Photo: Veranda

Everyone knows how to make a bed, right? (OK, maybe not your teenage son). Wrong. There are actually several bed-making mistakes that you’re probably making. Sure, these mistakes won’t lead to a major disaster or anything, but by righting these “wrongs,” you’ll end up with a beautifully made, exquisitely comfortable bed.

Mistake #1: Starting with Your Sheets Facing up

Most people place the top sheet on their bed with the pattern side facing up. The logic is that the patterned side is the “good” side, so that side should be facing outward. However, if you do it that way, when you fold the sheet over your comforter, the “back” side will end up facing outward. If you start by placing the pattern toward the mattress, it will be facing outward when you fold it over the duvet at the end.

Mistake #2: Avoiding Smooth Corners

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who believe in smooth, tight sheets and corners, and those who don’t. The fact is, smooth corners give your bedroom a glamorous, professionally finished look, like a high-end hotel. It’s the best way to keep the sheets pulled taut and to give the top of the bed a smooth finish. If you don’t like to sleep with the corners tucked in, you can always pull them out when you go to bed. There are some many decorating ideas and tricks that you can use to make your bedroom look polished and put together.

Mistake #3: Not Making your Bed Every Day

You’re mother was right: You should make your bed every morning. You’ll be glad when you go to bed at night and are met with a beautifully made, welcoming bed, rather than a crumpled pile of sheets.

Mistake #4: Not Ironing your Sheets

Yes, you read that right. You should iron your sheets. In a time when very few people iron their clothes at all, it can seem ludicrous to suggest that you iron your sheets. However, the experience of climbing into a bed with freshly ironed sheets is totally worth it.

Mistake #5: Not Using Enough Pillows

If you’re one of those people who thinks it’s a giant pain in the you-know-what to have to remove a bunch of decorative pillows before you can climb into bed, you’re not necessarily wrong. It is an extra step. However, your bed should be the centrepiece of your bedroom, and nothing says luxury more than a bed that is piled high with pillows.

If you’re making any of these bed-making mistakes, the world isn’t going to come to an end. But if you adopt these habits, you’ll climb into bed at the end of the day feeling like you are staying at high-end hotel. While you’re at it, why not treat yourself to a new mattress like the ones available from latexbear? A comfortable bed makes for a great night’s sleep. A great night’s sleep makes for better health, a better mood, and an overall better quality of life. Sounds like a heavy load to place on a bed, right? Maybe. But so much depends on the quality of our sleep, so why not make it as good as it can be? Sweet dreams!

Photo: Eleni I My Paradissi

If you want to transform your bedroom into an oasis of calm and Scandinavian chic, we are here to show you how. Here’s how:

Get the Color Palette Right

Photo: Bloglovin

The first step is to choose a neutral color to use on your walls and ceiling.  It is vital that you achieve a crisp and clean finish. Therefore, before you start it is important to run your hand over every part of your walls and ceilings and use a pencil to circle any imperfections. If there are a lot of them, you may want to consider having the entire room skimmed by a professional plaster, or opt to do the work yourself. Starting with a clean canvas is the best way to get a nice crisp finish.

Invest in Good Quality Bedding

You should also look for high quality bedding sets. Again, consider using neutral colours. It is important to get the fit right, and buy something that is easy to iron, and keep looking good. If you are a fan of color and pops of fuchsia, then you may want to consider decorating a girly room instead. Scandinavian style is all about being calm, and neutral.

[otw_shortcode_quote border_style=”bordered” background_color_class=”otw-pink-background” color=”#ffffff”]If you can afford to do so, invest in some luxury bedding. It will look and feel great, and, it will last far longer. Provided you shop during the sale days, you can usually afford to buy some nice luxury bedding to achieve the look you are after.[/otw_shortcode_quote]

When buying bed linens, thread count matters, but is only part of the story. You need to look for sheets that have a close weave and feature longer fibres. Pure cotton is nice, but sometimes it is better to buy something made from a mix of natural and manmade fibres. This type of fabric will be far easier to keep looking pristine.

Opt for Wooden Flooring

Photo: Lust Living

Flooring makes up a high percentage of any room, so it is particularly important to get this element right. Wooden flooring is usually the best option for a Scandinavian style room. If you are worried about it being cold underfoot, you need not be because real wood does not get too cold.

Have Lots of Lighting

Let as much natural light into your bedroom as possible. You can do this by opting for blinds instead of curtains that will inevitably partially obscure your windows. You just need to make sure that when the blinds are down, that all of the light is kept out, so that you can fall asleep OK, and not be woken too early.

If the windows are not very big, it is worth considering installing a frosted skylight window above your bedroom door. You can also install an opaque glass door between your bedroom and your en-suite bathroom. Letting natural light in means that you will enjoy staying in bed late, to read and eat breakfast, and so much more!

The catch with Vero Linens is that they don’t supply to retailers so there is no retail markup. The exact same linens at Neiman Marcus can sell well up to $1,300, while you can get them directly at Vero Linens from $300-$600!! Unbelievable markup! The sheets are downright luxury but there isn’t any hard upkeep. I love how they are all machine washable – a mild detergent and medium heat will keep them looking beautiful for years!

Their online shop really has everything you need to dress your bed in well-made luxury linens. They have tons of products from sheets, pillow shams, comforters, blankets, and even robes! One of their MUST HAVE items on my list is a “down” blanket. If you live in colder climates, you absolutely cannot live without this! I know from experience using synthetic sheets and blankets, that it just doesn’t get as warm and cozy and down feathers.

Shopping is pretty simple on their site if you are looking for solid flat sheets, fitted sheets, pillow cases, or duvet covers, just choose your size + color, add to cart, and complete the check-out! Easy peasy!

To kick off the holiday season, Vero Linens is giving one lucky reader a COMPLETE SET OF SHEETS! A flat and fitted sheet along with a pair of shams in the size and color of your choice! Who wouldn’t want this nice FREE package come to their door? All you need to do is “like or share” our post right here on Facebook or just leave a nice comment below! Also a big THANK YOU to Vero Linens for this gorgeous giveaway right in time for Christmas!!!

***UPDATE: For an ADDITIONAL entry, go to Verolinens.com and select the size, style and color you want, then post it in our comments below!!***