The do’s and don’ts of having an enviable bed

According to Loui Burke, a home-styling expert and design podcaster, a great bed "looks inviting before you even get into it, and feels just as good once you do."

Author of the article:

Washington Post

Jolie Kerr

Published May 27, 2026  •  Last updated 7 minutes ago  •  5 minute read

Photo by Adobe Stock

There’s nothing like sinking into a comfy bed after a long day. But how can you take your bed from ordinary to extraordinary? There are things we can learn from experts, but ultimately you’re in charge, and know what looks and feels best.

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“A bed is deeply personal and should be tailored to you,” says Kirsty Williams, chief design officer at Serena & Lily. “What’s most important about your bed is that this is where you relax and rejuvenate.”

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According to Loui Burke, a home-styling expert and design podcaster, a great bed “looks inviting before you even get into it, and feels just as good once you do.”

To achieve that, look for the sweet spot that balances comfort, practicality and visual softness. “It should feel considered but never stiff or overdone – the best beds have a sense of ease to them,” Burke says, creating a vibe that’s relaxed, layered and effortless, “while still feeling supportive and luxurious.”

“The best beds reflect how you actually want to live,” he adds. “They should feel beautiful, but also easy to maintain and genuinely comfortable.” There is a tendency to focus on how a bed looks, but “the real magic is when it looks great and still makes you want to crawl straight into it at the end of the day.”

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“A high-quality mattress can make the difference between waking up refreshed and not feeling well-rested,” says Mark Abrials, co-founder of Avocado Green Mattress. “If a mattress has been collecting dust or is a hand-me-down, it may be time for an upgrade.”

Signs that your mattress needs to be replaced include noticeable sagging, crumbling or cracking of foam and/or a mattress that is noisier than normal. Other red flags: You’re waking up with muscle pain or joint stiffness, having trouble falling or staying asleep, or having worsening allergies or asthma-related symptoms.

If replacing a mattress isn’t in your budget or is not high on your priority list, consider adding a topper to revive an old or too-firm mattress. This relatively inexpensive upgrade to your bed’s foundation, Abrials says, “is a simple way to soften or refresh an older mattress and make it feel new.”

“A mattress needs firm, unyielding support,” Abrials says. He recommends choosing a bed frame that allows airflow to your mattress, especially if you or your bedmate are hot sleepers – airflow will help keep you cool and wick moisture away from the mattress. He also suggests adding an adjustable base as an upgrade. “There are a variety of models that can work on your existing bed frame.”

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Williams calls natural materials such as cotton or linen a must when it comes to selecting sheets. But, she points out, “what type of sheets feel best depends on your preference and the season.” For hot sleepers or warm weather, she recommends linen or percale sheets, which offer temperature regulation and moisture wicking. Sateen and flannel sheets are more substantial, she says, making them well-suited for cooler nights and a cozy feeling.

Style-wise, Burke says, “if you lean more traditional, a white cotton sheet set with piped detail always looks beautiful. If your style is more wabi-sabi or Japandi, I would go monochromatic, all linen, and add a bedcover for a sleek, understated look.” If you’re somewhere in between, “a linen or cotton duvet set with a complementary sheet set and a lumbar cushion is usually the sweet spot.”

Whatever style you choose, Williams says, “keep in mind that flat sheets are traditionally put on the bed upside down so when you pull them over, you can see the decorative details on the cuff.”

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“For the rest of the bed layers,” Williams says of pillows, blankets, quilts, coverlets and/or duvets, “think of the bed as an outfit.” As with our clothes, consider the season and dress your bed for comfort accordingly. “It’s fun to think about your bed the same way you think about your wardrobe,” she says. “Would you put these colours together? Would you put these patterns together? If yes, then it is probably going to work for you.”

Using different textures and embellishments, such as embroidery, ruffles or tassels, can lend sophistication and personality. “If you prefer an all-white bed, then details and textures add beautiful interest and depth,” Williams says. “If you have several colours on the bed, then the colour of the stitching or trim can act as a unifying element.”

One surprising way to elevate a bed is to go big with the covers – literally. “I always recommend sizing the duvet up by one size, so a queen bed gets a king duvet, because it gives the bed that airy, generous, more luxurious finish,” Burke says. He also suggests adding a blanket or a coverlet for dimension but, he says firmly, “not a throw, though. Throws are for accent chairs. They are rarely big enough to do anything useful on a bed other than maybe protect your duvet when your cat or dog comes to visit.”

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Burke has a straightforward prescription for getting the pillows right. “Simple,” he says, “four sleeping pillows, stacked, and then one long lumbar or bolster at the front. That is more than enough.” But, Abrials points out, the more important question isn’t how many pillows you have but “whether you have the right one.” Side sleepers typically need a loftier, firmer pillow; back sleepers will be more comfortable sleeping on a pillow that offers medium support; and stomach sleepers need a flatter pillow to avoid neck strain.

Decorative pillows are polarizing: Some people love them, insist on them, feel a bed is naked without them, whereas others find them unnecessary and annoying. “Once your sleep pillow is right, everything else is a matter of personal preference,” Abrials says. Incorporating a second pillow for reading or propping yourself up, a small pillow to support the knees, or a body pillow for side support can serve real purposes, but purely decorative pillows, he says, “are entirely optional.”

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Burke agrees: “It feels much more current now to have less on the bed rather than a pile of decorative cushions. People are moving away from anything that feels too rigid or overly styled. Even the old cushion chop looks too stiff to me now.” The bed should not feel, he says, “like it’s standing at attention.”

Getting the right pillows and dressing a bed is important, but you’re also on the hook for maintenance. That means making your bed every day; changing the sheets once a week; dusting or vacuuming the bed frame monthly; washing pillows, duvets and blankets seasonally (and always after someone has been sick); and deep cleaning the mattress at regular intervals.

“It’s typically recommended to clean your mattress about every six months,” Abrials says, by vacuuming the surface to remove dust, dander and other allergens, and by spot treating stains.

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