Nell Hill’s Bedding Secrets: Tailoring and Textiles

Since January is the month for new resolutions, I thought I would share one of mine with you. After a busy day in the shop and an evening of family fun with my husband and three-year-old, there are few things I crave more than crawling into a beautiful and cozy bed for a good night’s rest – which is easier said than done!  I love coming home to an enticing and tidy looking bed – it not only energizes me in the morning to accomplish the small task of making it, but a well-made bed is a thing of beauty! I’d like to revamp our bedroom this year, and lucky for me, there are countless gorgeous beds to inspire me at Nell Hill’s! This goal has me thinking about all the questions I receive about how to achieve a “Nell Hill’s Bed”.  Many a bed-owner has asked how we get them to look so full and luxurious, so I’ve collected a few secrets from our bedding experts (thank you Paula and Kathy!) who create our second-floor masterpieces.   

Much like clothing, sizing matters when it comes to bedding.  You wouldn’t wear an outfit that is 2 sizes too big – your bed doesn’t want to either! Having a tailored fit for your duvet makes a world of difference in volume and comfort! One thing I find interesting (and slightly hard to believe) is that there is no industry standard for duvet sizing! So, if you order five inserts from five different places, they very well may be all slightly different sizes despite all being called a queen.  This is why we take such care in getting our measurements correct so we can order our covers to fit the duvet fill, not the other way around!  When we order inserts for our standard duvet covers, we go for the Super Queen (96”x 98”) and Super King (114”x 98”) to ensure a full and fluffy look that extends all the way to the edges.  If a customer prefers to keep an existing fill, we recommend measuring it so we can adjust our cover dimensions for the perfect fit.  This prevents the annoying problem of a sliding insert that bunches and creates flat spots. 

Once the sizing is figured out, it’s time for textiles! We typically recommend a double-sided duvet cover.  This provides flexibility if you want to switch up your look periodically without completely new bedding and gives the option of an unexpected pop of pattern when you fold down your cover.  Nothing adds texture like pattern mixing!

Another area where size creates a big difference is in the pillows.  Throw pillows give height, depth and elegance to your bed and are very important in creating a fully decked out final product. Typically, we design with three layers of decorative pillows, starting with two Euro pillows (three if it’s a king bed) that are 27”x 27” to create the perfect backdrop along with the headboard.  Our next two layers are rows of 24”x 24” pillows to create the depth that makes a bed seem to cozy and inviting.  If you want even more flair, a front accent pillow in the middle is the perfect cherry on top!

When it comes to choosing pillow textiles, it’s ok (and encouraged) to have fun with it! Personal preferences dictate whether you even use the same fabric as your duvet cover – it’s not mandatory! We are constantly switching and rearranging our pillows upstairs to create new and exciting combinations.  As a rule of thumb, it can be helpful to start out with a calm and neutral Euro pillow to create a strong backdrop, but then let the creativity flow! Your front rows of pillows can be swapped for a breath of fresh air whenever needed!

There is so much that goes into a strong bed design I feel like I will need to do a part two (or even three) to cover it all.  However, these sizing and textile tips are the base of what makes our bedding look the way it does! Until next time – happy decorating!