The Anatomy of Bedding

Over the years, I’ve been asked on many occasions to explain what it takes to create a bed ensemble that is stylized, sophisticated and beautiful.

A bed, just like any other area of your home should have a design point-of-view and should make a statement. 

 Bedding can be simple….

or, layered and more detailed.

Here’s what I think it takes to pull together the perfect bedding look:

• Mix and match Sheets and Pillow Cases–I love the look of different fitted and flat sheets combined together.  You could combine a pattern and solid or two different solid colors together.  And, a patterned pillowcase thrown into the mix will add instant style. Rule of thumb:  keep the darker sheet as the fitted sheet so the heaviest color is closer to the floor.

• Duvet or Comforter–To get the layered look, incorporating a duvet or comforter is key.  Personally, I like this layer folded back at the foot of the bed versus covering the entire bed, especially when the pieces is an all over pattern or highly textured.

• Bedspread–This is the ultimate layering piece to me.  A textured, lightweight bedspreads can serve as foundation of your bedding.  Cover the entire bed and fold it back at the top to add some dimension. 

Target sells a great diamond quilted bedspread like the one in the photo below, available in a range of colors.

• Euro and/or Standard Shams–Larger pillows placed at the back of the bed will provide a visual frame for your bedding.  If you use patterned shams you may want to stick with standard pillowcases in a solid or a tiny scale print.  Rule of thumb:  King size beds should always use three euro shams to fill the space.

• Contrasting Toss Pillows–This is where you can have lots of fun.  Add a few or add a lot but think of toss pillows as the jewelry to your bedding.  Mix solid and patterns, use a variety of shapes or use one fabulous pillow as the focal point.

This is the mix of pillows I use on my bed.   The yellow and grey pillow and the yellow rosette pillow are from Target.  I made the polka dot pillow and the black and white lattice pillowcases.

• A Bedskirt (optional)–depending on the style of your bed, a bedskirt can be used to add another layer to your bedding.  There are different styles of bedskirts, tailored, pleated and ruffled but whatever style you choose, make sure the skirt touches the floor.  And, don’t forget that you can add a little detail to solid bedskirts with a ribbon trim or contrasting fabric border.

So there you have it, a few tips on creating a luxurious and beautiful bed ensemble!

Want to see a beautiful bed come to life, check out this video by Nake Berkus!

Sweet Dreams!

 all images via Pinterest