13 Ways to Have a Bed Worthy of a Five-Star Hotel
Drift off to dreamland in a delightfully soothing, perfectly made bed
Lisa Frederick
21 March 2017
Houzz Contributor. After journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. After journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately... More
I’m a hotel junkie. One of my favourite things about travel is collapsing at the end of a busy day onto a king-size mattress layered with smartly folded coverlets, piles of pillows arranged just so and smooth sheets pulled tight as a drum. It’s a luxurious change from my less-than-perfect bed making at home (despite my best efforts, the art of the hospital corner eludes me).
However, as I often remind myself, that’s no reason to settle for sloppy sleeping quarters. Here’s a step-by-step guide to a well-dressed, pretty and polished bed. If you’ve got another great tip, share it in the Comments below!
However, as I often remind myself, that’s no reason to settle for sloppy sleeping quarters. Here’s a step-by-step guide to a well-dressed, pretty and polished bed. If you’ve got another great tip, share it in the Comments below!
1. Gather your bed linens
The type and quantity of linens you use depends on the style of both your room and your bed. However, most include the following:
• Mattress pad with elastic edging
• Fitted sheet
• Flat sheet
• Pillowcases
• Blanket (lightweight or heavyweight, depending on your climate and the season)
• Quilt, comforter or duvet
• 2 standard pillow cases
• 2 European pillow cases (optional)
• Accent pillows (optional)
• Throw or coverlet (optional)
• Bed skirt or box-spring cover (optional)
The type and quantity of linens you use depends on the style of both your room and your bed. However, most include the following:
• Mattress pad with elastic edging
• Fitted sheet
• Flat sheet
• Pillowcases
• Blanket (lightweight or heavyweight, depending on your climate and the season)
• Quilt, comforter or duvet
• 2 standard pillow cases
• 2 European pillow cases (optional)
• Accent pillows (optional)
• Throw or coverlet (optional)
• Bed skirt or box-spring cover (optional)
2. Break out the iron
If you’re anything like me, you’d rather walk through Thar Desert at high noon in a parka than put your iron to its intended use. (Full disclosure: The last time I unearthed mine, it had cobwebs on it.)
But pressed linens are crisp linens, so face your nemesis. A standard ironing board is too small to handle sheets with ease — cover an inexpensive folding table, or even a large sheet of plywood, with heatproof foam or batting to give you more surface area to work with. Don’t forget the bed skirt and shams while you’re at it.
Consult with an interior designer to design a dreamy bedroom
If you’re anything like me, you’d rather walk through Thar Desert at high noon in a parka than put your iron to its intended use. (Full disclosure: The last time I unearthed mine, it had cobwebs on it.)
But pressed linens are crisp linens, so face your nemesis. A standard ironing board is too small to handle sheets with ease — cover an inexpensive folding table, or even a large sheet of plywood, with heatproof foam or batting to give you more surface area to work with. Don’t forget the bed skirt and shams while you’re at it.
Consult with an interior designer to design a dreamy bedroom
3. Centre and straighten the bedskirt
If your bed style doesn’t require a skirt, you can skip this step, though you may want to invest in a box-spring cover if your box spring is exposed.
If you’re using a bed skirt, centre it in place, making sure the edges are even at the foot and sides. Use unobtrusive pins to anchor it in place.
If your bed style doesn’t require a skirt, you can skip this step, though you may want to invest in a box-spring cover if your box spring is exposed.
If you’re using a bed skirt, centre it in place, making sure the edges are even at the foot and sides. Use unobtrusive pins to anchor it in place.
4. Pull the mattress pad smooth
Nothing ruins bedtime comfort faster than a lumpy bottom layer, and pads are notorious for bunching in the centre of the bed.
Elastic edges help, but for extra insurance, hold them in place with safety pins around the bottom edges. Or use corner fasteners, found at major bed and bath retailers.
Which Mattress Is Right for Your Bed?
Nothing ruins bedtime comfort faster than a lumpy bottom layer, and pads are notorious for bunching in the centre of the bed.
Elastic edges help, but for extra insurance, hold them in place with safety pins around the bottom edges. Or use corner fasteners, found at major bed and bath retailers.
Which Mattress Is Right for Your Bed?
5. Tuck the fitted sheet tightly
For optimal fit, use an extra-deep sheet if you have a pillow-top or an especially tall mattress; otherwise a standard size should work fine. Pull it taut and tuck the edges beneath the mattress.
As with the mattress pad, corner fasteners can keep the sheet from creeping inward.
Take a look at bedrooms from around the world
For optimal fit, use an extra-deep sheet if you have a pillow-top or an especially tall mattress; otherwise a standard size should work fine. Pull it taut and tuck the edges beneath the mattress.
As with the mattress pad, corner fasteners can keep the sheet from creeping inward.
