6 Ways to Make Your Bed Look More Expensive, According to Home Stagers

Bedrooms are nothing short of sanctuaries, which is why potential homebuyers often linger a little longer in the bedrooms while house hunting. After all, if they can’t picture themselves comfortably leaving the stress and weight of the world behind at the end of each day in their future bedroom, they’re going to have a hard time picturing themselves enjoying other parts of the home. 

Fortunately, it’s easy to make your bedroom look like the luxe sanctuary most shoppers are pining for these days — even if you don’t exactly have extra money to throw into staging right now. Sometimes, simply the act of making your bed is all it takes to transform your bedroom into a fancy hotel room. I spoke with two professional home stagers to find out how you can create a luxe-looking bed without shelling out a lot of dough to do it. 

Kristi Perry, a home stylist and professional organizer with Art of the Space, says that anchoring your bed to the wall can create an overall feeling of quality, durability, and luxury. “There is no need to buy an expensive bed frame when you can create the same look and feel with a plush fabric, natural wooden, or sleek metal backsplash at the head, and comfortable, fashionable bench at the toe,” she says.

If you want your bed to look posh, you should give your comforter the “hotel” fold, according to Jaclyn James, founder of Jaclyn James Co. “Lay your top comforter evenly over the bed, then fold it down two-thirds from the top, then roll half of that fold back over itself, creating a rolled look,” she explains, adding you can then put pillows from the fold all the way to the headboard.

Nothing says, “This is where I do all of my relaxing,” quite like a tray filled with comforting items. James suggests staging a small vase of flowers (real or faux) or a plant, your favorite book, readers, and a candle on a tray placed on your mattress. 

According to Perry, the height of your bed frame can also make your bed look more expensive, like what you might find at a high-end hotel or bed and breakfast. “The higher the bed is off the ground, the posher it can feel as you ‘climb’ into your happy place,” she says. 

There are a few ways you can achieve this look: by purchasing an 18-inch bed frame that raises your bed to a comfortable height, or by trying out bed risers to place under your existing bed. “Add a simple flat or gathered bed skirt to hide the floor, as well as a mattress cover to create a sense of sleekness and quality,” Perry says.

James says your pillows will really pop and make a statement (especially shams) if you overfill them. You can do this by buying a larger pillow, doubling up on the inserts, or even tucking some neatly folded towels inside the pillow case. 

Instead of splurging on an expensive headboard, Perry says you can DIY your way to a luxury feel by covering a rectangular piece of wood plyboard with cotton batting and fabric, then using a staple gun to secure the  fabric. 

“The same technique can be applied to a wooden bench for the end of the bed,” she says. “For a more natural, organic option, find old shutters or barn board online or at an antique or architectural salvage shop and stain or paint them with a thick, high gloss or flat finish before mounting them close together to create the illusion of a single slab.”