We are often asked for our advice on how best to stage a bed whether it is for a shop floor display or property staging and we’re only to happy to pass on some of the tips we’ve picked up over the 30+ (combined!) years we’ve been working with bed linen.
1. Launder
The first trick, and it may seem obvious, is to launder the bed linen! Pure cotton especially looks much better after it has been washed. This will not only remove any lose particles which may be left from the weaving and sewing processes but will also refresh the fabric after it has been compressed ready for packaging. If possible, remove from the washing machine and shake out any creases before hanging as flat as possible to dry.
2. Press
Before the fabric is completely dry, begin to iron out any creases. This is possibly the most important step so it is worth taking your time especially if you will be photographing the staged bed as bed linen photos can show creases which seem invisible to the naked eye! Fitted sheets can be further pressed once they are on the mattress but please check the fabrics underneath before beginning.
3. Volume
Creating the look of an inviting and comfortable bed also requires volume … and lots of it. Consider a mattress topper to add softness and volume to the mattress. Customers will want to look under the duvet, and we all know the temptation to test a mattress with a gentle push! A topper will make it feel so much more inviting. Make sure that your fitted sheet has an extra deep box depth which will cover both the mattress and the topper.
Pillows should again be plump and full and, if possible, use a ‘firm fill’. Give each pillow a good shake holding the corners of the pillow casing. Not only will this make the pillows look plumper, but they will also sit better on the finished bed.
Think about using a duvet one size bigger than the bed so if you are staging a double bed then select a king size duvet. Again, the duvet should be the fullest possible so aim to use a 13.5 tog or, better still, double up and fill the duvet cover with two 10.5 tog duvets. Alternatively, to offer a little more interest to the display, use two coordinating duvet cover designs layered over each other, each filled with a 13.5 tog duvet.
4. Display
How to display the bed is very much a designer’s personal preference but consider pulling the duvet down over the end of the bed until it is a little off the floor to further create the illusion of luxury and fullness. This also then leaves a convenient area at the top of the bed where you can showcase an array of pillows and coordinating cushions whilst giving a glimpse of the fitted sheet and luxuriously full mattress and topper combination underneath.