The 2 Simple Secrets to Effortlessly Cozy Bedding, According to Home Stagers

There’s something about chilly weather that just makes curling up under the covers extra appealing. If you ask me, lower temps certainly don’t make it easier to get out of bed in the morning. 

It’s the ideal time to up the cozy factor in your bedroom so you can make those “just five more minutes” in the morning — or those evenings spent streaming your fall favorites in bed before you fall asleep — extra comfortable and extra stylish. Home stagers have offered plenty of advice on the latter, but how exactly do you make your bed look effortlessly comfy, cozy, warm, and inviting?

There are two steps, according to pro home stagers: “Having a neutral base and then layering on top is the way to go,” says Minol Shamreen, the founder and creative director of the Texas-based staging and design firm Studio M Designs.

“White bed linens will look better since the bed may be the largest piece in the room,” says Helen Bartlett of Refined Interior Staging in Kansas City. “You don’t want a cover that is not attractive to take up that much visual space.” By keeping the visual space clutter-fee, you’ll create a calm, relaxing environment — and you might even get better sleep, Bartlett adds.

Holly DeGoey, the lead designer at Alt Design Studio in DesMoines, Iowa, agrees that neutral bedding is the way to go. “Keeping the bed light and clean and neutral is the best bet,” she says. “We use the bedding as a neutral canvas and allow other features, such as the headboard, accent pillows, or even rugs underneath the bed to give off color and pattern.”

Much like clothing in the colder months, the key to cozy bedding is layering. 

“Soft styling 101 is to layer up a bed that falls flat and looks flat,” DeGoey says. “If it’s flat, the bed’s going to look flat and not inviting.” If your top layer (a quilt perhaps) is thin and flat, add a fluffier comforter underneath, DeGoey suggests. It’s a secret used by home stagers all the time. 

Plus, you’ll want to add a throw. (Like Billy Crystal in “When Harry Met Sally” and Chris Evans in “Knives Out,” don’t be afraid to add a chunky knit!) Throws add texture and luxury, Shamreen and Bartlett say.

DeGoey adds: “Don’t take too much time focusing on the details of how to perfectly lay out a throw.” They’re meant to look effortless, like a finishing touch.

“The bedroom, you know, at the end of the day, you go there and that’s your resting place … you go there to be serene and peaceful,” Shamreen says. 

Because you spend so much time there every night, you should make sure it’s a space that’s calming for you, she says, and potential buyers need to think the same thing when envisioning their life in a potential new home.