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How to Create a Magazine Worthy Bed at Home (With 6 No-Fail Recipes!)

December 7 // 7 Comments // 4 Minute Read

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Want to upgrade your bedding to magazine status, but confused by all those terms? Here's how to create a magazine worthy bed at home, including 6 no-fail bed-making recipes! #beautifulbed #bedroomdecor #magazinebed #bedrecipe #prettybed
It’s been a while since I last had a “pretty” bed. When Joseph and I got married, I picked up a comforter set that lasted us about a year {it was cheap}, but ever since, we’ve made do with mismatched blankets, sheet sets, and pillow cases. Our bedroom looked more like a college dorm than a married couple!

The other issue comes with four legs, two big ears, and one set of sharp teeth. Our rabbit loves “rearranging” blankets, aka chewing holes and digging at them until he’s completely satisfied with the composition. Obviously, I didn’t want to spend money on an expensive bed set when it would clearly be destroyed.

But then I found the headboard that was the one, and Joseph, bless his heart, actually made it for me! I knew I had to find a pretty bedspread to go with it, and figured it was about time to leave the college dorm look behind. We just had to find a way to keep Cody out of the room.

I spent hours browsing online, looking for the perfect arrangement of colors and patterns that I had envisioned for our bedroom, and was confronted with all sorts of terms that I honestly thought were mostly interchangeable — comforter, bedspread, coverlet, duvet, duvet cover — and then realized there was a difference between euro shams and standard shams too.

Can we say overwhelmed? What happened to the 3-piece bed set stuffed into a plastic bag?

Needless to say, I learned a lot more about how to decorate, arrange, and make the perfect bed than I really wanted to, and even made some expensive purchasing mistakes a long the way. In case you had no idea this whole other world of bed-making existed, consider this your all-inclusive introduction!

Know Your Terms

I’m pretty sure you already know the difference between a flat sheet and a fitted sheet, but that’s where my bed-making knowledge stopped. Here’s a peek at what all those terms mean, so you know exactly what you’re buying.

Euro Shams — Not all shams are created equal. Euro Shams are square-shaped and act as decorative pillow covers at the top of your bed. If you have a King-sized bed, it’s common to place 3 Euro shams along the back.

Standard Shams — This is what usually comes in a 3-piece bed set, and is perfect for Queens and Full/Standards. Although I’m actually using these for my King-sized bed and really like the look.

Comforters — Also found in 3-piece bed sets, a comforter has cushion included and is meant to act as a decorative top blanket for your bed.

Duvets — Duvets are plain cushioned blankets that go inside a more decorative duvet cover.

Duvet Covers — Exactly what the term describes. More decorative in nature, and the duvet goes inside. This is so you can wash duvet covers without the duvet, which keeps it from turning lumpy.

Psst…. at first, I bought a duvet cover thinking there was a duvet inside, and was royal confused when I received a very flat sheet with buttons in the mail. I had to make a quick run to Target for an actual duvet to make it plush!

Coverlet — A coverlet is a blanket or quilt draped over the bottom of the bed for an extra layer of comfort and warmth.

Toss Cushions — Decorative pillows added to the bed for coziness and to make it pretty!

Bed-Making Recipes

There are a lot of different ways to make your bed, but if you want a magazine-inspired look, here’s a few “recipes” to follow. Remember, it doesn’t matter how you do it. These are just suggestions for you to take and make your own!

You may also want to add texture and patterns, but the key to a bed that isn’t super busy is to break up the pattern with neutrals or plain colors.

Recipe #1: Sleep Pillows –> Euro Shams –> Standard Shams –> Toss Cushion –> Duvet Cover/Duvet/Comforter –> Coverlet

Luna Light Bedroom

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Recipe #2: Sleep Pillows –> Standard Shams –> Toss Cushions –> Duvet Cover/Duvet/Comforter –> Coverlet

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Recipe #3: Sleep Pillows –> Standard Shams –> Toss Cushions –> Another Set of Toss Cushions –> Duvet Cover/Duvet/Comforter –> Coverlet

Coral Guest Bedroom

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Recipe #4: Barrel Toss Cushions –> Standard Shams –> Toss Cushion –> Duvet Cover/Duvet/Comforter

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Recipe #5: Sleep Pillows –> Euro Shams –> Long Toss Cushion –> Toss Cushion –> Duvet Cover/Duvet/Comforter

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Recipe #6: Sleep Pillows –> Standard Shams –> Standard Shams –> Toss Cushion –> Duvet Cover/Duvet/Comforter –> Coverlet

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I chose Recipe #2 for my bed, and made sure I had texture in the toss cushion and the coverlet, and kept both white so the pattern on the duvet and shams didn’t look too busy. I have plans though to pull out that aqua/blue color and make another, smaller toss cushion with the word LOVE in cursive. Will plan to share a tutorial when it’s finished!

I hope this overview gives you a better idea of what to look for when shopping for your bed. It’s a confusing world out there! It’s also inspiring me to actually make my bed. I can’t help but want to when it looks so cozy and inviting……then again, I may just want to stay in it all day!

Which of these features do you have on your bed?

 

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.


Just One More Thing:

Have you ever looked at your home and wondered where to start or how to manage it, without turning into a 1950’s housewife? The Modern Girl’s Guide to Homemaking shows you how to run a successful home in the 21st century, and fits with your lifestyle and schedule! Learn more HERE.

Every household is different, which means every homemaking style can be different too. The Modern Girl's Guide to Homemaking is all about household management YOUR way, and is now available for individual purchase at the super low price of $4.99!


