Bedrooms are one of those rooms that we use daily. It is a room where we have to take it apart a little, where the bed is concerned and put it back together the next day….or not!
Most of us leave the pillows stacked on the floor until we have guests that might take a peek to see if we live as sloppily as they do.
When I work with clients on bedding we have many discussions. They usually want the bedding to look layered and upscale, yet they want to keep the pillows to a minimum.
Unless a client insists on a lot of patterns spread across their bed, I usually keep the main covering neutral and clean.
I tend to have a formula that works for most people as far as the layers are concerned. I like to start with a quilted coverlet and usually this cover is light and neutral. Whether, white, bone, cream or gray, this all depends on the base tones on the other fabrics.
This neutral coverlet can be cleaned in the washer and dryer, which makes it perfect for everyday use, especially if you have children, or fur babies that end up in the bed with you.
I like to take a comforter or maybe a similar foot warmer and fold this at the foot of the bed. A comforter would fold into several layers, where a foot warmer may fold only once, if at all.
A foot warmer, is just that, a width of fabric, sometimes filled with quilt batting, to keep your toes warm. A comforter can be pulled up, on top of the coverlet, to keep you toasty on a cold night.
As far as pillows go, I like to place Euro pillows at the back. These are approximately twenty seven inch square pillows and I use three for both king and queen beds.
Also, I like to use an upholstery weight fabric. As these pillows may be used behind your back and head as you lounge in your bed, maybe having a sick day, you want a fabric that can take some use.
Using a down insert is also helpful, as you can fluff it back up after using and to “chop” as you make your bed. A “chop” is a karate chop you give a pillow in the center at the top. It takes off the harsh edges of the pillows and gives you a nice designer look.
A poly filled pillow does not fluff back up or chop as easily.
I then will place two flanged shams in front of the Euros. King sized for a king bed, and standard for queen. They sit as wide as the three pillows behind them, but a few inches lower than than the Euros.
Up front is always open for discussion. Maybe a couple of decorative pillows or maybe a large roll pillow to make a simpler statement. These pillows are a few inches less than the shams behind them to create a graduating effect. It makes for a nice balanced look, drawing your eye up and from pillow to pillow.
When considering your components, you will want to decide where to bring in a pattern, a texture and possibly a mini print. I tend to use a solid textural fabric for the Euros, a mini print on the shams and then a pattern on the decorative or roll pillow pillows in front.
The comforter or foot warmer can be a companion pattern or the same pattern you have in one of the pillows.
