How to make a crumply rumply bed

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Do you detest making your bed? I use to. Ensuring every crinkle was smooth + tweaking the pillows to perfection = augh. I have to admit, most days I left mine unmade I despised the duty so much.

Then a thought occurred to me. What if I MADE my bed to look UNmade?

Here's what my bed looks like with everything just so. It's OK, but I wanted romantic ka-POW. So I started with a flat battenburg sheet.

I first purposely crinkled up the folded area of the quilt to create fullness.

Then with the sheet, I simply laid it across the crinkled folded quilt area, tucking the underside in to resemble a regular top sheet folded over. (staging truly IS all smoke and mirrors!) NOW we're getting somewhere. What we're doing is creating layers upon layers. I love the added lacy details of the top sheet.

Focusing on the pillows, notice NONE of them are aligned perfectly? Arranging them haphazard like creates puffy bliss!

Ahhh, but there's trickery involved here too. I tucked towels underneath the headboard pillows to give them abit of added height.

One end, check! Let's focus on the foot board area now. Don't you loathe when you've made your bed it's got that caved in the center look or worse, bumps all over? I have a fix for you there too.

Here is an empty battenburg lace duvet cover I scooped up from the thrift for $3. And I want to leave it empty.

Drape the blanket off center, falling over one corner of your bed. Allow some to spill on the floor too. Crumple that lacy goodness even more, then view it in your camera. You heard me right. Just do it. Your camera picks up what you see differently than your eye. I kept messing with it until I liked what I saw.

Tip: crinkle up those sheets even more

To create more crinkles in your bedding, after washing, allow them to sit in your dryer crinkled until cool. The result? More crinkles!

To further enhance that come hither feel the bed is now portraying, I laid this once a table top now a bed tray right on top of that lacy wonder. ($1 from a garage sale)

Are ya feeling it?!? A soft sea of cotton awaits!

This bed is by far, the most fun to make ever! And it always looks great, no fuss nor muss required.

(darn that digital clock on the window sill.. wish I knew photoshop.)

Tip: odds and sods of thrifty linens does a nice bed make

Be on the lookout for all linens to coordinate, as this method exposes pretty much every layer. However they don't have to be expensive. All top linens are from the thrift, other than the Roots quilt from Sears . A well put together look does not have to cost the price of a mortgage payment. That little pillow in the center? It's a burlap sand bag from the local hardware.

The building of this bedroom is HERE.

Exhibit #2, my son's bed. All the same principles apply.

However, I did something different to this one. As I didn't wish to fuss with a blanket laying over top that would no doubt spill to the floor in this jumpy boy's room, I wanted to puff up the mid section of the bed moreso.

Such a cheater, I know.

The added towel is to transition the bed to the pillow height. In hindsight, I needed 2 or 3 more, however...

... this bed holds the same premise as my bed. Casual, lived in fun!

(Bed in a bag from Walmart. Rest of the linens from the thrift.)

See full bedroom HERE.

I have no idea how professional stagers stage 'messy' beds in magazines. However I did hear of the pillow trick on beds done at duvet stores and I vouch, it does work! I don't go to the trouble with mid section pillows on my son's bed daily, but I do all the steps in my own bedroom. Just because. :)

Other secrets to a great looking bed:

- once I stopped using a top sheet under the duvet, bed making became much less of a chore

- if you want your bedding to always look fresh, fold down the top display quilt and use a different one to actually sleep with

- tuck nightly used pillows behind front never used display pillows

These are by far, the easiest and most fun beds to make! I hereby challenge you. Shake things up abit and try a few more layers for softness and see what results!

How about you? Is the chore of bed making one of agony for you too? What's your secret to a great looking well made bed?

How to make this messy bed is HERE.

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