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Comments

  1. Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says

    October 19 at 2:19 pm

    We do Recipe #2 as well! My MIL’s beds always look so lush and magazine-worthy (like yours!), so I pretty much followed that same recipe. Though Mark could probably do without all the extra “fluff,” I think it really completes the look. Great breakdown of all the different combinations, Kalyn!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      October 20 at 11:04 am

      The extra fluff is the best part! Thanks so much for your lovely comment and encouragement, Lauren! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jessica S says

    October 24 at 9:25 am

    Like you, my husband and I have a bedroom that looks like a college dorm room instead of a grown-up bedroom retreat. I’ve been wanting to start decorating and purchasing nice quality linens but didn’t know where to start. Thanks to you I know what pieces to look for!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      October 26 at 8:41 am

      Aw thanks, Jessica! It can be so overwhelming looking at a blank room. I’m glad this post was able to provide you with some inspiration.

      Reply
  3. Brea Wright says

    March 3 at 12:03 pm

    Hi there! I really like your blog 🙂 I love the bedding you have. Can you tell me where you got it from? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      March 3 at 10:27 pm

      Thank you, Brea! I got duvet cover from Garnethill.com, and then I put a plain white duvet from Target inside! It’s SUPER comfortable! 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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👩‍💻 | I help value-driven women lead manageable + meaningful lives.
💬 | INFJ / Enneagram 1
🚙 | RV Life @openroading
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What’s one thing you budget for that other peopl
What’s one thing you budget for that other people might not? I always find those interesting. 😃⁣ ⁣ You might have a mortgage. I budget for campgrounds. You might want a separate clothing budget, while I’m fine combining it under “Beauty and Style.” Recently, we also added a new line item for our motorcycle—something I NEVER thought would appear in our budget. ⁣ ⁣ See, we’re all different! ⁣ ⁣ Recently, I rearranged my budget categories and created this “cheat sheet.” Sometimes I forget where things go, like picking up new wall art for the living room. Does this item belong in the categories of Household Items or Home Maintenance? 🤔⁣ ⁣ Now I know! And I save time processing receipts each Friday. 🧾⁣ ⁣ What budgeting categories do you use? Share one of your random budget line items with me in the comments below! 😃

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
⁣
I

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣ ⁣ I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣ ⁣ But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣ ⁣ As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣ ⁣ Why? ⁣ ⁣ No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣ ⁣ And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣ ⁣ There are too many good ones out there anyway. Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣ ⁣ This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣ ⁣ Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣ ⁣ What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
⁣
T

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣ ⁣ These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣ 2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣ 3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣ ⁣ That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣ ⁣ What planners/journals are you using for 2021?

Self-care is just as important as making your famo
Self-care is just as important as making your famous sugar cookies this holiday season. 🍪⁣ ⁣ Because let’s be real. ⁣ ⁣ That Hallmark-esque Christmas magic disappears the moment disagreeable family members annoy you. Or when you feel irritable over too many late nights and little-to-no sleep. Or when expectations over meals and traditions and social activities fall short and leave you feeling disappointed. 😬⁣ ⁣ But instead of dwelling on these stressful moments and using them as an excuse to completely disconnect from reality (as I’m often tempted to do!), view them as an opportunity for you to respond with poise. 💞⁣ ⁣ ➕ Journal your feelings. ⁣ ➕ Go for a walk. ⁣ ➕ Prioritize what’s essential. ⁣ ➕ Remember to breathe.⁣ ➕ And try not to eat your feelings…okay?⁣ ⁣ Here’s your permission slip if you need one: You don’t need to do or participate in everything! Take a time out when you need it. 🙌⁣ ⁣ That’s the best way you can protect your emotional well-being over the next few days.⁣ ⁣ Merry Christmas, friends! 🎄


I know you’re ready for this year to be over. 🙋‍♀️ The last twelve months brought so many hard things into our lives—relationships were lost, our country became more broken and divided than ever, and oh yeah, we walked through a pandemic too. 🦠 🤯 No biggie, right? Ha! 😅 And while it’s easy to look back and wish we could skip 2020 altogether (or at least insist on a do-over), I don’t want this year to be the one where the hard overcame the good. 💕 Just as hard days don’t mean ruined days, hard years don’t mean ruined years. 2020 can still be good. 💪 For me, I want to remember the fun and exciting things we did. The adventures we had. The new shows we watched, and the books we read. The new life hacks and things I discovered that made my life easier or just brought me joy. 💞 You’ll find it all in my latest blog post (link in profile). If you still need to buy a gift for a loved one (or for yourself!), you’ll find plenty of fun and affordable ideas to fill up the rest of your gifting list. 📦 Otherwise, enjoy a stroll down the good side of 2020’s memory lane and leave your favorite things in the comments so I can try them. 👋


Pro minimalism tip: Use double-duty appliances. 🤯⁣ ⁣ With limited kitchen space, I have to be super careful about what appliances we invite into the RV. We already had an Instant Pot, Ninja Blender, and a Food Processor. But I really wanted an air-fryer! ⁣ ⁣ With no place to put it, I discovered that Instant Pot made a dual instant pot/air-fryer product. So I gave my instant pot away, and my mom bought me this one for an early Christmas present. I’ve only played with it a couple of times but I’m already in love! 💕⁣ ⁣ Kale chips...sweet potato fries...broccoli. I’m basically an air-frying queen now. And I can easily switch back to the instant pot whenever I want. Yay for two appliances in one! 🥳⁣ ⁣ Q: What is your favorite appliance to use? Is it double duty? 🤔


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