Whether you can't find the exact furniture piece you've imagined in your head, or you're trying to furnish a slightly awkward space, we've all been tempted a time or two by the allure of a stylish DIY. However, a burl wood nightstand with a white marble top? I had to do a double-take when I read that this was actually built with IKEA furniture.

The typical IKEA hack usually involves a unique arrangement of BILLY bookcases or HAVASTA cabinets and a coat of paint, maybe some peel-and-stick molding if we are getting fancy. So when I saw burl wood and marble, my first thought was 'this is going to be intensive.' And while it does take some effort, the creator who made these nightstands using IKEA's EKET drawers, Clare Leith, says, "I won't pretend it doesn't require patience; it absolutely does," but the payoff is a one-of-a-kind, expensive-looking bedside table. "It's one of those projects that feels so rewarding when it comes together, I genuinely feel so happy and satisfied every time I wake up and see them," Clare adds.

So, if you've been wanting to score some beautiful burl wood decor pieces for your interior, but are working with a tighter budget, take this as your sign to give this IKEA nightstand hack a chance. A little elbow grease always results in a more personalized space.

As with most hacks and easy home DIYs, this burl wood and marble nightstand project was born out of necessity. Clare Leith explains, "We'd bought a bed with an extended headboard and quite a low profile, and I was desperate to find bedside tables that matched both dimensions — nothing too tall, and wide enough to sit flush with the headboard." Simple in theory, but difficult in practice.

"I'd seen beautiful pieces from homeware brands like Soho Home (the stunning Warwick Bedside Table comes instantly to mind), but it felt silly to spend that kind of money on something that still wasn't quite right for our specific space in terms of shape and size," adds Clare.

Going custom is the best way to ensure your home pieces fit both aesthetically and functionally. And while the personality of burl wood furniture has definitely gained popularity over the past year's interior design trends, this particular IKEA piece feels unique.

"What I found interesting was that nobody seemed to have done anything quite like this before with the IKEA drawer," shares Clare. So to begin the process, "I ended up down a rabbit hole of tutorials from men veneering speakers, trawling through comment sections to learn from other people's mistakes so I could avoid the same pitfalls myself." How did it go? Well, more on that below.

What You Will Need

The main thing to note about this DIY is that you'll be working with wood veneer and a marble slab if you choose to follow Clare's exact steps. "There were definitely some challenges to perfectly applying the veneer, and of course, as bedside tables come in pairs, you'll have to make two!" says Clare. "But the second one was noticeably easier and quicker."

Below is a list of everything you'll need to prep and plan for your nightstand DIY project.

• IKEA EKET drawers in walnut
• Wood veneer of your choice
• A marble tile to fit the top (IKEA has a marble effect wall panel, or you could use marble contact paper)
• Contact adhesive
• A foam roller and tray
• A small water spray bottle
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• A pair of scissors (most likely a pair already in the drawer)
• A weight (anything heavy enough around the house could do!)
• A flat board to iron on (a plank of wood works best)
• An inexpensive iron (pro tip: the wood stain can transfer onto it, so don't use one you love)

After you have your equipment sorted, all that's left is putting in the time. The burl wood veneer will be your biggest challenge. As Clare says, "Getting the burl veneer flat enough was tough, though I did get the hang of it after a few attempts."

Burl wood is naturally knotty, which creates an uneven surface that needs some serious ironing out to make it flat. "The method I found worked best was to spray both sides of the veneer generously with water and leave it to absorb for five to ten minutes, then spray again so it's thoroughly hydrated," says Clare.

With your iron on the move at all times, work over both sides, flipping and repeating until the veneer is completely dry. Then "immediately place it under a flat piece of wood from your IKEA set with a weight on top for five minutes, and the moment you lift it, roll on the adhesive straight away before it has any chance to start curling again," says Clare. It's not that it's exponentially hard, but that it takes patience.

The top tip is to make sure the veneer is bone dry before applying the adhesive; if there's any residual moisture, it can shrink slightly once it's on the furniture. Then secondly, "the veneer can be brittle when dry, so when trimming the edges, take it slowly with a sharp pair of scissors," adds Clare. But above all, enjoy it, because on the other side is a beautiful pair of bedside tables to style with all of your favorite things.

Then you simply add the marble top and voila!

IKEA furniture hacks are the quickest way to make your interior feel more customized and personal, and even though this one isn't too intensive, it still requires a bit of effort.

And if you really can't be bothered with a DIY, then of course, there are ways to shop the burl wood nightstands ready-made.

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The pandemic and subsequent era of WFH may have been six years ago, now, but I still don't think I've properly worked out how to squeeze a desk inside my tiny apartment. I should have guessed the solution would come from IKEA. Recently, I found myself enamored with a bookcase that, in seconds, extends into a desk or table. Then, when no longer needed, the leaf just as easily folds back up into the frame, no mess and no fuss.

It was Dana Been, owner of a 135-square-foot studio apartment in Amsterdam, who set me onto it. She turned IKEA's cult BILLY bookcase into perhaps the most luxe-looking convertible table you’ve ever seen, complete with a new paint job, colorful Dutch-inspired decor, and a funky table lamp to match.

As a freelance design writer, I am particularly interested in these handy solutions, especially the rare option that presents new and exciting ways to improve both my remote work experience and interiors in one fell swoop. Eager to know more, I got to speak to Dana myself, asking her for all the ins and outs of this clever IKEA hack and whether she'd recommend the small-space-savvy furniture piece.

Unsurprisingly, Dana's overall review of the bookcase-table-crossover was quite positive. "What I love the most about IKEA's BILLY is that it’s multifunctional and a good solution for people who live in small homes or people who work from home and who easily want to hide their workstation," she told me. "For students, this would also be a great solution to add to a student dorm/room."

I was particularly interested in whether setup and "breakdown," for lack of a better term, were as simple as Dana made it out to be online: when extended, does this piece really fold up that quickly and easily?

She insisted that yes, the convertible portion is genuinely as easy to maneuver as her videos make it seem, thanks to the handy wheels on the bottom of the piece. It really does take mere seconds to both arrange and take down.

Of course, there are downsides here too, the biggest being that the BILLY is not adjustable, which means it might not work for everyone. If you find yourself needing some hyper-specific accommodations at your work desk, maybe steer clear.

"It is not an ergonomic desk, and IKEA also does not claim it is one," Dana adds. "Luckily, for my height, the desk works."

The second drawback is the lack of desk storage. For me, for instance, my work desk doubles as a place to keep tax papers, stray charging cables, and the odd bit of post after the holidays have come and gone. That wouldn't be the case if the BILLY were your primary workstation — especially as it folds away at the end of the day.

But, if that bothers you, though, "an easy fix for that is to add the IKEA FJÄDERHARV drawers, [which is] where I put my electronics, workpapers, pencils, notebooks, etc.," Dana offered.

On styling, Dana suggests making the BILLY your own, just as she did. For lighting, "adding a bold statement lamp on top is not only practical, but also gives a nice dynamic touch," Dana suggested. For the shelves, "I used sculptures, cups, and candles to make it visually interesting."

Dressing up the area around the bookcase can also elevate the piece itself. Dana, for instance, opted to add the BLODLÖNN reflective tiles from IKEA on the wall above to make the corner of her room look bigger (mirrors are one of the living room styling tricks).

You can also paint your bookcase, just like Dana did, but "preparation is everything!" she insists. (Livingetc's design writer, Olivia Wolfe, has also previously shared her lessons from painting IKEA's BILLY Bookshelves.)

"Make sure you use high-quality furniture paint and clean/degrease the BILLY thoroughly," Dana adds. "Sanding it before painting is often recommended, but I personally skipped that step."

Above all, be patient. "Apply thin layers and let them dry properly in between sessions," Dana said. "This way, you get an even, silky finish without weird streaks. You can add a topcoat on the spots that get a lot of wear and tear, like the top and side of the desk, where the paint can get chipped off."

