How to Decorate a Bed, According to Interior Designers

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Learning how to decorate a bed is critical for anyone who lives indoors. There are plenty of instances where having a well-manicured bed is an important showcase for one’s level of maturity, be it a date coming back to the apartment or—since COVID-times—your desk Zoom background also including a bed. The task requires more than just pulling the bedspread up and fluffing pillows though. Learning how to decorate a bed properly requires making smarter choices based on each person’s lifestyle, from the bedframe up to the smallest throw pillow.

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What the Experts Say

“It’s a form of self love,” says Diana Farberov, a Brooklyn-based interior designer and artist. “Sleep is an essential part of our lives, therefore you want to make the space where you spend that time a haven.” Creating a calming space within your bedroom helps keep stress levels low. Less stress means more sleep, and calming bed decor can help support that.

On a slightly less personal level, partners notice bed decor. Erin Delander, interior designer and feng shui practitioner, notes that the bed is not only a place to recharge, but an intimate one as well, so it should be inviting. A bed with fewer pillows than there are heads in it is a sure-fire deterrent. The dorm room aesthetic isn’t exactly the sanctuary you need once you’ve left campus. A little effort put into your bedding can go a long way, and even potentially all the way. When decorating your bed, consider the overall decor of the bedroom. Faberov recommends nailing down 4 key colors from your bedroom for tying into your bedding.

Bed Frame

Operating under the assumption that you’ve got a decent mattress, the first place to start is with a solid, good-looking bed frame. The options can feel overwhelming. There’s everything from ornate four-poster beds to minimal metal frames.

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If this is an early foray into bed decor, stick with something simple. Mid-century modern styles offer solid design mixed and a minimal aesthetic, which gives you the opportunity to use the other bedding elements.

Wooden Thuma bed frame with white covered mattress and two pillows

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Thuma offers a great minimal bed frame that’s easy to assemble. It comes with headboard add-ons and some basic pillows as well. The solid wood looks good in most rooms. This will be a bed that you’re proud to sleep on and show off to guests. It’s a bit pricier, starting at $995 for a queen, but consider the fact that this is a piece of furniture you’ll be touching almost everyday.

Mellow Naturalista Classic solid wood bed frame f=in decorated bedroom

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For a more affordable option, you can always turn to Amazon. This has a similar aesthetic to the Thuma design, but for way under the price. It doesn’t have all the extra add-ons, but you’ll be able to bolster your decor budget with the savings.

Headboards

Consider a headboard as part of your base bed decor. This can be something simple or make a bold statement. A bold headboard adds a focal point to your bedroom and elevates the entire look of your bed. They also serve to make sleeping a little more comfortable if you’re not a lie-flat sleeper.

light grey diamond tufted mid-rise headboard with pillows and white comforter

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A tufted headboard goes nicely with most bed frames, and this one in particular adds a function to form with USB ports. A simple grey color gives you a nice background for your other bedding and makes it easier to make bedding swaps without buying new furniture.

forest green colvard upholstered headboard

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This offers a great statement piece for your bedroom without being too pattern crazy. A bold color is the perfect way to create the focal point in your bedroom and will help guide the rest of your bedding decor. Plus, it’s a great style hack for convincing people you’ve had a knack for bedroom decor the whole time.

High-Quality Bedding

Even if you didn’t splurge on the bed frame or headboard, this is your sign to invest in high-quality bedding. Bedding encompasses your flat sheets, fitted sheets, sleeping pillow shams, and comforters. These are the bedding essentials and make a huge difference in the way you’ll actually feel in your bed. They can make an affordable bed feel like the ones reserved for only the rich of the 16th century.

This is where it’s time to start thinking about color and style. These are your base level sheets, which means you can go with solid, neutral colors that serve as a base for more detail in your final touches or you can add patterns and start bold. Pick colors that compliment or match your headboard, just don’t pick a competing pattern if you chose a bold one.

folded white Supima Percale Solid sheet set against white background

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Target has great options for sheet sets. Farberov gives Target high praise as her secret weapon for great quality sheets. A pack like this sets you up with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillow cases in the same color. You get a solid base without having to match them on your own. Consider getting two sets of sheets so you can swap and wash when needed. Diana also recommended playing with some color contract with your sheets, feel free to keep them white or light to contrast the rest of the colors of your bedroom.

folded luxe hardcore sheet set against white background

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Brooklinen has become a common name in luxe bedding and home linens. If you’re looking to pamper yourself, these are smart picks. The light patterns they offer offer nice subtle detail to your bed decor.

folded white linen sheet set from brooklinen

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If you’re looking for an all-in-one package, Brooklinen offers a sheet bundle along with a duvet cover, comforter and two pillows so you have everything you need to sleep soundly the same day they arrive. Otherwise, you’re stuck shopping for comforters and sleep pillows separately from the options above. Delander also notes that sheets help regulate body temperature, so a linen set is perfect for sleepers that run hot.

