Designer Bed 101

I have been working on a handful of bedroom project slately, and every time I present bedding options I always get a ton of questions from my clients about what the different layers are and what is really needed, soI thought it would be great to break it down and show y'all how to make your bed look like a designer made it!

It starts with some great bedding. I keep things neutral in the white, grey/charcoal, and tan areas which is perfect for creating that layered look as well as blending with any design style. Also, if you’re investing in good bedding, you want to make sure what you’re purchasing has that timeless look that will last you for many years.

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Sheets. I always suggest using white. White is justa great base color and easy to clean. Hello, bleach!I have had white sheets for as long as I can rememberand honestly couldn't image using anything different,unless maybe it was a kid’s room. Select your favorites,everyone has a preference on thread count and thematerial. There really is no right or wrong.*Designer Tip: if your box spring is exposed andyou don't like/need a bed skirt, use a secondfitted sheet for a clean and streamline look.

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Coverlet. This is where I tend to get confused.A coverlet, quilt and matelasse are all somewhat similar, they just vary in material. This is the layer you sleep with every night on top of your sheets. With the heat during those Texas summers, I typically look for one that is somewhat lightweight. For the wintertime,I just add an extra throw blanket over us if needed.

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Now this is not a step I do every day, but everytime I wash our bedding I love to give it a good steamto get some of the wrinkles out. Maybe this is justmy love for linen or the California girl in me, but Ilike a few wrinkles to keep things feeling casual andcomfortable, but the larger ones I like to get rid of.

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The Duvet. One thing a lot of people don't knowis that you're not really supposed to sleep under theduvet (or at least is this what I believe and have beentaught in my years of design). It is meant to be foldedback and placed at the end of your bed. Now, puttingthe duvet insert into the cover is a whole other topicfor another day, but once you get that part down, I like to lay the duvet over the bed and fold it in thirds. Straightening it out and making the edges crisp at the end of the bed.

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Pillows. Everyone needs some sleeping pillows, right? When I photograph a space I like to hide these and act like they don't exist, but in reality we all have them. I stand them up flat against the wall so our

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Decorative Pillows. Now the fun can begin. Notthat bedding isn't fun, but the pillows are typically thefirst thing you see when you walk into a bedroom. So,I start with three euro pillows. Now, as I've mentionedwe have a Queen size bed and could probably getaway with two, but because I like my bed a little fuller,I stick with three. If you have a King size bed, you will definitely want to have three of the 26" square pillows.

In front of my euro pillows I place two 22" x 22" pillows. Every morning I give each pillow a little fluff and chop before placing it in its spot for the day. This helps keep the insert as full as possible.

Your front pillow could be another square pillow or you could go with a smaller rectangle like I have. This is the pillow I switch up all the time. I have had it as an American flag pillow, black and white stripe square pillow, and now a larger lumbar which I think helps tie in our black wall.

When we break it down, it seems like a lot of steps, but on the day to day, I’m not changing out the sheets so it is really just pulling them up and straightening them. In total, it takes me about 2 minutes to make our bed every day and I typically work it into my morning routine and use it as wait time while my straightener is warming up.