It's a bit of effort, sure — but once you're done, you'll have a fully personalized and optimized piece at a fraction of the price.

Shop Stylish Alternatives

Perhaps the convertible BILLY isn't available in your region, or maybe it's just not right for your space — no matter. Consider instead one of the equally stylish and functional alternatives I've sourced below.

Is all this talk about small spaces activating your inner Marie Kondo? Never fear; Livingetc has got plenty of advice on the art of decluttering and minimalism, and it's yours for the taking. Just in time for spring cleaning!

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Well, if this isn't the cleverest thing I've seen in a long time. I'm all about making the things around my home 'double as art', and the latest? Professional DIY-er, Dalia Emad Aly, has gone viral for her super simple hack — that uses an IKEA magnetic knife-rack, no less — to transform her prayer mat into a work of art on the wall, while still making it easy to pull off and use during prayer time.

Inspired by the resurgence of 15th-century tapestries in modern interiors, it makes a feature of your beautiful, often handcrafted prayer mat, and what's not to love about that? Plus, even if not for artistic reasons, it also solves any struggles with space and organization. I usually hang my prayer mat over a chair, but when I need to use the chair, it goes on the bed, and once it’s time to pray, it’s back on the floor. Not ideal.

To find out a little bit more about how she came up with the idea for this ingenious IKEA hack, as well as her step-by-step guide to recreating it in your own space, I spoke to Dalia, and here's what she shared.

“I’ve always felt like we have such beautiful prayer rugs that we only take out to pray and then put away, and at the same time we decorate with non-functional tapestries, so I’ve been thinking about hanging up my praying rug as a tapestry for the longest time,” Dalia tells me. “At the same time, I want to attach and detach in a way that wouldn’t feel difficult for me to do five times a day, and that’s when I came up with the magnet idea.”

In the end, it was quite simple, though Dalia admits it took a few trials and errors to make it work both on and off the floor using IKEA's KUNGSFORS Magnetic Knife Rack. This is step-by-step how she did it:

1. Buy IKEA's KUNGSFORS Magnetic Knife Rack or similar (see below).
2. Attach it to your wall using Command Strips (available on Amazon). (Dalia did mention that it might not stay up forever, but this way is more renter-friendly. For something more secure, consider drilling the rack into your wall.)
3. Attach four flat steel brackets (available on Amazon) along the top of the rug using a rivet gun (also available on Amazon). This ensures the rug can still lie flat. "I fastened four of the brackets to the rug, just to make sure that the magnet could really hold the weight of the rug," adds Dalia.

And, if you didn't already know, this isn't the first IKEA trick Dalia has up her sleeve. She regularly wows the world with her clever, cost-effective ideas — just take this IKEA flower box she transformed into a coffee table, for example.

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It may be the fact that I write for a magazine for a living (who could say), but I'm always on the hunt for stylish ways to display the many, many glossies I've got in my home. I've had the image at the top of this article, a living room by Atelier Karasinki, pinned on my moodboard for a while now — the leaning magazine display looks so luxe. And then, I came across an IKEA hack for it.

While I love traditional magazine racks that sit on the floor, mine is stuffed full. Truthfully, the magazines don't get read anymore, and the covers are squished away and out-of-sight. With a tall, front-facing magazine shelf, your paperbacks get a renewed place of prominence and can become a styling point in your space. This way, your magazines can become almost something to hang on your wall instead of art.

So, how hard is the DIY? If you're like me, there's nothing more annoying than a project that gets so complicated it might as well have been a custom job. I'm happy to report that this is not one of those, and in fact, I will be trying it out for myself as soon as I can find the time. Here's what you need to know.

I spoke with Stephany Hana, the designer and mastermind behind this magazine rack IKEA DIY, and she explained that it came about while trying to find an impactful shelving idea for an office space on a teeny-tiny budget.

"We wanted a way to display books, magazines, and awards, so I initially looked for suitable shelving," she tells me. "When I couldn't find anything beautiful on the market, I decided to design and create a custom piece myself."

"Since the space was tight, I wanted something with minimal depth," she adds. "I started thinking about ledges, and then came up with the idea of mounting them on a panel." The result is a true statement piece — almost like a work of art itself — that still serves a functional purpose.

For this project, Stephany used an IKEA tabletop like the LAGKAPTEN, typically designed for desks, with MOSSLANDA picture ledges. While the black colorway she used is no longer available, it's easy to paint IKEA furniture, and the brand has a white and wood-look option to choose from.

"Assembling the magazine rack was super simple," says Stephany. "We screwed the ledges onto the tabletop, which was positioned vertically and floor-mounted as a panel. We carefully spaced the ledges to accommodate books and magazines — and voilà!" Easy as one, two, three.

For something different, you could coat the shelving in a hot color trend for a statement (I painted my IKEA Billy bookcases a bright red — it was easy, and I love the way it turned out).

Stephany also says, "Another great choice is the transparent MELLÖSA picture ledge also from IKEA, which creates a floating effect for the displayed items thanks to its transparency." There are plenty of modifications you can make (like buying a larger or smaller table top), but below are the basics for creating the DIY.

As for styling, it's relatively easy to make this leaning magazine shelf feel chic. What originally struck me about the Atelier Karasinski design was the height of the shelf and the contrast between the dark wood and the wall. It feels anchored in its place and striking, yet still harmonious with the rest of the design. A similar effect can be made with the right paint color or wood stain.

Try placing the shelves at different heights along the desk top to create contrasting visual weight — larger books at the bottom and smaller zines at the top (just be sure to leave enough room for your chosen books and magazines to fit).

Then you can style the magazine shelf much like you would style a bookcase. Consider whether you want the magazine covers to color-coordinate with the room or create contrast. Picking what publications to feature is the most fun part (though, of course, I'd recommend subscribing to Livingetc magazine for that).

Shop Stylish Alternatives

If you can't make it to IKEA, there are still plenty of ways to try and replicate this magazine rack DIY at home. Whether you try a metal shelf, an industrial-style variation, or a few floating shelves, the result is still a wall full of publications that are more visually interesting than the expected art piece hanging there.

Here are a few of my favorite magazine racks that don't require any extra work.

Isn't it fun when your latest design inspiration can double as an easy DIY? For more inspiration like this that you won't want to miss, be sure to subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.

When it comes to affordable, fuss-free furniture, IKEA rarely misses. But behind the scenes, an entire subculture has sprung up around making IKEA's products look wildly more expensive than the price tags suggest. Across the globe, a legion of clever DIY-ers regularly share their IKEA hacks online, wielding spare timber, sandpaper, and paint, and using lateral thinking to transform blank canvases into bespoke masterpieces.

One such person is Danish designer Denise (@sirlig), who found a hack that actually requires little to no effort — my kind of DIY. In fact, it skips half of the flat-pack fuss altogether, reimagining IKEA's dimmable BACKSTORN pendant light in a way that looks so cool but involves fewer steps than the brand’s famously simple assembly instructions.

She's called it the 'naked' BACKSTÖRN hack, and it simply involves leaving the shades off, creating a simple, sleek strip-style pendant — no sanding, painting, or drilling required.

There is something so alluring about industrial-style lighting. In the same way that exposed brick or raw concrete give a space instant edge, pared-back metal fixtures bring a similar kind of clarity to a space — especially a working space that doesn’t ask for additional visual noise. But the fact that this pendant is dimmable means it would work over a desk, just as well as a dining table or kitchen counter.

This all said, the BACKSTÖRN in its intended form is also hardly off-putting. Quite the opposite: three organically curved shades reminiscent of silver petals slide onto the light pole, rotating in any direction to redirect light and shape the atmosphere. Left intact, it retains its minimal credentials but gains an arty edge.

