Have you ever noticed that often it is the master bedroom that seems to be the last to get the 'make over' and often ends up as the dumping ground for random stuff? Why is that?? I mean seriously, if there is any room in the house that should be gorgeous, shouldn't it be your bed room? And if there is any piece of furniture that should be of the highest quality, shouldn't it be your bed? In a store, a messy bed might look amazing, but at home, when that mess includes half-read books, a kids doll and some laundry it isn't so pretty!!
I love my bed. It is big, it is comfortable, and has room for all my kids to pile on in the morning (or afternoon) when we do devotionals. One thing I do not like is how neglected my bedroom, and especially my bed was for so long.
You would think that owning one of the largest furniture stores in Calgary, that my bedroom would be full of our latest and greatest finds. It is now, but honestly, it took me many years before I took the time to spoil myself with furniture and a bed that was beautiful, comfortable, and family friendly. Maybe I was so busy hunting down the latest unique piece for a customer, or designing a new area at Showhome Furniture, that I just didn't pay attention to the fact that I was not following my own advice.
That is no longer! My master bedroom, I am pleased to say, is well decorated and stocked with carefully selected tasteful furniture. My bed is comfortable and I have learned to make it fast and easily to help create a feeling of simplicity and luxury all at the same time.
Here are my tips for anyone creating a beautifully made up bed.
First start with a comfortable mattress. This is seems like a no brainer, but it will surprise you to know of how many people will pay for a new sofa, or table before they will pay for a high quality mattress. If you are one of those people let me encourage you to just do it!! It is an investment in you that you will not regret.
Next get some nice linen. I am not talking about the cheapest brand at the local department store. I am talking about something nice and good quality. Like good quality furniture, good quality sheets will end up costing you less as they last longer and feel completely different than cheap sheets. I have found some great deals at Winners. They have many great name brands for half the price. Look for a high thread count. Good sheets range from 200-800. The more the better. Egyptian cotton is my favorite kind of sheets. They are soft, silky and luxurious.
After soft sheets comes good quality pillows. Some think pillows should come before sheets, regardless, make sure you pillows are comfortable. I like a very thin soft pillow to sleep on and a thicker and longer pillow to put between my legs. When you are shopping, don't be shy about testing the pillows out. If you get a high quality pillow, it will long outlast in shape and comfort any cheap pillow you get at a department store.
Now comes the fun part, a gorgeous quilt and matching (but not too matching) decorative pillows.
When I buy a quilt I always go for a plainer pattern. This allows me to really showcase the pillows and makes it easier to change my decor without having to purchase a new quilt. Because I want to live (or sleep) in my bed and not just take pictures of it, I like to get quilts that are well made, and not embellished or too ruffly. My husband appreciates that. This is a persona preference. Some of my favorite beds that we do are at our store are brightly colored and ruffly!
If you go into a nice hotel, you will notice right away that there are extra pillows on your bed. This is a sign of luxury and class. Making your bed with the right amount of pillows takes careful balancing. On one hand you want to make sure you have enough pillows, on the other hand you really don't want to drown in your pillows either. I usually go for 4 pillows to sleep with (two for me and two for my man) and then 2 or 3 to dress up the bed. In the winter time I like to add a soft throw at the foot of my bed.
I hope this has helped encourage you, the way my mother did to me, to make sure your bed is beautiful, practical and comfortable because you deserve it!!
If you are one of those expert bed decorators we would love to see how you do up your bed.
