Interior Design, Staging Tips

Probably one of the most common questions I am asked as an Interior Stylist is “Do you make your bed like this every day?”

And the answer in short is yes. Admittedly perhaps not the exceptionally full beds with double-duvets, three blankets, six pillows and a bunch of scatter-cushions, but every day without fail, I make my bed before leaving the house.
The duvet is tossed into the air, floating down upon the bed (evenly on both sides of course), the euros puffed and pulled taught at their points, standing tall at the back with my standard pillows stacked neatly on top of each other. The blanket is folded in half, or thirds, depending on the season (yes, really. There is method to the madness however, as it is much easier to pull half the blanket up and over myself when IN the warm delicious cloud I am currently encased in, than it is a wrestle with the thirds, ultimately getting tangled, resulting in the need to GET OUT of bed into the cold. Perish the thought!).

The reason I make my bed every day is not so much that I have a mild-case of OCD or want all and everything to constantly appear in all of its’ perfectly-positioned glory (I am sure the other-half may tell you otherwise, with many a debate at 6am in the morning over making said-bed), but because I just don’t like getting INTO an un-made bed. I do understand that perhaps due to occupational requirements that it may seem a far more casual event to me than most, but that is just the simple truth. In my younger years, I am quite sure I was not so akin to making my bed, or anything else, other than dancing and sewing, but I have grown very much to appreciate a well-made sleeping-spot.

Here are my top tips for making a gorgeous, show home bed in 5 minutes:

• Pull everything off – it is good to actually let your bed air out for a while before covering it all back up
• If you like a flat sheet, tuck the bottom in first, enveloping the sides under your mattress. Pull the rest of the sheet up towards the top of the bed, flattening as you go.
• Euros – fluff, pull taut and place upright at the head of the bed
• Standards, stack one on top of the other, in front of the euros, but under your sheet
• Easiest way to get your duvet on in one go, is to do it from the foot of your bed. Toss it into the air and ‘shimmy’ it into place. Turn back the top, folding the sheet down with you.
• Similarly with your blanket, go from the base of your bed, laying it across the mattress and folding down in one go. Ta-da!

Insiders tip – when putting on your clean, crisp linen, iron them once they are on your bed. This makes for a far easier and quicker result than attempting to do half a duvet at a time, dragging it along the floor as you go or the weight of it crinkling up what you have just spent ten minutes pressing.

Author:  Lucy Miles is Head Creative at Living Edge Interiors