How to Layer a Bed Like a Pro!

Have you ever seen a magazine-worthy bedroom and wondered “How on earth do they make the bed look so inviting?” Well, the secret is out. It’s all in the layers. If you are ready to give your bed that dreamy, oh-so-comfy vibe, you’re in the right place! My step-by-step guide is your ticket to becoming a bed-layering pro! So let’s dive in. How to layer a bed in 5 easy steps coming your way.

How to layer a bed

The ultimate guide features tips to help you achieve the perfectly layered bed look.

Click the images below to shop for the bedding pieces featured in this post:

Step 1: The Foundation

The first step in how to layer a bed starts with a sheet set.

Your sheets are the foundation of comfort and style, so choose wisely! Opt for a high-quality, breathable fabric that suits your sleep preference- be it crisp cotton with a cooling weave; a buttery, breathable, softer with every wash set, or a luxury linen.

On the king size bed in our primary bedroom above, we have this sheet set that includes a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two standard shams (you can choose king shams instead.)

And on the queen size bed in our guest bedroom above, I have used this more affordable sheet set that includes a fitted sheet, top sheet, and 2 standard shams.

Step 2: Add a bed blanket

Bed blankets not only add an extra layer of warmth to your bed but also introduce texture and color to your bedroom decor.

I chose to go with a waffle weave blanket in white in both our primary and guest bedrooms, but no need for you to stick to white!

Tip- Introduce different textures and colors through your bed blankets to create completely different looks depending on the season!

Shop for the bed blanket in our primary bedroom here.

Shop for the bed blanket in our guest bedroom here.

step 3: Add a duvet cover with an insert

Duvet covers and inserts are a super important part of your layered bedding look!

The duvet cover showcases your bedroom’s design aesthetic, while the duvet insert brings the cozy warmth!

Together, they create a versatile combo, letting you switch up your bedroom vibe effortlessly.

In our home, I own duvet covers and inserts that fall at opposite ends of the price range spectrum, giving you two different options price-wise.

Above in our guest bedroom, I went with a super affordable option for both. I love the crisp white look of this duvet cover, and it is super soft too. You can shop the duvet cover here, and the insert here.

P.S. Both the cover and insert in our guest bedroom are lightweight, so keep this in mind if you will be using it during the colder months!

You can shop for the layered bedding pieces featured in this how to layer a bed post by clicking the images below:

And in our primary bedroom above, I went with a splurge-worthy duvet cover & insert! The insert is super fluffy, which I love!

The duvet cover is the prettiest neutral color that is buttery soft, breathable, and really does get softer with every wash! You can shop the insert here and the duvet cover here.

Tip- Fold the comforter in half at the base of your bed with the fold toward the head of the bed. Next, take the top portion of the comforter and fold it back towards the headboard. This creates the folded look that I have in our primary bedroom above.

step 4: Add pillows

Pillow styling on a king or queen bed can be done so many different ways. I’ll share a couple of variations below.

For the king bed above in our primary bedroom, I have styled 4 standard pillows stacked behind 2 euro shams. In front of the standard and euro pillows, I kept it simple and styled 1 king-size pillow and decorative sham.

You can shop for the look above here.

For the queen bed above in our guest bedroom, I styled 4 standard shams behind three decorative throw pillows.

You can shop for the throw pillows here and the inserts here.

Tip- Size up the inserts! For a 20″ pillow cover, I will buy a 22″ insert.

Step 5: Layer a quilt or blanket at the bottom

Layering quilts is the secret to achieving that magazine-worthy bed!

Start with a soft, solid-colored quilt for the foundation. And if you want, you can introduce a quilt with a unique texture, color, or pattern on top of the first.

This layering approach guarantees both warmth and a focal point!

For both our primary and guest bedrooms, I have layered just one quilt at the bottom of the bed.

If I were writing this during the colder months, I would likely have either another quilt with color or a throw blanket with color draped across the neutral quilt.

You can shop the affordable white quilt shown above here.

And you can shop for the Airy Voile Quilt Set in our primary bedroom above here.

So there you have it, the ultimate guide to becoming a bed-layering guru!

So go on, toss those pillows confidently, pull up that cozy quilt, and let your perfectly layered bed make you feel like you walked into that magazine-worthy bedroom! Because there really is not much better than a freshly made bed, am I right?

Happy bed-making, friends!

Shop our affordable guest bedroom layered bed look here.

Shop our splurge-worthy primary bedroom layered bed look here.

FAQ’S

What bedding item is the best to splurge on?

If it is in your budget to splurge on something, it should be a high-quality sheet set!

Don’t you get hot with all of those layers?

If you layer your bedding properly, you will not get hot! In the warmer months, we sleep with the duvet and quilt folded at the end of the bed, and only pull it up if we get cold. So really we are only sleeping with a top sheet and light bed blanket.
And, ever since I switched to this sheet set, I do not wake up sweaty. Ever.

What pillow inserts should I use?

I love this pillow for sleeping on.
These are the decorative pillow inserts I have in our bedrooms (size up!)
We have these King inserts.

You can shop our primary bedroom layered bed look here.

You can shop our guest bedroom layered bed look here.

This is the mattress pad (or mattress topper) we have in our bedrooms.

You can shop my home here.

Check out my home decor content here for more inspiration.

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