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Create a Winter Bedscape

© Michael Vyskocil

Feathering Your Winter Nest

There's nothing like a cozy bed to take the chill off a snowy winter's night. This time of year, our beds are probably one of the most sought-after pieces of furniture in our home, next to our favorite easy chair. When you're not sleeping in it, there are ways to give your bed a charming pick-me-up this winter. The well-dressed winter bed begins with the right foundations.

Cotton flannel is the warm and cozy fabric of choice for a winter bed. It absorbs moisture and gets softer with age. For a long-lasting sheet, purchase the highest thread count - the number of stitches woven into a square inch of fabric - that you can afford (we recommend at least a 200-thread count).

Increase your "snuggle factor" with a feather bed. Look for one with a baffled or channeled construction, so feathers are evenly distributed. To keep it from soiling, tuck the feather bed into its own cover, like a big pillowcase. Or simply place it under an extra-deep fitted sheet to hold it in place.

A duvet, or comforter, does the job of a top sheet, blanket, and bedspread. Purchase one that is feather-filled and is 18 inches wider than the mattress so it spills over the edges of the bed and the top of the bedskirt.

You can stitch a duvet cover with two flat sheets and a few buttons. Here's how:

Purchase sheets one size larger than your bed. (The finished size should be about 18 inches wider and 9 inches longer than your mattress.) Lay sheets flat with wrong sides together, make a mark every four inches along 3 sides of the sheets, about 1 inch in from the outer edge. Sew on a button at each mark, stitching it through both sheets. On the unstitched end of the cover (this will be tucked into the foot of the bed,) sew on snaps. Tuck duvet into cover and snap closed.

Top Off Your Bed With a Pillowscape

Start with two 26-inch-square pillows called, "Eurosquare" pillows. These will provide support for sitting up in bed. Next, tuck king-size pillows into colorful shams. Create a visual transition with standard pillows covered in decorative pillowcases. Finally, make an elongated neck roll pillow by rolling up two long neck roll forms into a fabric remnant or vintage tablecloth. Secure the ends with a ribbon or fabric tie.

Buying Guide

Gingham check duvet cover - Wamsutta, 800-537-0115.

Eyelet bed skirt - Cuddledown of Maine, 800-323-6793.

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