Simple steps to making the perfect bed

It’s the daily chore many of us hate and the results often don’t look the way we want. Turns out there is a reason why and the fixes are simple.

Welcome to Reno-Nation, news.com.au’s home improvement series featuring expert advice on sprucing up your space. From the little everyday changes that make a big difference to major overhauls, this is what you need to know. Let’s start in the bedroom.

Nobody wants their bed to look tired and confused. It’s not Daryl Somers hosting Dancing with the Stars, after all. Follow these eight bed-making tips at your place and ensure your main or guest bedroom looks as good as it should.

1. Your mattress, like Whitney in The Bodyguard, needs protecting

Not having a mattress protector is worse than Melissa staying with Bryce on Married At First Sight. It’s an essential starting point to making the perfect bed. Having this layer underneath your fitted sheet keeps things like bacteria, mould and dust mites at bay. Get adding to cart, pronto.

2. Fitted and flat sheets, like Hamish & Andy, are better together

Don’t try ditching the flat sheet because you feel it’s not needed. It is. Also consider mixing and matching sheet colours too, so the fitted sheet isn’t the exact same tone as the flat sheet. Like the cast of Neighbours, you’d be wise to introduce some colour diversity.

3. Euro AND standard pillows are non-negotiable.

Time to up your pillow game by choosing different shapes and sizes. But move them off the quilt. Picture: iStock

You simply must cover your bed in different size pillows. A king bed needs three European pillows at the head, while a queen/double needs two. In front of those, four standard pillows are required. Keep the creepy one you drool on at the back or the arrangement and let the one in front be the star of the show.

4. You should go full Octomom with your cushion count.

You want at least three cushions sitting in front of your standard pillows and hopefully you’re able to chop them like Daniel in Karate Kid. Word of warning though: they had better not be sitting on the diagonal. If you have cushions turned on their side resembling diamonds you may as well go full Kath & Kim and pop in a few Care Bears and boomerang pillows.

Buy your doona one size bigger than your bed to give your bed a sense of grandeur. Picture: iStock

5. Your quilt/doona needs to be one size larger than your mattress

You want your doona or quilt to drape down the side of your bed to fully cover the mattress. Seeing a slither of fitted sheet exposed on the side of the bed is more shocking than the news that Gina isn’t returning to Real Housewives of Melbourne. Always go one size larger than your doona or quilt to give the bed a sense of grandeur.

6. Your pillows shouldn’t sit on your quilt. Ever

Your pillow arrangement at the head of the bed should sit on the sheets, not the quilt cover. You shouldn’t have to run a gauntlet of challenges like you’re on The Amazing Race each night just to pull back the cover and get into bed.

If you want your bed to look neater, move the pillows off of the quilt. Picture: iStock

7. The quilt should be folded over the lower half of the bed

A bed where the quilt cover is laying flat, not folded over, is more horrendous than sitting through Thunder Force. Much like the movie, there’s not one redeeming factor with this approach. Do a generous fold over with your quilt cover instead and the scene will feel more layered and welcoming.

Final step is to fold the quilt back and add a throw at the end. Picture: iStock

8. The bed needs a blanket and throw at the end of it.

Last but not least, don’t forget to ice the cake! A bed without a blanket or coverlet across it in winter, with a lighter throw draped over one corner, is not cute. Ensure you finish off with this important element and your bed will be more alluring than episode five of Bridgerton. You know what I’m talking about.

Chris Carroll is the Melbourne-based designer behind TLC Interiors; an interior design studio and home style blog helping everyday Aussies transform their spaces without breaking the bank. www.tlcinteriors.com.au | Instagram