Bedroom Styling: How to Make Your Bed Look Hotel-Quality

There's something deeply satisfying about a well-made bed. Walking into a luxury hotel room, the bed immediately draws your eye—crisp linens, perfectly arranged pillows, everything smooth and inviting. It transforms a bedroom from merely functional to genuinely restful.

The good news? Achieving this look at home doesn't require a housekeeping degree or expensive equipment. It's mostly technique, and once you know the methods, you can transform your bed in minutes each morning.

Start With Quality Basics

Before diving into techniques, let's address materials. Hotel-quality appearance starts with hotel-quality basics:

Fitted sheets that fit: A fitted sheet that's too small will pop off corners; too large, and it bunches. Measure your mattress depth and buy accordingly. Deep-pocket fitted sheets are essential for modern, thicker mattresses.

Crisp flat sheets: Hotels typically use percale cotton for its crisp, smooth appearance. Sateen works too, offering a slight sheen. Whatever you choose, ensure it's properly sized—slightly oversize flat sheets are easier to tuck neatly.

Matching sets: For the classic hotel look, sheets, pillowcases, and doona cover should match or coordinate. Crisp white is the quintessential hotel choice, but soft neutrals work equally well.

The Foundation: Hospital Corners

The hospital corner is the signature technique of professional bed-making. It creates tight, neat corners on flat sheets and blankets that stay tucked throughout the night.

How to Make Hospital Corners

1. Lay the flat sheet over the fitted sheet, with equal overhang on both sides
2. At the foot of the bed, tuck the sheet under the mattress
3. Move to one corner. Lift the side edge of the sheet about 30cm from the corner, creating a diagonal fold
4. Hold this fold against the mattress with one hand
5. With your other hand, tuck the hanging fabric under the mattress
6. Drop the diagonal fold and tuck that under too, creating a crisp 45-degree corner
7. Repeat on the other corner

The result is a tight, envelope-like corner that won't come untucked. Hotels use this technique on every layer—flat sheet, blankets, and bedspreads.

Layering Like a Professional

Hotel beds typically feature multiple layers, each contributing to the finished look:

Layer 1: Fitted Sheet

Pull completely smooth, with no wrinkles. Take time to stretch and tuck it firmly under the mattress on all sides.

Layer 2: Flat Sheet

Place with the "wrong" side up so when folded back, the finished side shows. This is how hotels achieve that polished fold at the top. Tuck with hospital corners at the foot, leave sides untucked about two-thirds up for easy entry.

Layer 3: Blanket or Doona

For the classic hotel look, use a blanket with hospital corners, topped by a decorative cover or quilt. Alternatively, use a doona in a crisp cover, positioned about 15cm from the headboard.

Layer 4: Decorative Layer

This might be a bed runner (that decorative strip across the foot), a folded throw, or a decorative blanket. It adds visual interest and luxury.

Pillow Arrangement

Pillows are where many home beds fall short of hotel polish. The key is quantity, consistency, and arrangement.

The Standard Hotel Arrangement

Hotels typically use four to six pillows per bed, arranged in layers:

Back row: Two to three Euro shams (large square pillows, typically 65cm × 65cm) stand against the headboard. These are primarily decorative but can be used for reading in bed.

Middle row: Two sleeping pillows in matching pillowcases, placed in front of the Euro shams. These are your actual sleeping pillows.

Front row (optional): Two decorative cushions or a single bolster for accent. These add colour or texture but are removed for sleeping.

Pillow Placement Tips

• All pillows should be fluffed and standing upright, not flopped over
• Sleeping pillows typically lie flat; decorative pillows stand upright
• Ensure matching pillows are the same size and equally fluffed
• For a modern look, use fewer pillows but choose high-quality, well-filled ones

The Finishing Touches

The Fold-Back

Hotels fold the flat sheet and doona/blanket back together about 15-20cm from the headboard. This shows the sheet's finished edge and creates an inviting look. The fold should be sharp and even across the entire width.

Smoothing and Tucking

Run your hands across all surfaces to smooth wrinkles. Tuck any visible edges neatly. The goal is clean, straight lines—nothing bunched or rumpled.

The Bed Runner

That strip of fabric across the foot of the bed serves both decorative and practical purposes (protecting the duvet from shoes). If using one, centre it precisely and ensure ends hang evenly on both sides.

Maintaining the Look

A beautifully made bed only matters if you maintain it:

Make your bed daily: Even a quick straighten each morning keeps things looking good and makes thorough weekly making easier.

Wash regularly: Fresh sheets look and feel better. Pillows get fluffier after washing (if washable) or a tumble in the dryer with tennis balls.

Iron if needed: For truly crisp linens, ironing sheets and pillowcases makes a noticeable difference. Hotels steam or press everything.

Replace tired pillows: Flat, lumpy pillows can't be styled to look good. If your pillows don't spring back when folded, it's time for new ones.

Adapting for Different Bed Styles

The techniques above assume a traditional headboard arrangement. For other setups:

Platform beds without headboards: Use Euro shams or a pillow stack against the wall. Consider a wall-mounted padded panel for visual anchor.

Four-poster beds: The same layering applies, but keep decorative elements simpler so they don't compete with the bed frame.

Daybeds: Arrange as a couch during the day with Euro shams and bolster pillows along the back and sides.

Why It Matters

Beyond aesthetics, a well-made bed contributes to better sleep and wellbeing. Making your bed creates a sense of accomplishment first thing in the morning. A tidy bedroom reduces visual stress and helps your brain associate the space with rest.

Plus, there's the simple pleasure of getting into a properly made bed at night—smooth sheets, plump pillows, everything exactly where it should be.

For more on creating the perfect sleep environment, see our guide to optimising your bedroom for better rest.