How to mix and match bedding

Revamping your sleep space is as easy as mixing and matching cushions, bed sheets and quilts to customise a bedding look that's bursting with personality. From bold colour combos to clashing prints, here are six tips for creating the bed of your dreams.

1. Go monochrome

Sticking to a single colour will guarantee cohesion as you play with various patterns. Start with solid bed sheets and layer with a printed bedspread set and patterned throw blanket cast in the same tone. It's best to mix motifs of varying scales to stop the prints from blending together and appearing too busy.

2. Start with stripes

Almost any print, from ditsy florals to tropical palms, plays well with the linear design of stripes, so if you want to dip your toe into the art of clashing patterns, pair pinstriped bed sheets or a nautical throw cushion with your favourite motif for a safe starting point.


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3. Consider intensity

Mixing lots of block colours is a fun way to jazz up your bed, and an easy way to get the look right is by choosing hues of similar intensity. Think warm colours together, bright colours together and pastels together. You can still pair a pink quilt cover, blue bed sheets and a yellow cushion, but a muted version of all these hues are more likely to sit well together than, say, soft eggshell blue, vibrant magenta and earthy mustard.

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4. Unify with colour

If you'd prefer to mix prints featuring multiple colours, harmonise the look by choosing patterned pieces that share at least one common hue—it doesn't need to be the dominant colour in every print! For a little breathing space, you can always break up the busyness with solid cushions.

5. Work texture in a neutral room

If your bedroom vibe is all neutral everything, don't feel obliged to embrace bright colours to amp up your look. Instead, lean into different textures across a fringed blanket or embroidered cushions that will add depth to shades of cream and beige, as well as inject a welcome dose of cosiness. For more tips on how to prepare your bed for the cool change, check out our guide on how to make your bed warm and cosy.

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6. Add a beadhead

Give your bed the royal treatment by adding a statement bedhead. A velvet bedhead can ground printed bed linen while ushering in opulent texture, while a rattan bedhead creates its own woven pattern that's perfect for pairing with natural linen textures. Reusable decals that stick to the wall are great for adding a touch of whimsy to little kids' beds.