Simplicity rarely dates, and that's where this pendant light idea really shines, however you style it. Clean forms give even budget-friendly pieces a greater sense of intent when styled thoughtfully. But minimalist lighting need not feel utilitarian or off-the-shelf, with today’s more compelling options playing with proportion, finish, and shadow rather than just exposed hardware.

Shop Stylish Alternatives

Whether it's IKEA's BACKSTÖRN (naked or clothed) or another option, all of these pendant bar lights hit multiple marks when it comes to this year's coolest lighting trends. From dimmable, flexible fittings that let you set the mood at will, to warm, sculptural designs that feel thoughtful rather than fussy, these lights strike the perfect balance between style, practicality, and ease.

I look at clever, stylish products to organize the home on a daily basis, but few have impressed me as much as IKEA's VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer for versatility and affordability — and it earns decent style points, too. Stainless steel, minimalist, adjustable — it's so much more than just a pot lid holder.

The more I looked into the product, the more I realized the multitude of ways it could be used, and not confined to the kitchen, either. From using it to display vinyl records in one of the simplest and most stylish IKEA vinyl storage hacks — my personal favorite — to hanging storage or even a collapsible drying rack, the opportunities are endless (more on that later).

It's not hard to see why it's one of IKEA's best-selling products and is rated 5 stars by almost all of its reviewers. And the best part? It only costs £5. So whether you want to organize pan lids, or find unique ways to display vinyls or books, or an array of things in between (or all of the above), at this price, you can't go too far wrong.

Aside from pot lids, these are just some of the items that happy customers have said they love to store or display using this stylishly clever organizer:

• Plates
• Trays
• Cutting boards
• Vinyl records
• Hats
• Office files
• Crafts
• Books
• Snacks
• Winter gloves to dry over an air vent...

I could go on — and I'm here for the versatility. In fact, many customers have actually commented on using the organizer as a collapsible drying rack for their small kitchen, too. And this space-saving aspect of its design is what makes it work as well as it does as a multi-purpose product.

"Bought to have next to the stereo," explains one customer. "Very useful for use as a stand for vinyl records — it's well constructed and very well priced."

Another customer shares, "I have a high square cupboard above the oven with no shelf, where chopping boards and baking trays kept slipping and ending up as a pile, at risk of falling on my head on opening the door. The Variera vertically stores two chopping boards, 3 serving flats, 3 baking sheets, a cheeseboard, a cooling rack, 2 lap trays, a bamboo tray, and 4 muffin tins. All easily seen, accessible, and the tins are ventilated; thoroughly recommend this product."

And I was particularly impressed by those who decided to organize their pantry snacks or even their freezer with the product: "I use this to store bags of frozen veg and fruit standing upright in a freezer drawer. I can quickly see what's there, without having to burrow down through layers of bags." Genius.

Only a couple of customers have noted that the holder moves around too much — the movement comes down to the spacing not being fixed, which is what provides the flexibility in being able to adjust the organizer to different sizes; so if you're looking for something that doesn't move at all, you'll need to opt for a fixed holder instead.

Being able to adjust the width is a bonus from my point of view, and I love that — especially for the price — you could order multiple and designate a holder for thin items, such as baking trays, and another for wider items, such as roasting dishes, and so forth. Even using one to hang hats in a bedroom closet, according to one customer, or to store rolls of thread in a craft room, says another.

And let's not forget that stainless steel is very much on-trend right now — easy home organization ideas don't have to be boring — they can be stylish, and affordable, too.

Pot Lid Holder Alternatives

For more stylishly neat-and-tidy options, I've rounded up six more space-saving pot lid holders that impress on price, functionality, and, of course, versatility.

For more ways to elevate your home on a budget, our favorite IKEA hacks prove that you can still make something inexpensive look designer.

When it comes to coffee bars, espresso makers, and anything involving the morning caffeination routine, I like to think I've always got one eye on the latest and greatest. While my focus, of late, has been on reviewing machines, I couldn't ignore a certain coffee corner DIY doing the rounds on social media, using IKEA's HAAGAN shelving (typically reserved for the bathroom).

Like many IKEA hacks, the simplicity of this idea and the streamlined result are instantly alluring, so how easy is it to replicate, really? Well, I spoke with Elodie of Elow Home, one of the interior creators who tried this trick herself, to see. "I was running out of space in my kitchen, and I didn't want to start any renovation work (like drilling into the walls to install shelves)," she shared.

Where a dedicated coffee cabinet or standalone coffee bar idea can rack up a much more expensive bill, this IKEA HAAGAN hack is a perfect, affordable solution. An afternoon project that leads to a sleek and stylized morning routine, if you will. Keen to try it for yourself? Here's everything you need to know.

IKEA's HAAGAN Coffee Nook DIY

First things first, for this hack, you are going to need to get your hands on one of IKEA's Hagaan wall open cabinets. IKEA offers this shelving unit in both a dark brown oak and lighter oak finish, so you can choose the colorway that best blends with your kitchen design.

The rest is pretty simple: find a space on your counter that has enough wall behind it to fit the shelf, install the shelves at a height that allows your coffee machine to slide into the bottom, and leave off the bottom shelf when you build it. This last step (not attaching the bottom of the structure) helps the unit look more streamlined on your countertop and allows for your espresso machine or coffee maker to easily slide into place.

"Make a small hole at the bottom of the back panel (any box cutter from Amazon will work for this) so you can neatly feed the coffee machine cable through," says Elodie. "It keeps your cords hidden on your kitchen counter and everything looking clean and organized."

If you can't make it to IKEA, you don't necessarily need the HAAGAN shelf to replicate this easy kitchen DIY. Just make sure that you double-check the sizing of alternative options and that you can install the different shelves yourself.

"This simple trick helped me optimize a small space and keep everything I need within reach, without any construction," shares Elodie. And, "Since my kitchen is open-plan, it also needed to look stylish — and this setup blends in beautifully."

No drills, no construction, and not even a lick of paint needed (unless you want to add a pop of the latest color trend, of course). My favorite kind of DIY is one where there is minimal room for error, and for that, this idea is perfect. However, what really makes this coffee bar idea shine is styling each shelf with all of your best coffee machine accessories.

"Lean into the trend of decorative mugs and pretty accessories," says Elodie. You can even add a coffee machine stand with a drawer to store smaller equipment, coffee pods, and tools (like this one from Amazon). This way, your countertops stay clutter-free, and your shelves won't get overcrowded.

"Personally, I'm planning to add an adhesive backsplash or peel-and-stick wallpaper on the back panel to make it even more personalized and elevate the look," adds Elodie.

Here's how I'd style it.

Having a coffee station at home doesn't mean you need to have a dedicated bar cart or an entire coffee closet. Little tricks like this elevated an empty corner into a moment that brings intention and style to your morning routine.

Of course, you'll need one of the most stylish, best espresso machines before taking on this IKEA DIY. And luckily, I may know a thing or two about that as well...

It's that time of year when storage space can start to feel limited, especially if you're hosting over the holidays. Even in the most organized homes, extra storage can be a saviour, and this year, I'm turning to a clever idea that's all about medicine cabinets.

The IKEA hack was posted to TikTok, where creator @studiodesign_bypauline gave a mirrored-fronted medicine cabinet an unconventional new home in her living space. Mounted to the wall, it provides ample room for all her dinnerware and drinks (all within reach), without taking up valuable floor space — a hosting closet, if you will.

Intrigued by this idea, I turned to interior designers to get their thoughts on the unexpected setup. Below, I've shared everything you need to know about styling something similar, whether it's in your dining room, living room, or kitchen.

Medicine cabinets as a storage idea in living spaces is certainly unusual, but it turns out, interior designers approve. "Vertical mounted storage works because it lifts the mess off the floor and gives the space real breathing room during the busiest season of the year," says Lauren Saab of Saab Studios. "It streamlines the entire area since nothing competes with seating or gets in the way once guests arrive."

