Do you look at the beautifully made beds on TV and wonder how they do it?
It looks easy, but making a bed is almost an art – especially if you want it to look straight from the pages of a magazine such as Home Beautiful. Take note of these expert tips from Jordan Prainito, managing director of Canningvale, who have provided most of the bedlinen in this season of House Rules.
Jordan says it's all about layering the elements and starting from the bottom – the bottom sheet, that is.
The common mistake
"If you're using a flat sheet with your bedding, one mistake we see quite commonly made is that people make the bed with the flat sheet the right way up, which is actually the wrong side up," he says. "They don't leave enough room to fold over the quilts."
"If people have their flat sheet up a little higher and the wrong side up, when they fold it they have plenty of room at the top to fold over the quilt cover."
"After they get the flat sheet right I would suggest two Euro [European-style] square pillows to add a bit of height to the bed, hopefully with some sort of featured pattern or texture on them, which then matches back to the quilt cover."
Jordan says he likes to use the "hand chop" to create an indent in the top of the European pillows for added style. "I think it's a bit of fun," he says.
Photographer: Brigid Arnott | Styling: Fiona Gould
Layers upon layers
The next layer is standard pillowcases sitting in front of the European pillows, and Jordan says he prefers these pillowcases to have a three to five-centimetre sham on them. "I think it gives a little more of a styled, opulent look rather than just plain pillowcases," he says.
He suggests matching the standard pillowcases back to the sheets, and then if you want to add another set of pillowcases (for even more luxury), he advises using a similar layer or texture to the quilt cover.
"For a queen or king-sized bed I'd suggest two Euros, two standard matching pillowcases and pillows, and then I'd do another two to match back to the quilt again," he says.
"If people love their layers they can then add a blanket, but how you do this is quite important. You need to place your quilt cover on top of the bed, turn it halfway down with the quilt either flat or turned down over it."
"You can also then fold your quilt cover in thirds at the foot of the bed – if people prefer a chunkier look. Then, in between the top of the bed and where the quilt cover is placed, they can then introduce a new texture or colour, such as a throw. It's a really nice way to get that three complementary layers that make a bed look stunning and opulent.
"Then, you can look at adding maybe a faux fur throw, depending on the sort of vibe that they're looking for – for that final touch of luxury."
John Downs
… and for an extra inside tip?
Jordan asked Canningvale's stylist and photographer for their sneaky tips and says they suggested using two quilts inside the quilt cover, if you want an extra plush look.
"That way the quilt cover looks really lofty. Obviously, it would be a bit warm, but if we're talking purely about looks, that's a fantastic way to go. The other tip is for people to oversize their quilt cover compared to their mattress. For example, if you have a queen sheet set and queen mattress, go for a king-size quilt cover to have that extra drape around your mattress base."