Seems simple, right? Fitted sheet, flat sheet, some kind of quilt or spread, and pillows. Easy breezy.
But is it? Is that going to give you that beautiful textured look that beckons, even in the middle of the day?
Let's start with the base: the sheets. Sheets are generally sold in sets including one flat, one fitted, and two standard pillow shams. For added style, buy them in coordinating sets so they are easy to mix and match. Consider covering the box spring, as well, with a fitted sheet to hide any less-than pretty parts of your bed.
Next we have duvets. Duvets can be used with or without a top sheet and feature a removable, washable cover. Be sure to pick up a duvet insert with your new duvet. These come in a variety of warmths and weights, such as down and down alternative.
Duvets are excellent for cooler nights, but you could also choose a quilt, comforter, or comfortlet. Like quilts, comforters are thick and often quilted. They differ from quilts in that colors are usually dyed and patterns are not embroidered. Comfortlets, crosses between comforters and coverlets, are very similar to quilts on the warmth spectrum.
For warmer nights, fold the duvet back to the foot of the bed and choose a lighter-weight coverlet, instead. Coverlets are one of the lightest layers, and generally stitched for texture.
Bedspreads can be used on the uppermost layer for decorative purposes. These are usually more ornamental in nature, and less geared toward actual warmth.
Finally, the crowning glory of any bed (and the one, incidentally, that makes most men cringe) is the pillow. The number of pillows will of course depend on the size of the bed. A king size bed should begin with three EURO pillows, followed by two KING pillows, then two STANDARD and one ACCENT.
A queen or double bed should begin with two EURO pillows, followed two STANDARD pillows, and then should layer in a few accent pillows as desired.
A twin bed should start with one EURO, followed by one STANDARD, and end with one ACCENT. Don't overdo the pillows on a twin.
And that's it! Easy, right?