The bedroom. The area where one generally spends the most time, most of it not awake. There are a few things that I believe make this space not only set up for a great nights sleep, but also set you up for a comfortable space to read (work, watch netflix, and facetime friends if you are anything like me and you spend all of your time in your room).
Euro Shams
I believe that these truly tie the bed together visually. They not only provide a back to your visual bedscape, but also provide a space for you to sit up against and rest your back.
Structurally, a good euro sham will have support, so you can do all of the things that aren't sleeping (i.e. reading, watching netflix, writing emails) in a comfortable position.
Visually, I like my euro shams to match either my quilt or my duvet cover, we will get to this later on.
Pillow shams
Pillow shams are a basic thing that everyone and their mother seems to know about, so I'll keep this speedy.
Visually, I like my pillow shams to match the other bedding that my Euro sham does not match. In this case it is my cream colored duvet cover (not shown).
Quilt or coverlet
I know that many people only have one type of bedding and that is a fine opinion. But here, this is my case for both. I believe that a quilt or coverlet should be used in conjunction with a duvet or comforter. My quilt is my main bedding (shown in pink). This is a lighter piece that stays on my bed year round. In the summer it is used completely alone allowing me to stay cool while I sleep. In the winter it is used with my duvet cover on top for a layer of warmer sleep.
Visually, I chose the silk dusty rose textured quilt because added some variation to the non-textured duvet cover I had already purchased and it matched the feel I wanted my room to have (and really stuck out to me when pottery barn was having a sale).
Duvet or comforter
This is a piece that stays three-folded at the end of my bed during winter months. I pull it up most nights for an extra layer. In the summer, I completely remove this layer and store elsewhere because my current apartment is generally on the warmer side.
Visually, I like this piece and the quilt to work together. For the bed in the image shown above, I had purchased a cream colored duvet cover in college that I really liked. For the quilt, I knew I needed to find something in a solid color. I came to this decision because most quilts I looked at that were patterned included some white in them, which clashed with my bedding.
Accent pillow(s)
I would advise picking this piece towards the end of the process because there are generally more options and will be less expensive than the staple pieces (quilt and duvet and matching shams). For size and quantity of this, you have to decide how you want the bed to look. I chose to use a singular body pillow because it visually took up a lot of room. I also considered using two smaller pillows of slightly different sizes.
Visually, I like to pick something that is rich in texture because I feel that adds more dimension to the space. For guidance on what to pick for these (it can be overwhelming), I suggest pulling images from pinterest (at the beginning of your project) and letting that guide your choices for the decisions you are making.
Throw blanket
As a person who gets chilly a lot, I think a throw blanket is necessary. I like to be able to throw it over my legs while working, without having to get completely into bed. This is a piece I picked out with that intent.
Visually, I chose something with a pattern and texture. I made this decision because my two beddings had no pattern, so I felt like this would add more visual interest. I also happened to find one in the colors of my bedding and would bring them together nicely.
Stylistically, I like to fold this piece in half and then loosely fold about 4 times in the opposite direction. I drape this piece over the duvet cover at the end of the bed.
Your bed is complete. I hope this helps you with your bedroom oasis and makes you feel truly put together.