Luxe Living: How To Make A Beautiful Bed

Ever wondered how those beautiful beds are created in those designer home magazines. Today I am going to show you how it is done. Crisp, clean linens, a fluffy duvet and perfectly plump pillows; these are the makings of a beautifully dressed bed and you can achieve one in no time with a little know-how, some attention to detail and a touch of care.

From a design point of view, every room needs a focal point and in the bedroom, the focal point is the bed. Treat yourself to a beautifully made bed. You spend a third of your life in bed, so why not give it a little more focus and turn it into a welcoming sanctum, a place of peace, tranquillity and sweet dreams.

A beautifully made bed will make you smile at the end of a day – it will become your own personal luxury, a safe haven that you look forward to every day.

What You Need To Make A Beautiful Bed

• Mattress Cover: Before you make your bed, consider protecting your mattress with a mattress cover. Besides from extending the life of your mattress, it will also provide an extra layer of padding. Wash your mattress protector every 3 months. Sanitise your mattress by putting it out in the sun for the day before you make your bed (do this every six months).
• Clean, Crisp And Ironed Sheets. Choose sheets that you find beautiful to touch and look at. I personally love 1000 thread organic cotton sheets. They are more expensive, but are worth the investment as they feel beautiful and I have had mine for 10 years (and they still look and feel amazing). I am due to buy some new sheets and I am going to try either the 100% linen or bamboo sheets [will let you know how they go]. Don’t forget to iron your sheets and pillowcases before putting them on your bed. For a little added indulgence try adding lavender oil to your washing machine. Sheets should be changed at least once a week. Add depth and texture by choosing a different top sheet to the bottom sheet. Learn how to turn the mundane chore of ironing into an act of grace and get my all natural linen starch recipe. 
• Bed Skirt Or Dust Ruffle: This one is optional. It really depends on the style of your bed. When buying a dust ruffle, make sure it’s long enough. To determine what length you need, measure from the top of the box spring to the floor. Try to find one in a heavier fabric such as linen. Note that straight lines create a tailored and clean look, while ruffles have a more floaty and romantic feel.
• A Soft Quilted Blanket: To be placed between the top sheet and duvet to keep you comfortable in changing weather.
• A Soft Blanket: Blankets at the end of the bed add a comforting and welcome appeal to your bedroom. They are also an opportunity to add colour and texture along with warmth. For a touch of the hand-made get creative and knit yourself a chunky blanket.
• Soft Duvet or Quilt: Choose your bedding’s top layer according to your room’s decor. Quilts are nice with anything country or ‘shack like’—French Country, Shabby Chic, Rustic Chic or Beach Shack. Duvets can go with any decor and have a more modern look. When choosing a quilt or duvet make sure that if feels soft.
• 2 Euro pillows: These are used to create texture and interest. Don’t skimp on your pillowcases! Pay the same homage to materials as you do the sheets that you climb into.
• 2 standard pillows: These are your sleeping pillows and generally come with your sheet set. If you want to add a contrast of colour or maybe throw in an interesting pattern then I recommend having a few sets of standard pillowcases purchased seperately.
• 2-3 accent pillows: Similar to euro pillows, accent pillows add another layer of depth and a certain luxurious appeal to your bed. The texture and pattern can help tie together other elements in your bedroom for a cohesive design and ambiance. They are not for sleeping on and are typically pain points for men with no understanding of design.

Putting It All Together To Make A Beautiful Bed

Now that you have all the necessary items, here are the 6 simple steps to put it all together.

1. Put on the mattress cover, the bed skirt (if you’re using one) and sheets. Make sure the corners of the fitted sheet are lined up with the corners of the mattress and that it’s pulled tight. Add the flat sheet with the decorative edge facing down so when you fold it back, you’ll be able to see the decorative edge.
2. The next layer is to put the light quilted blanket on. Neatly align the blanket with the top sheet. Now fold back the top edge of the quilted blanket and top sheet and tuck into the mattress – pulling taute. To get that super clean, crisp hospital corners check out this tutorial that is super easy to follow [click here].
3. Its now time for the duvet or quilt. If you want to showcase the top sheet (which adds another element of texture) then fold the top of the blanket and topsheet over the duvet instead of tucking in before putting the duvet on. Having a bit of the blanket and sheet show makes the bed feel more inviting. Once everything is in place make your way towards the bottom of the bed and give your duvet a very light tug to even out inconsistencies.
4. Add a blanket. Keep an extra throw or quilt at the foot of the bed so that it’s handy in case of a light chill. Blankets give the ensemble one more interesting layer and break up the expanse of the base blanket.
5. Time for the pillows! Here are the pillow layers. First stand the Euro pillows against the headboard. Put your sleeping pillows upright in front of the Euro pillows. Next, stand the accent pillows in front of the sleeping pillows. Then you can add another patterned pillow in the centre. Make sure the pillows are placed above the neck roll of the bed [where the duvet folds] so that the sheets can be seen. Designer Tip: Your third layer of pillows should be the show-stealer of the bedding ensemble. The pillows should incorporate both colour and a pattern so that they really pop out from the solid coloured base pillows below.
6. Now, here’s the biggest secret of how to make any bed look fabulous! Be sure everything is taut! Check that your sheets, pillowcases, blankets, duvets are all tucked in tightly and/or smoothed down. Then tuck and smooth some more.

EXTRA READINGS

If you enjoyed this blog then you should head over to our other blog Health Benefits of Sleep + How To Create A Botanical Sleep Ritual