It’s time for week five of the 2017 One Room Challenge update! I’m not going to lie, I’m really stressed to write this five-week update because it means I only have less than a week until our master bedroom is photographed! It’s been a whirlwind full of ups and downs, and I’m honestly excited the process is almost over! But, I also have a TON to do in the next four days (going out of town for three days) before my shoot on Monday!
All Modern Bed Frame // Wayfair Fluffy Pillow // The Mine Throw Pillow // Annie Selke Quilt + Shams
One part of our room that’s completely pulled together—and has been a dream to sleep on—is our bed. Not only do I love, love, love the bed frame we selected from All Modern (it should be back in stock this summer), but it finally feels like sleeping in a hotel bed when we go to sleep! I’ve longed for this after years of cheap and uncomfortable mattresses, pillows and sheets.
We ordered a Casper mattress and foundation along with two king-size pillows. I can’t say enough good things about the customer service, shipping speed and convenience of the ordering process at Casper. And my husband and I both are thrilled with the quality of the actual mattress. We look forward to sleeping on it every night!
The wonderful team over at Annie Selke helped me select the perfect set of bedding for our new king-size bed. I was lost on how to make my bed with all of the options available—quilts, duvets, shams, Euro shams, regular pillows, throws! We landed on an airy, light quilt as the starting point, a beautiful linen duvet cover for the end of the bed and by far my favorite part—the silky sheets! They are a dream to sleep on!
Today, Annie herself is going to share a few tips on bedding with us! For more tips head to Annie’s BED-U-CATION site!
Can you walk us through making the perfect bed?
Choose a duvet or quilt with a pattern you love, and base your color palette for the bed on this. A reversible quilt gives you even more decorating options.
For each duvet or quilt you own, try to have three coordinating sheet sets so you can switch up the look of your bed for different seasons. Buy the best-quality sheets you can afford, they’ll last for years to come and will become luxuriously soft with time and washing.
Layer it! Add a matelassé or blanket between the sheets and quilt and a duvet or throw on top to give your bed a rich, cozy quality that will make you want to dive in every night.
Break up patterns on your quilt or sheets with a solid matelassé, duvet or throw. Neutrals are always in style, but don’t be afraid to try bold colors!
Box springs are a must, but let’s face it, they’re not pretty. Camouflage yours with a simple box spring cover, a tailored bed skirt for a streamlined look, or a gathered or ruffled skirt for a dreamy, feminine look.
Consider building a bedding wardrobe much like you would build your personal wardrobe. Start with the good quality, classic basics (aka investment dressing). Find the main event—this could be the quilt, coverlet or the duvet cover—whatever you want the focal point of the bed to be. Then you can start adding other pieces/layers to the basic bed. A full bed wardrobe should include:
- Three sets of sheets
- Blanket or matelassé/coverlet as a layer for warmth and depending on the season you could use both
- Bed cover—this could be a quilt or a duvet cover
- Box spring cover to hide the mattress—this gives a tidy, finished look to any bed (a must for beds without a bedskirt).
- Bed skirt—whether you choose a tailored or a gathered skirt depends on the look you are going for, the tailored being a cleaner, more contemporary look and the gathered offering a softer, more feminine look.
Once the basics are in place, you can add accessories like decorative pillows or throws to your bed! These should be chosen in colors or patterns that highlight one or more of the colors in the overall bed scheme. Note, here is where you can affordably give your bed a fresh seasonal change up. It’s like buying a new scarf to perk up your navy suit!
Pillows, pillows, pillows! Should you always use European pillows when you make a bed?
It certainly isn’t imperative to always include European pillows, but they can be nice to lean against if you’re reading in bed. Euros can also be placed in front of sleeping pillows to cover wrinkled pillows or signs of daily use. If you do choose to add Euro pillows to your bed, use two for a queen-size bed and three for a king-size bed. I recommend matching the shams to the bed skirt if you are using one to create a cohesive look.
Does the quilt go on top of or under your duvet?
This is a matter of personal taste and it also depends on the season. Placing a quilt on top of your duvet can disguise a wrinkly duvet cover or keep your duvet clean and protected from pets. In cooler seasons, a quilt can be placed underneath your duvet as an extra layer along with a sheet to keep you toasty warm!
Are there any tricks for keeping a comforter inside a duvet cover?
Duvet clips are very helpful in keeping your duvet in place. Secure a clip in each corner of your duvet (inside, of course) and voila. No more slippage! Also, take care when loading your duvet into the cover and ensure that your corners are secure. Start with the two bottom corners, grasp them tightly and firmly shake the duvet down until the top corners are in the right place.
How often should you change your sheets?
I like to live by the “three-sets-of-sheets-per-bed” rule. One will undoubtedly always be in the wash, while one set is on your bed and one set can be on reserve in your linen closet. Ideally, you should change your sheets every week (unless something gross happens, like your dog throws up, in which case please change your sheets immediately)! Make changing your sheets part of your weekend tidying routine.
*Annie Selke is a sponsor of the One Room Challenge.
Here are all the other incredible designers who are participating in the One Room Challenge!
Centsational Girl | Chris Loves Julia | Christine Dovey | Dwell With Dignity | The English Room
Glitter Guide | House of Brinson | House Updated | J+J Design Group | Lark & Linen | Abby Manchesky
Nesting Place | Old Brand New | Old Home Love | The Pink Pagoda | Rambling Renovators
Erica Reitman | Sketch42 | Suburban B’s | Erin Williamson Media Partner House Beautiful | TM by CIH