3 Practical, Simple, Comfy Bedding Combos We’re Loving for Fall

It’s September (I know, WILD) and with fall knocking on our doors, getting cozy is basically my top home priority. So today I want to talk about the importance of a cozy bed, the easiest way to make it, and how to choose the perfect bedding. At this point in my styling career, I can say that I am a bed-making (styling) expert, just like my parents dreamt for me as a child. All of those years of chores weren’t for nothing! But like anything, when you’ve done something for years and when you’ve made HUNDREDS of cozy looking beds, you forget that it’s not that simple for everyone. There are a million ways to make a bed look inviting, but I want to tell you my NO-FAIL formula that hits the mark every. single. time. But before you learn how to make a bed look so good you just want to jump in and ruin it…you need the right bedding.

I know that we’ve talked a lot about adding more color into our homes this year but your bed can (and maybe should?) be exempt. Lately, I’ve been finding myself pinning a ton of textural neutrals – the kinds of things that will work just as well in a bedroom today as they will in 5 years, no matter what decor style I end up transitioning to next. (Any bets on the style of the new house???) Right now, I’m a big cheerleader for bedding that’s simple, practical, and sustainable. 

There really isn’t anything like a neutral-toned bed, full of luxurious textures. I’m getting sleepy just thinking about it! (The good kind, of course). I think most of it comes from really wanting a calm place to retreat at the end of the day – so if you’re in this same boat and just want to feel like you’re collapsing into a hotel bed at night, I AM HERE TO HELP. We could all use a bit more relaxation in our lives about now…right?

The Formula

My go-to formula for styling my bed this fall is so simple and I promise you’ll be able to pull this off in your own home. There are a lot of ways to make your bed – and we’ve written about a lot of them before – but we’re going with the low-maintenance, I woke up like this plan for Fall 2020. Ready? (Also, in case you’re interested, all the pieces in today’s post can be found right here.)

Sheet setDuvet (yes, and use the matching standard-sized sham)Accent pillowLumbar pillowTextured throw

This is a formula that ALWAYS WORKS and is actually so simple and minimal, while making the bed look pulled together and cozy. Hand me the Pulitzer Prize, please.

The key here, though, is the texture. Neutral bedding and simple styling can run the risk of being a little boring and one-note without lots of texture. The chambray sheets, the waffle-knit blanket, the gauzy duvet cover, the knit pillow above – it all just screams hey, come on in. Take a little nap here. New-to-me brand, Boll & Branch does this type of simple, keep-forever, mix and match bedding SO RIGHT, and they graciously partnered with Team EHD so we could play designer again and get our styling legs back under us. (Shoots? Reveals?? What are those??)

“Hot

When it comes to neutral textures, layer them on. Unlike colorful patterns, you don't have to worry about layered textures competing. The more you've got the more organic and cozy your bed will look and feel.

Pillows

You may or may not know this about me but I tend to skip the euro sham (the big square ones) and head straight for the “sleeping pillows.” They make the bed look more modern and relaxed but still pulled together. So just get four pillow inserts (king-size are always my personal favorite option, even in a smaller bed). And for this shoot, we kept it simple with just two types of accent pillows…and I mean, look how inviting that bed looks.

The chunky knit pillow here has that beautiful bold texture and perfectly complements the Boll & Branch lumbar pillow’s simple embroidery. You can see that they don’t compete for attention. Also, let me say again that a lumbar is truly the unsung hero of any bed situation – they can polish up any bedding combo instantly. My love for them has been well documented.

And let’s not forget to mention that with this pillow strategy, it’s just less to assemble in the morning. This means you’re actually more likely to make your bed and get to experience that ahhhh moment when you curl up every night.

Hot Tip

A large lumbar pillow is the easiest way to achieve bed styling perfection without adding 6 extra pillows to your bed (because we all know those extra decor pillows end up on the side of the bed every night anyways). Boll & Branch sells a perfectly sized 14 x 34 lumbar insert, with several different and pretty covers to instantly make your bed look styled every morning.

Blankets

When it comes to picking your own duvet/blanket combo, we have a rule of thumb for that, too: we usually go for a “fluffy” duvet or comforter with a “flatter” blanket. Double points if the “patterns” can speak to each other in some way like these did – the smaller scale waffle-knit and the larger scale window-pane both look like they’re in the same family…but they’re cousins, not sisters. It was also so easy for us to mix colors within this tonal, neutral palate. Oatmeal? Sand? Chambray? White? Gray? EVERYTHING WE PLAYED WITH WORKED TOGETHER, which made styling so fun. (10/10 for color curation, Boll & Branch.) Ah, we missed shooting new things for you! 

It’s also so easy to make your bed look super inviting: just fold the comforter/duvet (and potential flat sheet, even though you don’t need one) forward far enough that it clears the back “sleeping” pillows. It does NOT have to clear your decorative/accent pillows, in fact, it is better if they’re layered on top, thus bridging those two surfaces. This adds depth and texture…plus, if your fitted sheet is a pattern or color, then it pops out more which is more fun. It’s like the cuff of a sleeve underneath your sweater – it’s just a little spice of something else that makes it look interesting.

As a side note, we’re also huge fans of how gauzy, soft, and natural Boll & Branch’s bedding is. When you’re working with textured bedding, you don’t have to worry about wrinkles – they’re PART of the charm. The brand did an awesome job at crafting these ideal base pieces that are so easy to throw on your bed and go – there’s no fuss. (And honestly, that’s perfect – seeing as the Henderson household has a no-fuss policy.)

Besides being genuinely comfortable (if you can’t tell by the literal cat nap happening above), a majority of Boll & Branch’s products are ethically made from fair trade, 100% organic cotton. If you’re curious, you can read all about the many efforts they’re making to build ethics and sustainability into every part of their process here. This bedding was not only great to shoot but after a quick test drive, we can wholeheartedly say it is COZY and LUXE. Since we are now huge fans, we didn’t want the bedding combos to end here.

P.S. Boll & Branch has graciously offered to take 20% off your order with the code EMILY20 and the first 20 orders will receive a free Adirondack blanket with their purchase. This is better than their Labor Day Sale offer, so if you’re in the mood for some new super-soft bedding, the timing has never been better