If you want to have a bedroom that looks straight off the pages of Elle Decoration, then the bed is where you need to start and there’s much more to it than you might think. Read on to find out how to make your bed look like a magazine.
Not only should your bed look amazing, it should feel like heaven when you get into it. There’s more to making a bed than just how it looks, you will need to layer up to get that amazing feel like in the very best hotels and straight off the pages of a magazine.
First and foremost, you will be surprised to hear me say that the quantity of bedding is super important. You cannot create that amazing feel if you have just a sheet, a duvet and a couple of pillows. Layering is what it’s all about. Not layering in a fashion sense, because these layers are not optional.
Every bed I make has 3 layers on the mattress: a protector or topper, a flannelette fitted sheet and then the top sheet which is fitted or flat. Although I mostly use fitted sheets and I am good at folding them to store in the linen cupboard, they just never look as pristine as an ironed flat sheet. A wrinkled sheet does not make a bed look like a magazine.
Of course, no amount of layering will disguise a poor mattress, although a very thick topper will help. I find thick toppers just too challenging to keep in place and it tends to mess up the base sheet. My mattress preference is pocket sprung, with a thick layer of memory foam too. You can set any budget for these from the affordable at Divan Centre to Savoir who make only 1000 beds each year.
The bed linen list for a well-dressed bed
My top tips for a mattress protector is one that is as close to 100% natural fibre and not too soft. If it’s overly soft it will just wrinkle and not stay put. My current favourite is from a hospitality supplier Out Of Eden, but that’s trade only so, I find this Ikea one almost as good. And just to be clear, these are relatively thin protectors, rather than thicker toppers. These need to be washed regularly, so bear in mind what size your machine can cope with.
Flannelette? My granny had that.
No, I am not pulling your leg. A flannelette fitted sheet comes next to be extra hold for the protector and simply to add a little thickness. And finally comes your choice of sheet. I’m not even going to go into quality of bed linen here. I shall leave that for another day.
Duvet or traditional blankets?
I’ve not made or slept in a bed with traditional blankets since I was a child and I’m sure there was an eiderdown as well. That was courtesy of my spinster aunts who I stayed with often….. So it’s duvet all the way. Here too I use a flannelette under cover. In hot weather, it’s as exhausting as battling the sails on the Cutty Sark, but well worth it. Of course, I’ve not the first idea what battling sails would be like. And ironed please!
Down or Hypo-Allergenic Pillows?
That choice I shall leave to you, but they must be plump if they are to look stunning and they must be “right” if they are too feel good. There are few things as personal as a choice of pillow. I hanker after test-driving the glory that is a William Woods Exclusive pillow. If it meant a guaranteed dreamy night’s sleep then the price tag starting at £ 375 is a bargain. And pillows too need soft, fluffy protectors that are laundered frequently.
Fresh bedding every single day
I’ve often wondered about the phrase “looks like an unmade bed”. Some people can make the most tailored clothing look like that! No bed will feel amazing unless it is well made very day. Of course, daily linen changes are unsustainable on every level and even top-notch hotels don’t automatically do that every day when your stay is longer. Though it would be lovely.
Why how your bed looks is important
Apart from how wonderful it is to make your bed look like a magazine, there is a serious reason for thinking about this subject. If you are selling your home, what beds look like is important. Prospective buyers want to be able to envisage themselves living in those four walls. Beds should really look like they’ve not been slept in – especially on photography day. I’m not saying it’s easy to maintain the high standards for every viewing, but if your estate agent is worth their salt , they will be bringing a small number of pre-qualified buyers around, not droves of people having a nosey. I once viewed a house which was a probate sale. The bed looked like a corpse had just been removed from it – the bedclothes had not even been straightened. I shake my head to this day about it.
How not to do it
There are so many things in these 2 photos are detracting from the homes they are in. If you’d like to be really clued up before you put yours on the market, then get a head start by downloading my 9 Reasons guide.
I help busy professionals to love their home by making the space work for their individual lifestyles. Check out my other blog posts here.
