Ever wondered how to recreate that luxurious, fluffy bed look that you see in all the Pottery Barn catalogs?
We’re sharing how you can get the same look for WAY less money! There’s a few little tricks that the designers use to elevate the bedding and give it that cozy, full, and voluminous feel. But, by learning their secrets, you can create the same exact look at home!
In this post, I’ll highlight how you can create the luxurious fluffy bed look at home through layering, texture, and the right bedding essentials. We’ll share a step-by-step guide to achieving the perfect hotel-inspired bed, our favorite bedding recommendations, and practical tips for enhancing your overall sleep experience.
Down Alternative Comforter / Duvet Cover / Quilt / Throw Pillows / Nightstand / Lamp / Blanket
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Our previous bedding was due for an upgrade. The comforter we had on our bed before was over ten years old and was starting to get dull and worn. So, I wanted to give our bedding a complete refresh!
I have always loved the high-end hotel beds. The way they’re perfectly styled with their fluffy cloud-like duvet, pristine white high-thread-count sheets, and neatly arranged bed pillows. I wanted to create a similar look for our bed.
Understanding the Luxurious Fluffy Bed Aesthetic
So, what makes those hotel and Pottery Barn beds so appealing? It’s typically their luxurious, plush, and inviting feel. There are usually many layers and textures that add height and volume to the bed, making it look very full and cozy. The sheets are crisp and clean, perfectly tucked into the bed, while the pillows are fluffy and oversized.
When thinking of expensive hotel bedding and styled magazine-worthy bedding, there are really two distinct looks you can go for. The first is the all-white clean, minimalistic, sophisticated bedding look that most hotels opt for. Everything is high quality, soft, and smooth, without a ton of texture.
It promotes a sense of cleanliness and simplicity. It’s luxurious but modern. The magazine-inspired bedding is always a bit more homey with warm touches and lots of texture that’s created through cozy quilts, large blankets, patterned duvets, and decorative pillows.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Fluffy Hotel-Inspired Bed
Step 1: Choose the Right Mattress
The mattress is the foundation of your bedding. It’s important to find a high-quality mattress that matches your ideal comfort level – soft, medium, or firm. When searching for our mattress, we wanted something that was medium-firm, since we didn’t want it too hard or too soft.
We ended up falling in love with the original Lull mattress. It’s made of 100% premium memory foam and with cooling top layers that transfer heat away from your body. It’s great for hot sleepers like myself!
Since they’re an online mattress company, we loved that they offer a one-year trial, a lifetime warranty, and quick and efficient free shipping in the United States. When we ordered ours, it literally came in a couple days. It was so fast!
Speaking of mattresses, an easy way to add more height to your bed and an extra layer of comfort is by adding a mattress topper. This CertiPUR gel-infused mattress topper is a bestseller on Amazon and comes in different height options!
Step 2: Use High-Quality Luxurious Sheets
These incredibly soft and cooling bamboo sheets from Bedvoyage are our favorite! We’ve had these for years and they’re such great quality. If you like that silky smooth feel, you’ll fall in love with these sheets.
They’re super breathable, hypoallergenic and mildew and bacteria-resistant. The sheets set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet and two pillowcases for standard pillows. We have the queen bed sheet size and it’s the perfect fit!
Step 3: Find the PERFECT fluffy Duvet Insert
In my opinion, finding the right duvet insert is the most important step in creating that fluffy, cloud-like, bed you can’t wait to climb into at the end of a long day. It could also be the most expensive step, depending on the duvet insert you choose. Your average duvet insert will cost around $100-$200, but some are much, much more expensive.
For our bed, we have the Casaluna premium down alternative insert from Target! It’s the All Season version in King size. So, our bed is a queen, the duvet cover we own is a queen, but the duvet insert size we chose is a King. This is a little bedding hack if you want your bedding to look more full and fluffy!
Another popular designer hack is to layer two duvet inserts into one duvet cover. This will make your bedding extra fluffy, however it can get pretty hot when sleeping. But, it is a little trick that designers use when creating those aspirational Pottery Barn catalog beds.
Step 4: Add Texture and Layers
To get that fluffy, full effect, I love to add texture and layers through blankets, quilts, and pillows. On top of our duvet, I added a quilted coverlet. I folded it a few times and laid it at the foot of the bed. Since our duvet is all white, this coverlet adds a little bit of color.
Next, for some more texture, I usually layer a chunky knit blanket above the coverlet (closer to my decorative pillows). We have the Casaluna blanket in the king size, although our bed is a queen. I love the oversized look of the blanket. It gives the bed a more warm and cozy feel.
