Project Design:How to Create a Beautiful Bed

I was asked to join some fabulous design bloggers on the Project Design series. 

This series is "How to Create a Beautiful Bed".   Sounds pretty elementary, but actually

more goes into making a lovely looking bed than even I realized.  After doing

the post on my own bedding, I found out that making a bed look beautiful took 

a few tricks.  I have two beds to share, so take a look at how they came together.

So lets get started with some analysis and solutions.

How to approach dressing up a bed:

1. SELECT YOUR COLOR PALETTE
2. LAYERING PATTERNS AND TEXTURES
3. PILLOWS PILLOWS PILLOWS
4. TO DUVET OR NOT TO DUVET?!
5. BEAUTIFUL BEDSIDE ACCENTS

STEP 1. A bedroom starts with an established color palette, so that is a basic beginning point. Next up is the foundation, your sheets.  I have various collections of sheets in florals and plain white. I like to mix and match things and many times will use a different top and bottom sheet on purpose. In this case I had a set of lovely embroidered sheets with a green leaf detail.  Since the bedroom is blue I wanted to coordinate the two colors together.  That is where the next step of layering comes in.

STEP 2.  Layering means just that, adding layers to create interest.  Since I had green sheets in
the blue bedroom, I added blue and white buffalo check shams from my Ballard Designs set
behind the white pillowcases.  Next I added toss pillows in front and I tried various pillows to 
see which ones looked the best with the new sheets.  A pale blue floral chintz pillow that I created
with poms on the border for extra detail was the accent pillow that would tie the two color groups of blue and green together. 

STEP 3.  Pillows are the key to making a bed feel dressed and beautiful.  I had more than 

these on the bed at first, but I felt it was too busy for the restful look I wanted.  So I pared

down the pillows to just two, using the green toile to reinforce the green on the sheet set and then the blue chintz floral lumbar pillow to be the personality piece that finishes the look.

 

STEP 4. Do you Duvet?  I can remember when it was only the Europeans that used

Duvets on beds.  But now they are common place and most people either are duvet lovers or firmly in the bedspread or quilt category.  Of course you can layer both if your choose.  In the warmer months I take off our duvet and store it until the weather gets cooler.  During these months I often use an empty duvet cover as a simple covering draping the bed, or sometimes I will layer a large vintage

embroidered tablecloth over the bed, like I did in this case.  Its a fun way to add interest to your bedding and I feel it gives my bed a more european look. 

 I could have easily added the Ballard Designs Buffalo Check duvet folded at the foot of the bed, so consider your options for your bed's top layer.  Or add a woven blanket at the foot of the bed in your color palette for another layer that will add texture for interest.  

Perfectly made beds don't seem to photograph as beautifully as slightly 

rumpled beds, so if you are looking for your bed's beauty shot, pull back the sheets and 

mess it up a bit!  Lets take a look at another bed I styled for a recent photo shoot

I did in Newport with Matthew Mead at the home of Lydia Langston.

 This bed was done in a color palette of white with the luxurious looking duvet as 
the star. Ok, maybe it was the dog that was the star!  Haha!
But overall this was a very simple bed to do, as the huge puffy shirred duvet really
was all that was needed in addition to adding some pillows.  

STEP 5.  I didn't forget this step, I just wanted to show how beautiful this bed feels, and in large part it is due to the lovely accents that surround the actual bedding. This is a great example of how bedside accents can play up the mood of the bedding. Lovely soft colored accents in the way of a sunset oil painting and some pale pink roses added romance and sophistication to this bedroom.

 Some toss pillows echo the rooms neutral palette.  In this case, we really went
for the rumpled luxe look. We even tossed pillows onto the floor.
 Just makes you want to dive in under the covers!

 Since there was no headboard, large white euroshams were used resting against the wall.
The bedding and pillows, from Homegoods,  made a luxe statement at a reasonable cost. 

 So make up your beautiful bed with my 5 easy steps!  
And make sure you make it your own way, in your own style, using lots of what you
already have and maybe a few well chosen pieces for a wonderfully beautiful bed!