And while mirrored medicine cabinets are usually reserved for bathrooms, their sleek design boasts benefits in living spaces. "Storage that disappears is always a win," adds Melissa Read of Studio Burntwood. "Mirrored, handle-less units are clever because they double as decor: they look like mirrors until you open them, and suddenly you’ve got storage."

That said, mirrored walls won't necessarily work for everyone. "Choose a finish that blends into the wall so the storage reads as part of the architecture instead of a last-minute scramble," says Lauren. "This approach works from both a style perspective and a practical one because it keeps the room visually calm while adding real function."

What's more, mirrored fronts can also require more upkeep. "Mirrored surfaces show fingerprints, dust, and streaks more than other finishes," says Melissa. "You can combat this by sourcing units that have been treated or opting for a painted finish that is color-matched to your wall, camouflaging the storage unit."

Beyond the visual considerations of medicine cabinets, it's important to think practically, including ensuring you have adequate space. "Before you buy, think carefully about what’s on either side so the doors can fully open," says Melissa.

And, arguably even more importantly, don't forget how heavy wall-mounted units can be, especially if you're going to be storing weighty crockery, glassware, and drinks inside. "Ensure that the wall you're attaching it to can fully support the weight," the designer adds.

And just like with all storage, it's only as organized as you make it. "Adding custom inserts, adjustable shelves, or hooks can turn a simple mirrored unit into a piece that is even more functional," says Melissa.

Won over by this unconventional storage idea? Below, we've rounded up all you need to bring it to life.

And don't be afraid to think beyond the main living spaces when adding extra storage to your home. According to Melissa, wall-mounted cabinets are an effective entryway storage idea, too — "It's a space that often lacks storage," she says.

Whether or not you're a flatpack fan, it’s hard to deny the convenience of IKEA. Affordable, practical, and designed for easy self-assembly, the Swedish homeware brand has been transforming homes across the globe for decades. The only small issue? Its pieces can lean a little too utilitarian sometimes, creating cookie-cutter homes that look shockingly similar. Unless, of course, you can customize your furniture.

From the iconic MALM to the ubiquitous BILLY, many of IKEA’s best designs have reached cult status. And yet, there's no escaping the fact that they can feel a little stark in their bare form. IKEA hacks are a brilliant option for the DIY-inclined, but if that’s not you, you'll be pleased to hear there are countless ways to add personality without lifting a finger.

From custom fronts for IKEA's kitchen cabinets to chic slipcovers for the brand's extensive sofa range, there are a host of brands that offer clever ways to tailor virtually any piece of furniture in IKEA's portfolio, turning them from boring to completely bespoke. Below, I've collated the very best into one single list for you — because, let's face it, a stylish home should never feel mass-produced.

1. HØLTE

London-based HØLTE studio knows a thing or two about kitchen design. Besides offering chic, contemporary kitchens via their studio, they also offer a range of bespoke fronts, handles, and worktops to fit the base units of IKEA kitchens (as well as Howdens).

Co-founder Fiona Ginnett lauds IKEA’s affordability and functionality. “The cabinets themselves are solid, and because they use standard sizes, they’re easy to customize,” she says. “One challenge, though, is that IKEA’s standard cabinetry doesn’t always sit perfectly within every space, especially in homes with unusual layouts or period features.”

That’s where the studio’s customization service comes into play, allowing you to make your IKEA kitchen look more expensive by creating a space that looks unique, personal, and thoughtfully considered. Choose from four styles of cabinet fronts, six handle options, and four different worktop finishes, all available in different textures and colors.

Take the space above, for example, designed by Studio Milne. IKEA cabinetry is combined with HØLTE’s Timber fronts and Swarf Slim Edwards handles for a timeless, understated kitchen design that feels anything but mundane.

2. Bemz

Another example of Swedish engineering at its best, Stockholm-based Bemz prides itself on being a “place for self-expression.” Founded in 2005, the brand has grown to international acclaim, producing chic slipcovers for IKEA sofas, headboards, and even bedframes. Bemz currently makes covers for 95 IKEA sofa models — both current and discontinued — including favorites like the EKTORP, KARLSTAD, and KIVIK.

There’s a wealth of stylish colors, patterns, and fabrics to choose from, and the brand often collaborates on limited-run collections, like the whimsical La Maison collection or the nature-inspired woven landscape collection. The result? A humdrum IKEA sofa becomes a covetable piece that guests can’t help but ask about.

3. Stoned

Across the globe, millions of bedrooms feature IKEA staples like the VIKHAMMER bedside table or the simple MALM drawers. If you’ve ever rented a property, you’ll be all too familiar with these classics — and you’ll also know how utilitarian they can look, usually arriving in a straightforward white or black laminate finish (occasionally with a reeded-glass drawer for a touch of variation).

If you’re after something a little more elevated, however, Amsterdam-based brand Stoned has you covered. As the name suggests, this design house specializes in marble. Alongside its own collection of beautiful marble furniture, Stoned offers custom marble tabletops made to fit IKEA favorites.

With a wide selection of colors and grain variations, it’s an effortless way to give your Swedish flat-packs a luxurious glow-up. Simply switching the tabletop on your dresser or drawers makes for one of the easiest — and chicest — IKEA furniture hacks out there.

(And yes, they ship to the UK, with delivery costs starting at just €19,95.)

4. Husk

If you’re wondering if IKEA kitchens are worth it, the answer is almost always yes — but a little personalization can make a world of difference. HUSK makes it easy to add custom fronts to your IKEA cabinets (and even to Howdens units, too).

Designed and made in Bristol, in the south of England, these modern fronts offer a simple way to create bespoke-looking cabinetry from standard METOD units.

There’s also the option to incorporate custom worktops and other tailored HUSK elements. Your IKEA carcass becomes the foundation, and you can build on it with as many high-quality upgrades as you like. It’s a smart way to achieve a designer kitchen without the designer price tag.

5. Pretty Pegs

Pretty Pegs has long been a revered name among IKEA hackers. The Swedish brand specializes in replacement legs for IKEA furniture, offering stylish upgrades that elevate your pieces in more ways than one.

Perhaps you want to give your EKTORP a Mid-Century twist with tapered wooden legs, or maybe you’re drawn to sculptural, spherical feet to tap into the bobbin trend.

Whatever your style, these custom legs offer a quick and easy way to personalize — and instantly upgrade — your furniture.

6. Artvoom

If you’re not in the market for a kitchen revamp, you’ll be pleased to know that IKEA customization extends far beyond this space. For anyone looking to add a personal, design-forward touch to their IKEA furniture, Artvoom is the place to shop.

Founded in the US and now shipping its lightweight panel overlays worldwide, the brand offers everything from beautiful fluted drawer fronts to traditional-style moldings designed to seamlessly fit the PAX wardrobe.

With a wide range of easy-to-apply overlays, you can upcycle your furniture yourself and achieve a completely bespoke look without burning a hole through your wallet. They’re designed to fit all the best IKEA products, too, including trusted favorites like the KALLAX, MALM, and EKET.

7. Comfort Works

IKEA has a popular — and, in my opinion, underrated — range of seating. From Scandi-style sofas and convenient futons to iconic armchairs and ottomans, its designs have found their way into homes across the globe. The only downside? They can look a little plain.

That’s where Comfort Works comes in. The brand has grown to become one of the biggest providers of custom-made slipcovers, offering beautifully colored, patterned, and textured fabrics to revive plain or well-loved seating and ottomans.

Simply use the handy online tool to identify your IKEA sofa model, choose your fabric, and customize your cover with ease. It’s the easiest way to elevate your beloved sofa or the best IKEA sofa beds, and if that wasn't enough, they also offer covers for sofas from the likes of Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and West Elm, too.

8. Plykea

Plywood might not sound like the most glamorous material, but there’s a real beauty in its simplicity — and its versatility makes it an excellent choice for custom doors and worktops in IKEA kitchens. That’s exactly what’s on offer from London-based brand Plykea, which creates bespoke plywood fronts for IKEA kitchens and wardrobes.