Duvets and Blankets

Think of the duvet or top blanket as your time to shine. It’s a great piece for exploring texture, color, and pattern. Since it’s the top layer of your bed, it’ll be the most visible. Choose something that is comfortable to sleep with and coordinates with your bedding and furniture.

folded white down alternative comforter

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A comforter like this is a pretty standard piece of bedding. It will require a duvet cover to protect the comforter on a regular basis, but that gives you the opportunity to add an element of pattern or color to match your bed sheets. The down alternative is a eco-friendly option here as well.

greige waffle weave comforter and pillow set on made bed

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This waffle weave comforter adds a textural element to your bedding and comes with an additional set of pillow shams to tie in your pillow decor. It comes in a lot of different colors to match your bedroom style and is great all-year long.

Sleeping Pillows

Yes, there’s a first layer of pillows and pillow shams. These are all the pillows you actually need to sleep. The ones your head sits on. Farberov says any bed larger than a twin should have a minimum of two pillows (regardless of the number of occupants).

Pillow shams are good to double-up on so that you can wash and cycle through them. Keep the decor simple and match it to the rest of your bedding. Luckily, many of the bed sets come with at least two pillow shams.

washed cotton sateen quilt sham on pillow

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These are a simple option for pillows you’ll actually use to sleep rather than just serve as decor. Again, most of the sets we’ve mentioned above will come with matching pillow shams as well. Keep it simple and comfortable for resting your head (back, knees, and toes).

two pillows covered in beige linen pillowcases

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Parachute offers great selections for bedding and bed decor. These pillow shams are nice and light and also come in a variety of colors to match your bedding.

Decorative Pillows

This seems to be where many guys lose interest. Too many pillows on the bed always end up being a point of contention between couples, but when you stand back and look at a bed with only sleeping pillows, it looks a little bare. Even just one decorative pillow can change the whole aesthetic of the bed.

Consider mixing sizes, patterns, and colors here. If you build your decorative pillows like a pyramid, you can start with the largest in the back and build out into smaller ones in the front. Select a pillow that is slightly smaller than all your others in a textured fabric to add some visual depth, per Farberov’s direction.

If decorative stand-alone pillows aren’t in the budget, you can snag more colorful and patterned pillow shams for your sleeping pillows. You can then layer up some of those sleeping pillows outside the duvet to create a more styled look.

neutral colored madera lumbar pillow against white background

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A lumbar pillow like this is a perfect decorative element for your bed. It’s a good upfront pillow and adds great texture to the bed decor. It’ll be comfortable for lounging too.

bright yellow modern tufted square throw pillow against white background

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Smaller throw pillows are well suited for layering and adding pops of color and patterns if you opted for more solid colors in your sheets and furniture. Something like this serves as a bright focal point in your decorative scheme.

Throw Blanket

Throw blankets offer a layering element for bed decor as well as an extra option for cozy naps without having to unmake the bed. Like decorative pillows, these are another chance to add color, pattern, and texture to your bed decor while making the decor feel more intentional.

cream colored braided throw blanket against white background

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This is a great example of an added textural element for the bed. It’s cozy and the braiding is a unique design element without any loud patterns.

blue, tan, and cream checkered wool throw blanket against white background

Pendleton Washable Wool Throw Blanket

This Brooklinen option offers more pattern than texture, but would look great folded over the foot of the bed. The soft wool makes it the perfect napping blanket.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bedding and Bed Decor

How do you style a bed with pillows?

There’s no right or wrong way to style your bed with pillows, but you should think about building from necessity out to purely decoration. Get your sleeping pillows first. Then, dress larger pillows in more decorative pillow shams and continue filling out the space with smaller pillows. The smallest pillows will live at the front of the bunch.

How do you improve a man’s bedroom?

Follow the guidelines above! Start with a good bed frame that’s sturdy and minimal if you’re not confident in your own interior design ability. Then, get sheets that are neutral and comfortable. The decorative details can come later and over time.

How much should I spend for all this?

Make a plan, create a wishlist, and check items off that wishlist as you’re able to afford them.

If you’re looking to keep it simple, both Delander and Faberov suggest $200-300 for a decent starter bedding set, which typically gets you two pillowcases, a fitted sheet, and a flat sheet. You can budget up to an additional $200 for an accent pillow or blanket for finishing touches.

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