sure you smooth out wrinkles in the sheets and blankets and neatly tuck in the edges under the mattress. Meticulous old school hospital corners keep the layers of sheets and blankets tucked in flat without unsightly bulging and bunching that might be visible under the bedspread or quilt.

Finishing touches
A few added finishing touches to your bedside can amp up the wow factor, especially in a guest bedroom when you are entertaining overnight visitors. Try spritzing the sheets with a lightly scented linen spray or perfume to add a touch of aromatherapy to enjoy a restful slumber. Add a vase of fresh flowers to your nightstand or bedside table to add a pop of color to a neutral palette. Laden a bed tray with some tasty treats or travel size toiletries, a magazine, and a note with your WiFi password and place it on the bed to welcome guests when they arrive.