Upgrade your IKEA kitchen design or personalize your fitted wardrobe by giving your units a considered facelift. Once you’ve purchased and installed your base units, you can then customize your METOD, PAX, or PLATSA cabinets with doors, drawer fronts, and worktops crafted from this simple, affordable, and wonderfully adaptable material.

9. Superfront

There’s a lot to love about IKEA, but the options for IKEA kitchen cabinets can feel a little limited. Whether you have a newer METOD kitchen or you’re looking to upgrade an older FAKTUM model, Superfront offers doors and drawer fronts designed to fit perfectly, allowing you to refresh your space without replacing the entire kitchen. From contemporary slabs to timeless vertical wood designs, there’s something to suit every style.

The Stockholm-based brand mainly ships across Europe but can arrange international delivery for an additional charge. Superfront also creates custom doors and fronts for IKEA’s wardrobe and storage systems, along with hardware, furniture legs, and tabletops — everything you need to transform off-the-shelf flatpacks into something far more high-end.

10. FRØPT

Like others on this list, Poland-based FRØPT offers customizable fronts, panels, drawers, and shelves for the IKEA METOD and PAX systems. Rather than sticking to simple, minimalist designs, however, they inject bold color and personality into every piece.

A case in point? This Warsaw kitchen, built on the METOD system with fronts in Butter Yellow from the brand’s Memphis Collection. The kitchen island showcases their signature Wave model, featuring milled, arc-shaped stripes for a striking, playful finish.

11. A.S.Helsingö

Designing a kitchen with IKEA is a bit like playing with Lego: you have all the components at your disposal, but it’s up to you how you put them together. Now imagine having a Lego expansion pack that adds an extra layer of customization — from cabinet fronts to the minutiae of handles and plinths.

That’s exactly what A.S.Helsingö offers. The Helsinki-based brand is one of the more high-end options for personalizing your IKEA kitchens and wardrobes. Designed to fit METOD cabinet frames, A.S. Helsingö provides beautifully crafted, contemporary doors and plinths, allowing you to create a space that feels truly considered and effortlessly luxurious.

12. Ask og Eng

This Norwegian architecture and design studio was founded by Kine Ask Stenersen and Kristoffer Eng. Masters of minimalist design, Ask og Eng focus on creating simple, understated, yet undeniably chic kitchen fronts, with a strong emphasis on sustainable bamboo.

Their designs are made to fit various IKEA cabinet systems, alongside bespoke furniture and interior design services. The A Collection offers fronts and shelves tailored for IKEA units, while the E Collection is fully custom-made.

Whether you’re after stylish fronts to DIY your kitchen refresh or want designer assistance for a more premium transformation, Ask og Eng has you covered.

13. O'verlays

Okay, the name is a bit of a giveaway here, but US brand O'verlays offer exactly what it says on the tin. Your one-stop shop for stylish overlays that bring personality and charm to IKEA’s more utilitarian pieces, these decorative fretwork panels come in a range of patterns and sizes to fit various IKEA designs.

Not only are they lightweight, but they're also paintable and easy to apply to furniture, doors, walls, or even glass. Each kit is made to order and arrives pre-sized to fit your chosen piece.

O'verlays ships internationally, with charges starting from $65 USD.

Far from plain or boring, IKEA’s utilitarian nature is actually one of the brand’s greatest strengths. Rather than seeing its cookie-cutter designs as drab or soulless, it’s worth appreciating the immense possibilities for customization.

Its sturdy, practical, and affordable furniture provides the perfect foundation for creativity, especially when paired with the bespoke touches offered by the brands above.

Whether you're in the market for a quick and easy kitchen DIY or you're just looking to add a personal touch to your PAX wardrobe, let these brands inspire your next IKEA customization project.

Moving house presents an exciting blank canvas and an opportunity to try something different. When I moved flats in London, our new space had high ceilings and large blank walls. Suddenly, with all my books, knick-knacks, mementos, and treasures with nowhere to go, I knew that something different was going to be an IKEA Billy bookcase hack.

If you've spent any time scrolling Instagram reels for DIY inspiration, you'll quickly find that IKEA's BILLY bookcases are a very popular base piece for crafty ideas. But I'm certainly no pro-builder, so instead of pulling out a drill, I reached for the tool I'm much better with: a paint brush.

Now coated in a bright 'look-at-me' fire engine red paint (Little Greene's 'Baked Cherry' to be specific), do I love the way my bookcases look? Absolutely. But no IKEA hack comes without a little trial and error, and here are three things I wish I'd have known before I started.

1. Paint the Furniture Once Assembled

Should you paint the individual pieces first or assemble the bookcase and then paint? This was the biggest question I grappled with for this DIY. It felt more logical to assemble and then paint, but I'd read that painting the pieces individually before building allowed for a more even coating and finish.

After a few attempts and some deliberation, I'd recommend assembling first — especially if you're living in a small space or an apartment that lacks an outdoor area. Without a dedicated space to dry each piece, painting before assembly quickly becomes quite overwhelming (something I learned the hard way).

"I've done it both ways," interior stylist and experienced IKEA hacker Luke Arthur Wells tells me, "and honestly, there's not enough of a benefit of painting the furniture before building it to make it worth your while, especially if you don't have a huge space to work on it."

Plus, you're more likely to scratch your paint job when assembling it afterwards.

2. Invest in the Right Type of Paint

If you take anything from this piece, let it be that investing in quality paint from the best paint brands is crucial for the best (and most lasting) finish.

The BILLY bookcase is made from particle board and has a smooth laminate finish. If you are well-versed in DIY projects, you can sand the surface (by hand is easiest, as all you really need is a touch more grip) before beginning; however, this isn't necessary.

My first mistake was prioritizing convenience over quality. I went to a local hardware store to save money on bright red and burgundy paint. When I came home to paint the swatches, the fumes were strong, the paint was thick and sticky, and it scratched easily when I tried to assemble the pieces. All of that to say, don't cut corners when it comes to quality paint. Since you will be sliding books on and off and moving around decor, choosing a durable paint finish is essential.

Luke says he'll always paint in a matte eggshell finish for DIYs. And, "While it's pretty durable, I always finish with this particular Polyvine Protective Decorators Varnish Dead Flat Finish from Amazon," he adds. "It goes on super matte and will help your paint job last way longer."

3. Prep Before Paint

More than anything, don't rush. Admittedly, I am not the most patient person, and once I started painting, I got so excited to see it done that I, regrettably, did not take the right preparation steps.

Part of the trouble came from assembling the shelving unit before painting — you end up with more nooks and crannies that you'll need to be careful to coat. I also chose to paint the back of my bookshelves a darker red than the shelves and sides. I love the result, but doing a tonal color-blocking technique requires more precision. Here is how I'd recommend doing it in hindsight:

• Lay down a canvas, newspaper, or tarp on the ground, and keep the bookcase pulled away from the wall. This way, you will avoid making any painting mistakes that result in wet paint on your floors or walls.
• If you are working with two colors, place painter's tape (like this three-pack from Amazon) along any lines you want to have straight edges. It takes more time, but having clean lines will be incredibly worth it in the end.
• And lastly, Luke adds: "I'm not always a primer sort of person, but when painting laminate IKEA furniture, I'd recommend it. It's designed to have better adhesion than standard paint, so it'll cling better to give a better base for your topcoat, and likely mean that the finished paint is less likely to chip and flake." His gold standard for primer? Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3, which you can buy from Amazon, too.

Ready for a more challenging IKEA renovation? Don't skip Livingetc's guide on the things we wish we knew before DIYing the IKEA Pax wardrobes.

We've all been tempted to try our hand at updating a piece of IKEA furniture at some point or another. Why spend full price when you could make something one-of-a-kind yourself? But finding the right base — something you won't have to sand back or strip before starting — isn't always as easy as it may seem.

