A well-made bed is not about hospital corners. It is about layers that are easy to pull back at night and quick to tidy in the morning. Get the order right and the whole thing takes a minute.
Start with the fitted sheet
Put the fitted sheet on first and check the corners sit square. Our fitted sheets are 30 cm deep with elastic all the way round, so they hold without tugging. If a corner pulls up, the sheet is probably a size too small, not badly made.
The duvet
Shake the duvet cover out before you climb in, and fasten the coconut shell buttons along the bottom edge. Linen is meant to look a little relaxed, so do not fight the rumple. A cover that lies perfectly flat all day usually means it has been ironed, which linen does not need.
Pillows
Two pillows per person is a good rule. Standard pairs measure 50 x 75 cm, and Oxford pairs add a 5 cm flange if you like a finished edge. Plump them each morning and they will keep their shape better.
The finishing layers
A folded throw at the foot of the bed warms the end of the night and gives the room a clear shape. Keep it in the same family as the sheets so the bed reads as one thing rather than a crowd of colours.
- Fitted sheet first, with the corners square.
- A flat sheet turned back over the duvet if you use one.
- The duvet cover shaken out and the buttons fastened.
- Two pillows per person, plumped.
- A throw folded at the foot of the bed.
Keeping it easy
Choose bedding you can wash simply. Linen and cotton both wash at 40 degrees, and both can be line dried or tumble dried low. The easier the washing, the more often you will change the bed, and the better it feels. Nobody ever regretted a set they could look after without fuss.
Keep a spare set folded and ready so changing the bed is a quick swap rather than a whole afternoon. Two sets in a colour you love is plenty for most homes.
If you share the bed, agree on the colour before you buy. Garment-dyed linen is made to mix, so two colours sit well together and you can build the bed slowly over time rather than all at once.
Choose the right size
A bed is easiest to make when everything fits. Match the fitted sheet and the duvet cover to the bed size, then let the throw do the decorating. A cover that is too small will slip and tug all night, which no amount of smoothing will fix.
Do not over-style the room
Keep it simple. A clear bedside, one lamp and a glass of water are enough. The bed should look like somewhere you want to spend time, not a display. Make the bed the same way each morning and it takes a minute. That minute sets the tone for the room and, in a small way, for the rest of the day.
