Ever wondered how catalog bedding looks SO good in the pictures but falls flat in real life? Read on to learn how to mix and match your bedding like a designer!
When we were renovating our master bathroom we ended up doing a little bit of work to our bedroom as well. Just like any project the scope creep set in and it led to a new furniture arrangement, paint color, light fixture, curtains and bedding. Since I tend to end up in the 95% club more often then I care to admit, I phoned in the bedding because I was so tired of making decisions at that point. We wrapped up the reno close to a year ago but our bedroom still hasn’t hit it’s stride yet. My Instagram followers have seen the new (giant) standing mirror that has recently been added but other than that I haven’t done much in our room in the past year. I have however spent a great deal of time looking at bedrooms (insert annoyed rolled eyes emoji here) attempting to figure out what I DO want to do in here.
I love Pinterest, alot. It’s awesome for inspiration and times when you want to fill up your inspo bucket. But call me old school, I still love an old fashioned catalog. I don’t subscribe to a ton of catalogs but because of the bathroom reno I ended up on a few more lists. My favorite catalogs are from Ballard Designs, Serena and Lily & Pottery Barn. All three companies have a look that feels fresh, yet traditional and oodles of styling inspiration. Ballard Designs is my hands down (current) favorite. They nail nature, texture and lighting in a way that a lot of companies fall flat on.
When I find photos of rooms I love I dig in and mentally list out all the elements I’m seeing. As I’ve been looking around at bedroom inspiration, specifically bedding, I had a lightbulb moment about how to mix and match bedding like a designer. Here are a few photos I’ve found from Ballard Designs, Serena & Lilly and Pottery Barn while looking at bedding:
They are all different colors and styles but they all have one thing in common. Other than being lush and beautiful, can you pinpoint what it is? ALL of the images above are featuring beds with multiple types of bedding or bedding sets.
Companies pay stylists big money to show their products in a way that will look the best so they can make the most money. Stylists use as many products as they can in each photo to showcase their versatility, and often how items from the same company can be mixed and matched. They also are trying to make each bed look as plush and inviting as possible because that’s what we all want, right?! The disconnect between the photo and the customer tho is that most of us only buy 1 set of bedding and expect it to look like the picture. (To see how products are looking in real life look and see if there are photo reviews from people who have already purchased the items.) Most (if not all) of the beds below are have double stuffed duvets or have extra duvets/fluff under the covers to promote this look.
Let’s break it down a little bit more using this picture from Ballard Designs:
This image is in their catalog but also on the Ada Embroidered Bedding link. The link is for the patterned duvet cover & shams (sold separately). The disconnect is that this image also shows the Audree Pom Pom quilt & sham, 1 sham from the Suzanne Kasler Greek Key Bedding and the Nottingham Embroidered Percale Sheets.
The Ballard Designs images are easy to pinpoint and pull apart because it is highly patterned and contrast, so let’s look at this image from Pottery Barn:
This image is from the Bliss Handcrafted Linen/Cotton Quilt & Shams link. Most of Pottery Barn’s bedding images are styled more neutrally, so it’s less obvious that the bedding is mixed. This image features not only the Bliss Quilt & shams but also a plain white duvet cover (possibly the Percale duvet) and a white sheet set.
Let’s look at this image, also from Pottery Barn, because it is another great example of stacked neutrals:
This is the Velvet Lattice Quilt & Shams. In addition to the Velvet Lattice Quilt & Shams this picture features a plain white duvet (I’m guessing the Belgian Flax duvet) and a grey quilt (guessing the Stonewashed Pick-Stitch). I’m also noticing the grey euro shams that don’t seem to be apart of the Velvet Lattice collection.
Look, I’m not trying to call out these companies. I think they do an awesome job creating beautiful products and styling them well. BUT as a consumer and someone wanting to elevate their home, I have to know that I’m not going to get the same look as what I see in the catalog if I buy a bedding set and put it on my bed. SO – what are the things we can take away with us?
How to mix and match your bedding like a designer:
- Don’t rely on 1 blanket/quilt/duvet/set
- Layers make the look. All of the photos show 3-4 layers of pillows and 2-3 layers of blankets.
- Mix and match patterns with solids.
- Mix and match textures (the Velvet Lattice photo is a fabulous example if you’re sticking to all neutrals)
NOW let’s reel it in….because most of us aren’t going to spend over $1000 on bedding (no shame if you do!). Even if you did want to recreate the exact photo look, chances are you aren’t going to want to sleep under that many layers or have that amount of pillows on your bed. (I actually would have that many pillows on my bed….I maybe already do….). So what can we take away from these photos to translate them into real life?
How to style your bedding at home:
- Layer a blanket at the foot of your bed (folded or tossed)
- Mix the patterns/textures of your euro shams with your normal shams
- Stand your shams up against your headboard instead of laying them down like a pillow for bigger impact.
- Don’t skip the shams! I keep pillows in my shams instead of putting them on and off when I want to make my bed. I spend less than 2 minutes each day putting the pillows on and off of my bed and to me it’s worth it. I love walking into my room to a made bed that is tidy and pretty!
What kind of bedding do you keep on your bed? I’m a down comforter year round sleeper but Chris could skip it! Tell me what type of bedding you prefer in the comments!
Don’t forget to pin!
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