Take a look at bedrooms from around the world
6. Drape the flat sheet
Now the tricky part begins. Centre the flat sheet on the bed, with equal overhang on either side. Align the top edge with the top edge of the mattress.
Now the tricky part begins. Centre the flat sheet on the bed, with equal overhang on either side. Align the top edge with the top edge of the mattress.
7. Add the blanket
If your blanket is slightly shorter than the sheet, pull it down from the top of the mattress rather than up from the bottom. You want the bottom and side edges to be as even with the sheet as possible.
If your blanket is slightly shorter than the sheet, pull it down from the top of the mattress rather than up from the bottom. You want the bottom and side edges to be as even with the sheet as possible.
8. Tuck in the flat sheet and the blanket together
Make your best attempt at hospital corners at the bottom. Hold the long edges of the sheet and blanket away from the bed and pull them atop the mattress to form a 45-degree angle at the corner. Lift the foot of the mattress slightly and use your hand to slide the draping bottom edges of the bed linens beneath it. Be sure to smooth them out as much as possible to avoid the “princess and the pea” effect.
Now tuck in the side edges so that they form a crisp crease. Can’t get the corners just right? Don’t lose sleep (ha ha) over them; simply do the best you can.
Make your best attempt at hospital corners at the bottom. Hold the long edges of the sheet and blanket away from the bed and pull them atop the mattress to form a 45-degree angle at the corner. Lift the foot of the mattress slightly and use your hand to slide the draping bottom edges of the bed linens beneath it. Be sure to smooth them out as much as possible to avoid the “princess and the pea” effect.
Now tuck in the side edges so that they form a crisp crease. Can’t get the corners just right? Don’t lose sleep (ha ha) over them; simply do the best you can.
9. Turn down the sheet and the blanket tops
Fold the flat sheet and the blanket down about 12 to 18 inches (roughly the width of a pillow). Then tuck the long edges under the mattress along the sides.
Fold the flat sheet and the blanket down about 12 to 18 inches (roughly the width of a pillow). Then tuck the long edges under the mattress along the sides.
10. Add your desired topper
Whether you go with a cozy quilt, a puffy comforter or a downy duvet, spread it over the bed and centre it so that it hangs evenly. Leave the folded-down sheet and blanket exposed at the top, but be sure to cover their bottom edges.
Whether you go with a cozy quilt, a puffy comforter or a downy duvet, spread it over the bed and centre it so that it hangs evenly. Leave the folded-down sheet and blanket exposed at the top, but be sure to cover their bottom edges.
11. Layer the pillows
Start with the pillows you’ll sleep on — slip them into their cases, tag ends first, and align the pillowcase seams with their edges. Plump them up and prop them against the headboard or wall. If you’re using European pillow cases, which are usually between 26 and 32 inches square, add those next. Then come standard-size shams, and finally, throw and bolster pillows (three are usually plenty).
How to Choose the Best Pillow for the Perfect Sleep
Start with the pillows you’ll sleep on — slip them into their cases, tag ends first, and align the pillowcase seams with their edges. Plump them up and prop them against the headboard or wall. If you’re using European pillow cases, which are usually between 26 and 32 inches square, add those next. Then come standard-size shams, and finally, throw and bolster pillows (three are usually plenty).
How to Choose the Best Pillow for the Perfect Sleep
12. Top it off with a coverlet or throw. Fold the coverlet so that it's about 18 to 24 inches across, and place it graphically at the foot of the bed. Or consider rolling it for a fresher twist.
13. Bounce a quarter
Can’t do it? Start over. Just kidding … after all your work, you’ve earned the right to a little nap in your luxuriously outfitted nest. Sweet dreams!
Read more:
How to Have a Five-Star Bedroom
15 Dream Closets to Admire
More:
Was this story helpful? Tell us in the Comments below.
Can’t do it? Start over. Just kidding … after all your work, you’ve earned the right to a little nap in your luxuriously outfitted nest. Sweet dreams!
Read more:
How to Have a Five-Star Bedroom
15 Dream Closets to Admire
More:
Was this story helpful? Tell us in the Comments below.
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Really nice article. I'd like to say i'm always thinking about rearranging my kid's bedroom. I wanna buy for him bunk bed from kinder-meubels24 and make a play space on the bottom bed. What do you'all think?
I know I’m not the only one who does this, but I like to double top sheet (maybe because I have a dog). I add a second top sheet on top of my blanket and tuck both sheets and the blanket in at the same time. The second sheet lines with the top of the blanket, the first sheet is a little longer so it covers the blanket when it turns down. I cant imagine taking the effort to use a large table to iron, but I do iron the top few feet of my top sheets and my pillow cases with a regular board. A trick with keeping the bed skirt in place - Velcro.
Great photos of these pristine beds! Great information!