5 Secrets to Styling the Bed of Your Dreams

A good night’s sleep is critical to your health, and nothing sends you off to dreamland faster than a well-dressed bed! Here are my 5 tips for styling a bed that’s gorgeous and inviting:

1. Pattern Play!

Never be afraid to mix patterns and colors. In my Telluride mountain glam bunkhouse, I mixed stripes, solids, herringbone and hexagons. Too much? Never. Whether you have kids or adults in the bunkhouse, everyone will love the riot of pattern on display.

2. Shapes and Sizes

I’m clearly a designer who believes in plenty of comfy, fluffy pillows, but be sure to vary shape and size to keep all the pillows on the bed visually interesting. The standard for me tends to be 2 large square euro pillows in the back since they are the biggest. Then two standard queen (or king) rectangular pillows in front, (these often, but not always, match the sheets as this is the size pillow most people sleep with). Then in front one long low lumbar pillow, in this case with a pattern that packs a punch! Five pillows, 3 sizes; but you can always go higher with both figures!

3. Get Pressed!

When styling a room for photos or video, my team and I spend a lot of time pressing and steaming sheets, duvets, blankets, you name it! In my coastal Galveston bedroom for HGTV, you’ll notice these isn’t a wrinkle or fold on those sheets to be found! While this was intentionally done for the photography, I highly recommend ironing your sheets when you change your linens at home. There is nothing like slipping between crisp, smooth, cool, sheets on a summer’s evening! Who has the time, I hear some of you asking? Well, I’m one of those people who finds ironing relaxing, so I love to zone out during whatever new show I’m binging. And sending your sheets out for fluff and fold, and specifying that they be ironed too, is an indulgence I’m happy to pay for as well. Try it - it may change your life!

4. Opposites attract!

In the same project, the overall theme of the home was blue and white, but I wanted the guest room to be extra colorful. So in addition to a beautiful Mediterranean blue on the majority of the bedding, I selected from the opposite side of the color wheel for an accent, a cheerful orange-y coral. Opposites really do attract! It’s why in a vivid green room, a touch of red works so well. And in a brown room, robin’s egg is such a dreamy match. They are all on opposing sides of the color wheel.

5. Scent for Sleep

For my last tip, I could have gone for the perfect mattress, or talked about duvets, but after posting these heavenly rests, I noticed 4 of 5 have flowers on the nightstands. So scent is my last tip for a beautiful bed. Yes, these rooms all have flowers because it was photo shoot day, but I do the same at home. I always have a simple bouquet in the master and also in guest rooms when we are hosting friends. Falling asleep to the scent of peonies or lilacs is just divine. A scented candle is nice as well. I always travel with a compact candle in my luggage, as sometimes even the nicest hotel room can have the faint smell of disuse.