Fortunately, we're not the only ones clued in on the best IKEA hacks; the Swedish furniture giant has just released the RAST chest of three drawers, and the untreated pine finish is basically begging for you to put your own spin on it.

I find myself quite partial to an update that's simple and straightforward — less complicated tends to be more stylish. That said, I could also see this piece painted with stencils or some freehand-drawn motifs. And at under £50, it's a steal.

It follows in the footsteps of other IKEA classics, like the IVAR, which are often the basis of clever hacks. When you compare it to something like Habitat's Akio, at £125, it's budget, but doesn't have quite as much starting character; while Argos's Scandinavia is another option at £124, that has a lot more to offer storage-wise.

The best IKEA products tend to do the base work for you when it comes to designing and furnishing a room. For instance, the simplistic design of the RAST chest of drawers makes it easy to stack, layer, and style side by side.

Pop a cabinet on top of the RAST chest for a DIY hosting closet idea, or capitalize on the affordability and snag a couple to line up and create a chic custom piece of long and low furniture. As always, the options are as limitless as your creativity.

The upcoming cozy season means more time indoors, and planning your next furniture hack is one of the best ways to reset your home for fall. If you can't make it to IKEA, below are a few similar pieces to shop.

Shop More DIY-Friendly Furniture Pieces

The perfect thing to style on your newly DIYed IKEA RAST chest of drawers? The just-launched IKEA BLOMPRAKT lamp that doubles as a speaker.

I've always been drawn to the organic modern style. Maybe it's the timelessness of a neutral color palette, or the textural detail that comes with layers of natural materials like wicker, wood, and stone. Whatever it is, I can't get enough of this raw, unfiltered aesthetic, but on a recent quest to find the perfect lampshade for a drab corner of my living room, I was left completely stumped.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that whenever you have a specific vision for a piece of decor, no amount of internet searches will deliver. I've been swooning over Japanese-inspired shades for some time (you know the type — long lanterns and pendants with distinctive wavy forms inspired by iconic Noguchi designs), but I wanted a material that wasn't rice paper. Finding the perfect light that matches that criteria felt impossible, until I came across an affordable IKEA hack that offered the perfect solution.

Instead of splashing out on an overpriced lamp that didn't fit my vision, my prayers were answered with a nifty DIY. Pendant shade? Check. Woven wicker material? Check. Organic modern style? Check. In less than an hour's work, I had an affordable new lamp to brighten my dull corner, all thanks to a stranger on the internet. Here's how you can do the same.

This completely customizable hack comes courtesy of home stylist Camille Fremaux (@atelier.desa), who first shared the idea on her Instagram. Using four BLÅSTÅNG lamp shades from IKEA, some wire, and a length of rope to create the cord, she created this long, Japandi-style pendant for her own living room.

Camille was inspired by similar crocheted lamps she'd seen online. "I wanted something that matches the ambiance of my minimalist interior, made from natural materials," she says. "I came across this BLÅSTÅNG pendant lamp model at IKEA when they came out, and it gave me this idea."

Besides the shades from IKEA, Camille used thin steel wire from Amazon to join the separate pendants together, as well as four rechargeable light bulbs with a remote control, also from Amazon.

"All I had to do was assemble each suspension using the wire to create the complete structure," Camille explains. She attached a few lengths of wire around the bases of two shades to connect them until all four were attached. (Thin wire is vital here to minimize the visibility. Fishing wire could also be a good option.)

"Next, I installed a hook in the ceiling to suspend the entire structure using a piece of electrical cable I had at hand," Camille says. You could also use natural hemp rope, available from Amazon, or attach the shades to a floor lamp base if you'd prefer a more traditional living room lighting idea that's easier to move around. Unless you're attaching your pendant to an existing structure, you'll need to attach a ceiling rose to your ceiling wherever you want your light to hang.

Since she used four BLÅSTÅNG shades to make her light, Camille used four light bulbs, placing one in each IKEA pendant. "The bulbs are rechargeable, so they can be controlled remotely," she explains. These can be fixed to the existing framework of each shade with the help of some wire to fasten them in place.

As with an IKEA hack, the beauty of this DIY is that it can be customized however you desire. If you have tall ceilings, you might need five or six BLÅSTÅNG shades to create a pendant with enough height, or maybe you only use two to create a smaller pendant to hang above your kitchen island. Of course, the length of the cord can also be adjusted, too.

For Camille, her budget-friendly DIY brightens the space behind her sofa. "Once lit in the evening, its ambiance gives a cozy atmosphere to the living room," she says. In my case, it's allowed me to create the perfect warm, organic modern style shade, which is exactly what I envisioned to make my drab corner more inviting.

It's not always easy to find affordable pendant lighting ideas that suit our style. If you've been scouring the internet for an organic style shade but can't find your desired design, don't rule out a clever DIY. This IKEA hack will cost you less £100 and take less than an hour to complete. The result? A beautiful Japenese-inspired pendant (and overwhelming sense of satisfaction).

When you're looking at buying fancy bedding, there's a good chance you'll be confronted with a product listing that mentions what the sheets' thread count is — but what does it actually mean? I think, like a lot of people, I've always assumed the higher the number, the better the bedding; however, I know now that that's a bit of a myth. So, does thread count actually matter? And if so, what is the best thread count for sheets?

The answer, in short, is: yes, it does matter, but not exactly in the way you might think. There isn't, necessarily, a best thread count for bedding as such — it really depends on what you want to achieve with your bedding, your preferences, and even the time of year.

The truth is, investigating thread count leads you into some murky waters on what makes for the best bed sheets, so I've asked some experts the most common questions to get a clearer picture of what to choose.

What Is Thread Count?

"Thread count refers to the number of threads woven in one square inch of fabric, comprising both weft (horizontal) and warp (vertical) threads," explains Lauren Knowlson, head of design and development at bedding brand Rise & Fall.

Does Thread Count Matter for Sheets?

"Thread count does matter, but not in the way most people think," says Molly Freshwater, co-founder and creative director of Secret Linen Store. "Higher isn’t always better — you can have a beautiful 200 thread count sheet made from wonderful yarns, and a not-so-great 1,200 thread count made from poor-quality ones."

"It’s not just about the number; it’s about the quality of the threads and how they’re woven," Molly adds. "We always choose fabrics that feel good against the skin and are strong enough to last, because that’s what really makes the difference."

A higher thread count might sound like you're getting more from your sheets, but too high and they can become too heavy.

So, what should you look for instead if thread count isn't the biggest indicator of quality?

"Always the fiber," Molly recommends. "Natural fibers like linen and cotton are what I reach for every time. Look for long-staple cotton [such as Egyptian cotton sheets] or 100% linen — fabrics that are breathable, kind to skin, and improve with age. Where it comes from, how it’s woven, and even how it's finished matter more than any number on a label. Thread count gets all the attention, but the feel is what tells you if it’s right."

How it's woven is certainly something you'll want to consider, and the most common options you'll see are 'percale' and 'sateen'.

"The one up/one down percale technique means the bedding feels cool to the touch, while being gentle on the skin," explains Lauren Knowlson. Sateen is silkier, but can also be a little warmer and less breathable.

What Is the Best Thread Count for Sheets?

As I already mentioned, there isn't so much a 'best' thread count for sheets, so perhaps a better question is 'what is a respectable thread count for sheets?'

Experts generally agree that the ideal thread count for cotton sheets is somewhere between 300 to 600. However, other textiles, even those considered the best bedding materials, might have lower thread counts (though you'll often find that brands just don't mention them in this case).

Do Linen Sheets Have a Thread Count?

