How to make your bed like an interior designer

Ever wondered how interior designers make beds look so lavish, cosy and welcoming? Here's a step-by-step method that will guarantee your bedroom a wow factor.

Use a quilted mattress protector and valance to give your bed a plushness boost and hide any unsightly mattress and/or base.

Iron your sheets and pillow cases. Yes...iron. If ironing is your pet hate, try giving your sheets a spin in the dryer on the crease-free setting. If that fails, iron the pillow shams and top half metre of your sheets. You can get away with leaving the rest.

Top Tip: White is the easiest go-to linen colour. It works with almost anything and allows you to use bleach or whitener to keep it looking pristine.

Once the sheets are on, it's time to give your bed covers a voluminous look. Place all your blankets and covers on the bed so that they drape the same distance from the floor on both sides and at the foot. Now fold them down to at least 80cm from the head of the bed. Then fold them back on themselves to create a 40cm wide triple layer of thick bed coverings.

Top Tip: Choose bed covers that have volume. Try a continental blanket or duvet with a bedspread layered on top.

Now fill that 80cm space at the head of your bed. Start with European pillows and cover with pillow cases, preferably with flanged edges for ultimate effect. Next, place standard pillows covered with the sham pillow cases from your sheet set, then another standard pillow set covered with shams matched to your bedspread or coverlet. Finally, place cushions in coordinating colours in front. Find out the best pillow placement to suit your personality here.

A headboard makes a room look and feel more pulled together. An upholstered headboard goes even further, adding warmth, softness and comfort for reading in bed.

The final touch is a throw at the foot of the bed. A thick wool or fur throw looks fantastic in winter and a light cotton or polyester throw is a great choice in summer.

Once you've gained confidence with this look you can start adding more of your own touches. Play with the folds of your bedding or try mixing it up a little with mismatched shams, sheets and coverings. Have fun with it and, remember, the best rule of interior design is that there are no rules!