More than somewhere to sleep

Mitch talks about styling a bed! How colour, texture and a little thought can make your bed the focus of the room.

“A well-styled bed can really bring the whole room together,” Mitch tells Insider Style.

Of all the items in a bedroom, nothing draws the eye faster than the bed.

No matter the artworks, curtains, paint scheme or lighting, the bed will usually be the biggest item in the room and the one that gets the most attention.

And with a little care, says Block All Star Mitch, it can bring a wow factor most people never imagined.

“A well-styled bed can really bring the whole room together,” Mitch says.

“It can tie the paint or paper, the other furnishings, art, everything and it’s really not that hard.”

"Pared-back elegance," is how we hear Neale Whitaker describe this stunning Master Bedroom by Mitch and Mark.

The first step, Mitch says, is to choose the bedding colour palette – neutral is a great place to start.

“If you want flexibility the easiest thing to do used to have a beautiful white duvet as a base,” he says.

“You can literally go whatever direction you want on top of that and match any décor.

Second, he says, place the fitted sheet and top sheet on the bed, with the top sheet pulled right to the top and not folded back.

Over that, lay your duvet in its cover.

“A good tip here is to get a duvet and cover one size larger than the bed,” Mitch says.

“If you have a queen size bed for example, used a king size duvet.

“That way it’ll have a much more generous feel and look – and it’ll cover the mattress right down to the bed frame.”

Make sure the duvet cover is as wrinkle free as possible, Mitch adds.

Iron it if it needs it or at least line dry so the majority of wrinkles will disappear.

“A bit relaxed is fine, but it's another thing to be a total mess,” Mitch says.



Neale Whitaker has put his hand up for bed styling tips from Mitch! Look at those impeccable layers.

Now decide which throws you’re going to use.

Again, plain white is a great start, says Mitch, and they should be placed across the top of the bed, roughly in the top third.

“Don't put them at the tail end of the bed,” Mitch says, “that's done and finished! We're doing everything at the top of the bed now!”

The throws can neatly folded for a more sophisticated, elegant look or scrunched up for a more relaxed vibe and layers can be added – which is where the colour comes in.

“When you create your layers, it’s really whatever works for you and whatever colours you like,” Mitch says.

“But be mindful this is a chance to tie the room together.”

A green throw for example, can be a link to green in a bedroom artwork, it can accent a green cushion or even just bring a reminder of a green view through the bedroom window, a subtle hint that the room is part of a bigger home.

“Cushions are good for that too, but we’ll get to them in a moment!” Mitch says.



"A green cushion or even just bring a reminder of a green view through the bedroom window, a subtle hint that the room is part of a bigger home," Mitch says.

Different textures are a great way to make the throws pop too, Mitch says, with a plain linen throw layered with a textured woollen throw then a waffle blanket a great example.

“If your palette is for example grey and a soft pink, one of those throws could be in grey and another in pink,” he says. “And by alternating between neatly folded and casually thrown, symmetrical and asymmetrical, you can get a lot of different moods.”

Once the throws are laid, fold the duvet back from the top so the edge is just reaching the first of the throws.

And then fold down the top sheet so it’s almost to the edge of the duvet.

“Leave a little bit of the duvet exposed so you create another layer even if it's white on white it's a subtle layer,” Mitch says, “And then pillows!”

"Forget the pillow chop," that’s an idea that’s past its use-by date, Mitch warns!

Start with the pillows for sleeping – in the same colour as the sheets – right at the bedhead and standing on their edge.

In front of them, Mitch recommends a pair of larger European pillows, then a row of the more regular sized pillows again.

“So, to use that “pink and grey” example again, you might have a soft pink Euro pillow in front of the “bed Pillows – the ones you will sleep on - then another regular size grey pillow in front of that to pick up another one of the colours that you've used with the throws,” he says.

“And then you might have a few occasional pillows if needed. Maybe a round pillow for example and a rectangular pillow, just sort of mix it up, overlap and overlay things to create a bit of texture and fun, just play around until it works for you!”

And forget the “chop” where some stylists position their pillows then smack the centre to create two “ears” on the corners. Like bottom-bed throws, that’s an idea that’s past its use by date, Mitch warns!

But once again, do remember the occasional cushions can be where you pick up the colour palette of the room and tie things together.

“You don't want to have a colour in a room that's just left hanging on its own,” Mitch says, “you've got to try and tie it in, so when you put in your bed together that's a great chance to be mindful of a colour in your drapes or a colour in an artwork or in the walls or in your bed lamps.

“A throw or a pillow on the bed is a good place to reflect that colour so that it anchors the piece to the room."

“That doesn't mean if you've got a painting on the wall with seven colours in it you need colours on the bed, you don't need to be that obvious, but if you pick one and use that on the bed and it will bring things together."

“It sounds like a lot of steps, but it’s not and you can make a huge difference to the whole room with just a few minutes work.

“Have a play and see for yourself!”

Check out Mitch and Mark’s bed styling video tutorials HERE 


Follow Mitch and Mark's Block journey HERE