You typically won't hear brands talk about thread count in relation to the best linen sheets, and for good reason. "Technically, yes, linen has a thread count, but it's not the number you should be obsessing over," says Genevieve Rosen-Biller, founder of Bed Threads. "When it comes to the thread count of linen, it’s usually much lower than that of cotton due to the fact that the natural linen fibers are much thicker."

"To ensure quality, you can look at GSM [grams per square meter]," Genevieve says instead. "Our signature Bed Threads 100% French Flax Linen sits at 170 GSM, the optimum weight to ensure that your bedding is soft and cozy from the first sleep, yet durable enough to last for years (and years). Just make sure you’re buying sheets with a 100% fabrication, so they’re not blended with any other fabric.”

What's the Best Thread Count for Hot Sleepers?

Hot sleepers, by definition, are people who run hot when sleeping and struggle to regulate their body temperature, meaning they'll need to look for bedding to combat this problem. This can mean a different thread count, as well as bedding with properties such as moisture wicking.

"Hot sleepers should consider a lower thread count because sheets with a low thread count can be more breathable compared to those with a higher thread count," says Carlie Garsia, a Certified Sleep Coach at Sleepopolis. "This is because a less dense weave can allow for more airflow through the fabric."

"If you’re a hot sleeper, you may prefer something more lightweight, like a 300 or 400 thread count cotton," adds Joanna Ross, general manager of design at Sheridan. "Cotton is an incredibly versatile material, guaranteed to be soft as well as lightweight, the latter depending on the thread count." Materials such as linen and bamboo are also good choices for hot sleepers.

What's the Best Thread Count for Cool Sleepers?

For cold sleepers, you may want to take an opposite approach. Choosing high thread count bedding, consisting of tighter woven fibers that let less airflow pass through the fabric, will give you a little more insulation.

"Higher thread counts are great, especially if you tend to be a cold sleeper," says Julia Siemen, a Certified Sleep Science Coach at Sleep Advisor. "The tightly woven fabric allows for your bedding to trap heat and keep you warm throughout the night."

Once you've freed yourself from slavishly inspected thread count, you can open yourself up to all kinds of types of bedding, trying different, unexpected textiles. There's a whole world out there beyond cotton sheets, after all.

Relaxing outdoors and soaking in some vitamin D is one of the many joys of warmer weather. However, when the evening rolls around and you are ready to drift off to sleep, it can pose real problems. Maintaining a solid sleep routine is vital to our overall health and should be a priority; therefore, making sure we can sleep well in all temperatures and conditions, including a heatwave, is key.

What is the best temperature to sleep in, for example? “The ideal sleep environment is cool, approximately 18°C, quiet and dark. This cave-like environment stimulates increased levels of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone that plays a key role in regulating the natural sleep-wake cycle,” explains TEMPUR sleep specialist and sleep counsellor, Thomas Høegh Reisenhus. But, how do you manage to keep a cool bedroom when a heatwave hits and avoid summer insomnia?

We spoke to an array of sleep experts who gave us some of their top practical tips and tricks on ensuring you get a good night's sleep in spite of the warmer weather.

1. Keep Your Bedroom Cool During the Day

Making sure your bedroom is cool at night is all down to preparation that needs to be done during the day — after all, you don't need to cool down a room if it hasn't got as hot in the first place. “To ensure the bedroom is cool come nighttime, keep curtains or blinds closed throughout peak sunlight hours, especially if the room faces the sun. This will limit the amount of light and heat entering throughout the day,” says Thomas Høegh Reisenhus.

If your bedroom feels warm as evening approaches, this is when you can open your bedroom windows to allow the cooler nighttime air into the room.

2. Stick to a Sleep Routine

Whatever the weather, maintaining a consistent sleep routine is important, especially when you’re trying to get to sleep in a warmer environment. The last thing you should do is alter your timings and try to go to sleep as late as possible.

Sleep expert Dr Michael Breus insists, “Don’t ditch your sleep schedule. Limit your evening light exposure, take advantage of morning sunlight, load up on Vitamin D and pay down your sleep debt.” He goes on to say “You should keep a consistent bedtime, but more importantly, your wake-up time must be consistent seven days a week.”

3. Choose Natural Bedding

When you’re preparing to sleep in a warmer environment, one of the main things you should consider changing is your bedding. And the best bedding materials for regulating your temperature are always natural fibers. Cotton, linen, and merino wool bedding are all good options.

“Opting for bedding and bed linen made from natural materials such as organic cotton and wool have excellent temperature-regulating qualities to keep you cool all night long,” explains Mark Tremlett, founder at Naturalmat.

“The bed linen you choose can play a crucial role in keeping you cool during the night. Organic cotton is a great choice for summer, but be mindful of thread count. Very high thread counts, such as 1000 TC, are very tightly woven, making the sheets warmer. Instead, choose a thread count of 500, this will provide plenty of breathability but still has enough durability, meaning your bed linens will last longer,” he says.

4. Opt for a Hot Water Bottle

Hot water bottles are traditionally used in wintertime, however did you know that they can be used in a heatwave, too? Kerry Davies, The Sleep Fixer for The Fine Bedding Company explains that “a chilled (not frozen) hot water bottle placed near your feet can help cool your body through your extremities. Just be careful not to go too cold, as sudden temperature shocks can disrupt sleep.”

5. Invest in a Good-Quality Fan

“If your bedroom feels warm as evening approaches, open bedroom windows to allow the cooler nighttime air into the room. If the natural elements don’t bring the desired relief from the heat, a strategically placed fan can provide a welcome, consistent and cooling breeze,” explains Thomas Høegh Reisenhus.

It’s important to pick the right fan for you, so make sure to do some research to find the best one that suits you and your budget. “There are several ultra-quiet models available today, although some find the humming noise soothing to drift off to. For a super powered dose of cool, place a bowl of icy water in front of your fan to help circulate colder air around the bedroom,” claims Thomas.

6. Freeze Your Pyjamas

There are a few different tricks you can do if you’re really struggling come nighttime and need a quick fix. “For ice-fuelled coolness, try putting your pyjamas in an airtight bag in the freezer for half an hour or so before bedtime to offer a welcome all-over freshness, bringing your body temperature down as you drift off to sleep,” explains Thomas.

7. Switch Up Your Duvet

“One of the best ways to prevent overheating is to swap to a lighter duvet, and there are a few different options when it comes to breathable, natural duvets,” says Mark Tremlett. “Duvets made from duck feathers and down provide airflow when you need it most. Goose down duvets are soft and fluffy, providing plenty of comfort alongside releasing heat when it gets too hot. An organic wool duvet will trap heat when you need it and disperse it when you don’t, making it a great choice for both heatwaves and cold snaps.” For a wool duvet for hot sleepers, try this one from The Wool Room.

8. Be Careful What You’re Consuming in the Evening

One thing you may not have considered previously is what you’re eating at night and when. It’s good for your overall digestion, especially at nighttime, to eat at least three hours before you go to bed. “Try to eat lightly in the evening, as digesting heavy meals can raise your internal temperature,” says Kerry Davies. During a heatwave, you’ll want to keep your internal temperature down as much as possible so this is a useful tip that you can easily stick to.

9. Stay Hydrated

Similar to our previous point, it’s also important to consume lots of water and to stay hydrated during a heatwave. Why? Because this will keep your internal temperature down and prevent overheating, which could ultimately affect your sleep cycle. Try to also limit your alcohol and caffeine consumption, as this will also raise your internal temperature and disrupt your sleep, which will be even more evident during a heatwave.

10. Take a Cool Shower Before Bed

An easy thing you can do before bedtime during a heatwave is to take a cool shower before you get into bed. “Feeling clammy and sticky is guaranteed to prevent you feeling comfortable come bedtime, so try taking a cool shower before bed and leave hair damp to keep you cooler for longer,” says Thomas.

Taking a cool or lukewarm shower is better than a cold one believe it or not. A lukewarm shower increases blood flow to your skin, therefore increasing heat loss from the body, whereas a freezing cold shower has an adverse effect.

