Bed in a bag….we’ve all had them as some point in our lives, right?! They’re cheap and easy, but can unfortunately can look it. But don’t let that stop you from buying one that you happen to fall in love with!
I’m going to give you some tips to make sure your bed in a bag doesn’t look like a $100 set, but rather looks expensive and put together.
Honestly, there are some super cute bed in a bag sets and it seems they’re getting better every year.
But some look so matchy-matchy that it’s hard to know how to pull that into the rest of the room…and my suggestion, don’t.
Pick one or the other
Kids rooms are notorious for picking one theme and decorating every square inch of the room with Disney Princesses or Thomas the Train. There’s nothing wrong with that if that’w what you like and you’re ok with updated their bedroom every year. Many parents want to decorate their kids rooms with things they love, but know that they won’t like the same things in a year from now. And, if you’re not careful the whole room can look very matchy-matchy and overwhelming quickly.
In the photo above, they chose to use a wall mural instead of a mural and a princess bedding set. The bedding is pretty neutral with some accent pieces to break up the color a bit. By giving the eye a rest it’s able to focus on the wall art. It’s not distracting or overwhelming.
This bed in a bag collection was paired with matching curtains. Although this bedding collection “goes together” it looks tacky, generic, and cheap. There is no anchor, or accent pieces so your eyes goes all over the place and it’s distracting.
It would look much better using solid curtains with matching solid pillows and a couple accent pillows. I would also used a solid quilt on the edge of the bed to “tie in” all the solids.
Here is a design I put together to explain a little more what I’m talking about. If you’re choosing a patterned bed in a bag (like above), I would recommend doing the same thing noted above, but break up the colors by using solid accent pieces. Is this starting to make sense? I hope so.
In this example, I am using a solid black bed in a bag. To help the room from feeling cheap and “matchy-matchy” while using bed in a bag, add in other elements that are of different patterns and textures. Think of the bed in a bag as the main elements and everything else as the accents that will compliment it. I added in crisp white sheets + pillow cases, artwork, accent pillows, lighting, and curtains that all compliment (rather than fight against) the bedding.
If you’re into neutrals, that’s the easiest. Just get a while bedding set and add in some accent pillows. You can incorporate a little color if you choose to and patterns of your choice.
(Check out my Complete Bedroom Decorating Guide how to to mix patterns)
Typically, the bed is the focal point in a bedroom. Choose to highlight your bed with a colorful headboard rather than a bedding set. Let the accessories and accent pieces come together based off your headboard. I love the funky eclectic vibe in this room.
Here is another example of using a solid bedding set and incorporating different patterns and textures to compliment the room.
The key is to find items that compliment your bedding set, rather than compete with them.
If you’re still unsure, I would suggest looking at Pottery Barn for inspiration. They have great resources to help you along the way.
I also love PBTEEN. They have gorgeous inspirational photos. And honestly, I don’t even care that it’s intended for teens. I think they do a great job “breaking up” their sets so they aren’t matchy-matchy.
Find designers you love
Betsey Johnson can do no wrong in my eyes. I love her style and all of her collections. So my last piece of advice is to find designers you love and buy their collections or look to them for inspiration.