Step 5: Use King Size Sleeping Pillows
This cooling plush pillow by Beckham Hotel Collection is the BEST pillow on the market. There’s a reason everyone raves about it. It’s a down alternative pillow that comes in two pillow sizes – queen and king.
Let’s talk about the right size to buy. I recommend getting the king-size pillows. They’re larger and longer, so they’ll give your bed more of a full, luxurious look! On a queen bed, two king-size pillows fit great side by side!
Step 6: Incorporate Decorative Throws Pillows
You can change up your entire bedding look with some new decorative pillows. Ours are from Target, they’re 24″x24″ in size and we have three of them across our bed. I tried using two, but honestly it made our bed look smaller.
I love their neutral/black textural woven design. Again, it adds some more color, but keeps the overall look cohesive. The pillow design is really classic, so you could always use these in your living room as well! Overall, I think they give our bedding a really elevated, nice look.
What is the difference between a Comforter and a Duvet
There are a few unique differences between a comforter and a duvet. A comforter is one piece, that comes in a variety of different prints, patterns and colors. It’s usually bulkier, so it can be difficult to wash.
A duvet usually consists of the duvet insert and the duvet cover. The duvet insert is usually plain and is filled with down or down alternative that come in various warmths (lightweight, medium or heavy). It’s made to go inside of a duvet cover, which can come in different colors and patterns like a comforter.
Having a duvet, allows you to easily change up the look of your bedding by simply changing the duvet cover. It’s also easier to wash since you can remove the cover from the insert (remember to check the care guide)! Since comforters are a bit larger, they sometimes don’t fit in your regular washing machine. However, since they’re just one piece, they can be more convenient and easy to use.
It really comes down to personal preference on which you prefer!
Bedding Recommendations
- Mattress: We’ve had our queen size Lull mattress for about 5 years now and absolutely love it! It’s medium-firm, so not too soft and not too firm.
- Mattress topper: for an extra layer of comfort, add a memory foam mattress topper. This one adds an additional 2-3 inches of plush gel-infused memory foam and has over 120,000 reviews on Amazon (it’s also great for dorm beds)!
- Duvet Insert: We have the all-season premium down alternative insert from Casaluna! The Crate and Barrel Classic Down Duvet Insert is another great option.
- Duvet Cover: ultra soft, wrinkle-resistant, machine washable Linens & Hutch duvet cover that comes in 15+ different colors. Special Offer: Use code SUNDAYMIMOSAS60 for 60% off all bedding sets & essentials from Linens and Hutch
- Chunky knit blanket: for some texture, you can add a chunky knit blanket to the end of your bed.
- Quilted Coverlet: a quilt or coverlet allows for added color and dimension to your bedding look
- Sleeping Pillows: the BEST pillows for all sleepers. Down alternative cooling gel queen and king pillows that have a bounce-back design.
- Decorative pillows: these black/neutral extra-large pillows are great for adding some contrast
Additional Tips for Enhancing Your Sleeping Experience
Here are a few additional tips for elevating your bedroom and creating a calming & relaxing environment.
Improve Air Quality with an Air Purifier
Buying an air purifier for our bedroom has been a game changer for us! My husband swears our air is SO much cleaner. We both have seasonal allergies and we own a golden retriever who sleeps with us, so the purifier helps eliminate odors, improve the air quality and reduce allergens.
Create a Calming Nighttime & Wakeup Routine
It’s time to get rid of your jarring iPhone alarm and switch to something a bit more soothing. I’m sure you’ve seen the Hatch Restore Sunrise Alarm all over social media. But, it’s a gentle alarm clock that allows you to completely customize your night and morning routine with relaxing music/ sounds and a sunrise alarm.
Keep your Bedroom Cool
If our bedroom isn’t cold enough, then it’s hard for me to get a good night of sleep. Did you know the optimal room temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit? By keeping your bedroom temperature cooler it’ll be easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Plus, you’ll be less likely to sweat and wake up in the middle of the night due to being too hot.
Limit Screen Time Before Bed
You probably already know this, but you will sleep SO much better if you limit your screen time before bed. Instead, try reading a chapter of a book, practicing some light yoga, or listening to relaxing music. Leave your phone outside of your bedroom if you can!
Add Soothing Aromas
We’ve been using the Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser for a few years now. It’s our favorite diffuser because we’re able to customize the intensity of the fragrances and set timers for how long we want the fragrance to diffuse. It’s so cool!
I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any questions on our bedding or decor let me know!
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