Over the years, I’ve been asked to put together many beds. Some people are ambivalent, and only wish for things to look nice, while others like their beds a little warmer, with extra blankets and duvets. Still, regardless of personal preference, it seems to me that building a bed is still a skill that many people are unsure about. There is no one way, and that seems to be the tricky part. But there are still things to keep in mind when we talk about the basics of bed making.

Step #1: Start with the sheets.
For this one, we went with the Thin Line Set, which is made with Egyptian Cotton Percale and has a 500 thread count, but any set that you prefer will do the job, whether it be a nice, luxurious Legna or crisp, timeless, Stellina. Iron sheets before putting them on for an especially refreshing and even spread. 

Step #2: A Coverlet.
This real secret to a great-looking bed is the layers. I prefer a coverlet over a bedspread or quilt for its duality: both lightweight and decorative, it can easily be used as an extra layer of warmth or simply left at the foot of the bed for decoration. The Wendling Coverlet, which is the one I’ve used here, is a dark gray piece that is the basis for this charcoal inspired design.

Step #3: A Throw
Throw blankets are cozy sleeping companions, but they can also be used to add color, texture, and warmth to a room. For our Charcoal Bed Design, we decided to add contrast by going for the Melange Cashmere Throw in spicy mustard. Colorful and versatile, adding a throw to a bed can be as simple as draping it over the corner. This time, we went for a classic look and folded our throw horizontally before lining it up with the ends of our bed.

Step #4: Cushions.
By far everyone’s favorite step. You can go as big or as small as you want with cushions -- some people like a giant, princess-like pile, while others are more comfortable with just one or two. We opted for the former this time around and chose the gold embroidered Jamilla Frame Cushion in Nightshade to accent our gray and white pillows, then placed a gold 12x30 Serafina Cushion to balance out the Melange Mustard Throw (although 2 or 3 black velvet embroidered pillows would have worked as well!). Then, to finish it all off and to match our Wendling Coverlet, we placed two 26” square decorative pillows with ties behind the sleeping pillows. Large and comfortable, these pillows are especially good for leaning against when reading or watching TV.

Even with all of that said, there are about a million more ways that you can style this particular design to suit your own specific tastes -- try the Kurlisuri Throw, or maybe switch out the Wendling Coverlet for the Leonard Jacquard Duvet Cover. Either way, you’ll be sure to find something at Stella. 

Happy Shopping!