Want a bedroom that feels like a five-star hotel without a full remodel? Three interior designers share easy bedding swaps that make a dramatic difference in both comfort and style. The key isn’t replacing everything at once, but strategically upgrading to create an instant luxurious feel.
Rethink Your Sheets: The Foundation of Comfort
Old or mediocre sheets can make even the most stylish bedding fall flat. Designers overwhelmingly recommend upgrading your sheets first. Two materials stand out: percale and bamboo.
Laura Bebber, founder of Lark Design, champions percale for its crisp, luxurious feel. “Even an unmade bed looks photo-ready with percale sheets,” she notes, describing it as a versatile staple like “the perfect tee.”
Bamboo sheets are another top pick. Lauren Horton Designs and Grace Frederick both praise their softness, durability, and eco-friendliness. Horton says she’s been hooked on bamboo ever since switching from linen. Frederick highlights bamboo’s lustrous look, breathability, and ease of care.
The takeaway: Investing in high-quality sheets immediately upgrades your sleep experience and elevates the overall aesthetic.
The Power of a Single Lumbar Pillow
Overcrowding your bed with throw pillows can look messy. Instead, designers recommend a single lumbar or bolster pillow to instantly inject sophistication. Bebber states, “Just put a lumbar or bolster on the bed, and all of a sudden, the whole room looks luxurious.”
Horton suggests pairing a bolster with a Euro pillow (26-inch square with a flange edge) for extra polish, but even a single bolster makes a significant impact. This is also an easy way to add pattern or texture to a neutral bedding scheme.
Why it matters: A well-placed lumbar or bolster creates a curated, high-end look without the fuss of arranging multiple decorative pillows.
The Underrated Mattress Topper
A feather-down mattress topper is the final step in creating a truly luxurious sleep experience. Frederick explains, “It completely changes the experience of getting into bed—suddenly everything feels plush, layered, and hotel-worthy.”
Beyond comfort, a topper visually enhances the bed. Frederick points out that it creates the subtly overfilled, inviting look found in luxury hotels. This is a particularly effective upgrade for standard mattresses seeking that extra layer of refinement.
In short: A mattress topper transforms your bed from functional to indulgent, both physically and aesthetically.
By focusing on these three simple upgrades—high-quality sheets, a strategic lumbar pillow, and a plush mattress topper—you can elevate your bedroom from basic to bougie in an instant. The key is strategic investment in comfort and presentation, not wholesale replacement.
