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

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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

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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

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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.