How We Make Our Beds For Comfort and Style

We’ve all pinned those picture perfect bedrooms, overflowing with so many pillows you can’t even see the sheets beneath them. While I do love me a good pillow, there is a delicate balance of comfort and style when it comes to making a bed (and not driving your partner crazy with excess layers). Remember there are no rules - we have a few things we typically do, but there no rules! Scroll through for some of our best tips and go-to styling options for our clients’ beds.

Because most people are particular about their sheets, we often have the client choose their own sheet sets, but we do suggest white most often because it’s such a good neutral base. They're bleachable, easily paired with anything, and they always just feel really fresh. Clients usually decide whether they go with percale, linen, cotton, or sateen sheets, or a specific thread count. If they have no preference, we’re happy to pick something out, but we do find that most people have a favorite company or set they’ve used before.

With that as a base layer, we’ll add in a coverlet or quilt on top of the sheets, and then a duvet cover (down or non down for those with allergies). For a little bit of texture, a throw or blanket is then added to the foot of the bed.

However many pillows the clients like to sleep with will dictate how much room we have for decorative pillows. If we start with at least one sleeping pillow each, we’ll do a set of large King pillows or Euro shams in front of those. Depending on their preference or the style of the project, two larger square pillows and a lumbar will go in front of those, or just one long lumbar pillow.

GO BIG

Our big tip, for decorative pillows especially, is to order larger inserts than the pillow cover you have. For example, Euro shams are 26” x 26” in size, but a 26”x 26” insert will make the pillow look deflated. Go for a 28” x 28” or even a 30” x 30” insert to really fill in the corners and give the pillow some presence!

Long lumbar pillows typically run 16” x 36”, and can be harder to find outside of design trade only vendors. Keep a lookout on our pillow shop - we’re hoping to start offering this size there soon!

USE YOUR (DUVET) RESOURCES

Some of you may know this, but surprisingly there are still a lot of clients who don’t know about the ties and loops of a duvet and cover! If you know, skip ahead. If you don’t, prepare to be mind blown.

Most duvet covers have a flat piece of material sewn in place in each corner that can be used as a loop, and the interior of most duvet covers have two little ties in each corner so you can secure the duvet itself to the cover! No more duvet at the bottom of the cover!

The easiest way I've ever found to get the insert into the cover is to turn the cover inside out, then lay it flat on your bed. Put your duvet/comforter on top and tie it all together using the loops and ties. And then you reach inside the duvet cover and pull the furthest corners from you towards your body, and magic! The duvet is filled and right side out - utilize the closure on the end, and you, my friend, have a perfect duvet cover filled! This sounds like a video in the making - I see a new Instagram reel in our future. Would that be helpful??

If you’re still not sure where to start, we’ve collected a few of our favorite pieces of bedding in complementary colors below for you to explore. Bedding doesn’t have to break the bank - in our house, we’re actually big fans of Target linen sheets because we have the dogs in bed with us, and I don’t feel so terrible if they make a mess! (See Exhibit A above)

Do you have any tips or favorites in bedding to share? I’m always on the lookout for new bedding sources too - share in the comments below!