FAQS

What Is the Best Position to Sleep in When It’s Hot?

“Sleeping starfish-style, on your back with arms and legs spread, helps heat dissipate more easily from your body. If you prefer sleeping on your side, avoid curling up tightly as this can retain heat,” says Kerry. Realistically, your sleep position isn’t going to make a massive difference when it comes to sleep quality during a heatwave, the most important thing is to do what feels best for you.

Do Cooling Blankets Work?

Sure, some do. However, sleep expert Kerry Davies suggests otherwise. “Rather than chasing extreme cooling, the best solutions work with your body’s temperature in real time. The Smart Temperature range from The Fine Bedding Company, for example, uses responsive tech to help maintain a comfortable environment without feeling cold or unnatural to the skin – a subtle but extremely effective difference.”

What Is the Egyptian Method of Sleeping?

The Egyptian method of sleeping, which has also been referred to as the ‘cooling method’ centers around using towel soaked in cold water to keep you feeling cool. You can either soak it in cold water then lay on top of it, or wrap yourself in it like a cocoon. Using a fan that is facing towards the towel will also help circulate the cooler air around the room.

Rise & Fall is a brand that's been in my periphery for some time, but not one I'd ever bought from before. However, it's a cool, contemporary bedding with great styling on its website, so I wanted to explore more. Rise & Fall has some great reviews, and uses comparative pricing against brands such as The White Company and Bedfolk on its site, which makes it feel like you're getting a good deal on some good quality bedding.

Like my other reviews of the best bedding brands, I sought out one of Rise & Fall's best-selling bedding sets to get a sense of the quality. Its offering is divided in two: its Crisp & Cool bedding, and its Relaxed & Refined linen. Opting to review its organic cotton bedding, I'll be honest, I wasn't the most excited to try it out as part of my raft of reviews. It seems a little ordinary to begin with. Nicely packaged, yes, but your classic, hotel-style bedding in a cool, but smaller pool of color options.

However, when it came to the sleep test, I couldn't have been more surprised, and this was the bedding set I returned to quickest to sleep in again. At £160 for a Crisp & Cool bedding set in king size, it's competitively priced for the quality, but not inexpensive for cotton bedding.

This is the first version of the Rise & Fall review you're reading, meaning it's been inspected, washed, and slept in for at least two weeks. This review will be updated a little later in the year, once the bedding has been used for a total of four cumulative weeks, but in honesty, I'll have probably slept in these sheets a lot more before then. If the brand does the basics this well, I might well be heading back online to look at its clothing range, too.

Is Rise & Fall's Bedding Good Quality?

Before putting this bedding through the sleep test, you can get a sense of the quality by delving inside the covers.

The first test I undertake is the touch test, which gives a sense of how soft the fibers are, but also whether it's going to regulate your temperature properly when sleeping. The best bedding materials should feel cooler to the touch, or so they say. I tested Rise & Fall's Cool & Crisp cotton bedding in the same conditions as a raft of other bedding. In general, linen bedding felt cooler to the touch than the cotton examples, but this bedding still had a slight sense of cool to it.

At first touch, I felt like this bedding was a lot firmer and sturdier than other bedding I was testing. It's what I imagined is closest to good hotel bedding.

Next, I take a look at the seams inside the bedding. You can kind of get a sense of the quality of a bedding, and its longevity, by the care and attention used inside. For Rise & Fall, the seams felt strong and well-reinforced. They weren't the tidiest of all the bedding I tested at this time, but comparable to other cotton sheets such as those from The White Company.

How Is Rise & Fall Bedding to Sleep In?

I tested Rise & Fall's cotton bedding for two weeks, pre-washing before its first use, and between the first and second weeks. At the time of testing, the weather was warm, but temperate at night, around 14-15°C.

I didn't enter the sleep test for this bedding with any particular high expectations of these being the best bedding sets based on the touch test alone, but I found that the bedding was soft, felt good on the skin, and had a lightness to it that made it feel comfortable to be under.

I have a pretty deep mattress, so we often struggle with fitted sheets coming loose during the night, or at the very least, I'd have to re-fit the sheet every morning when I wake up. However, not only does the Rise & Fall fitted sheet feel comfortable to sleep on, it has a very strong elasticated band around it.

This band is rubberized, too, so it grips to your mattress, and it's extra deep, so also fitted comfortably around my entire mattress, keeping it in place. I didn't have to remake the sheet at all during the weeks I tested it, and I also found it kept my mattress protector in place, too.

If you look at the reviews on the Rise & Fall website, you'll see this fitted sheet often gets a shout out as one of the big pros of this bedding brand's offering.

How Easy Is Rise & Fall Bedding to Care for?

Cotton, in many ways, doesn't need as much care as linen throughout the weekly cycle of your sheets, and this set still felt pretty fresh by the end of the seven days.

This isn't, however, a type of bedding that looks great when not pressed, so I did spend time ironing before putting on the bed, even after drying it as flat as possible post-washing. It irons fine, but also creases quickly, so I found myself going back over it once the sheets were on the bed.

How Does Rise & Fall Bedding Rank on Style?

Some people won't do anything but, but I'm not a huge fan of a plain white cotton bedding. It might work in a hotel, but I feel it feels a little one dimensional in an everyday bedroom, and Rise & Fall's is a fine enough material that I could see the yellow tint of my duvet through it.

The brand, does, however, have a small selection of other colors to choose from in the cotton, including one ticking stripe. They're very modern and minimalist colors — this bedding feels like it lends itself to contemporary spaces, as there's not much in the way of frills or decoration. This, to be honest, is my style of bedding, and the colors on offer are pretty much as far as I'd stray from neutral bedding colors.

The brand also has a small range of blankets and cushions to finish off your bed. Think raw-edged cotton and linen and lumbar cushions for a minimalist bedscape. It's an even more curated range of colors and finishes, but a nice offering all the same.

The Finer Details

When you're spending this much on bedding, I think the finer details matter. So, how does Rise & Fall's rate on the parts that aren't a necessity for you to enjoy your bedding, but might sway you in this direction?

Packaging: All of Rise & Fall's bedding comes in its own branded drawstring bag. They look great, and gives you a way of storing the bedding neatly when cycling through the rest of your bedding.

The Button Test: These sheets have pretty standard clear plastic buttons, and simple closings for the duvet.

Is Rise & Fall Bedding Worth It?

Rise & Fall's Crisp & Cool bedding is expensive for cotton bedding, but it's one where you can feel the difference in quality when it comes to sleeping in it. This is a bedding I'd invest in again.

It's also worth noting that, at £160 for a king-size, it is cheaper than many similar competitors, something the brand proudly highlights on the listings with price comparison. According to the site, a similar offering from The White Company would cost £244, and from Bedfolk would cost £254.

If it's still a little on the pricey side for you, you could always look at the next bracket down, cost-wise, with something like M&S Ultimate Cotton Bedding, which retails at around £89, or a brand such as Christy, which has an organic cotton bedding set for £98 in king size.

However, if you're going to invest in anything from Rise & Fall, I think this fitted sheet is one of the best ones I've reviewed. Deep? Check. Elasticated? Check. Good grip? Check. I'll definitely be buying some more of these.

I remember when Secret Linen Store first launched — something that seemed to herald a new age of luxury, online bedding companies. Many followed suit, but as one of the original brands bringing this new way to shop for bedding to the masses, Secret Linen Store created itself an almost household name.

Considered by many, I'd say, as one of the best bedding brands (you could have a sense of house proudness to say you owned Secret Linen Store bedding at any rate), I've owned bedding from this company before, but never quite dug into it as thoroughly as I intend to for this review.

As with how I'm testing all bedding brands, I asked Secret Linen Store to review its most popular bedding styles to get a feel for the quality of the product as a whole. For Secret Linen Store, which also retails cotton bedding, linen is still king, so I'm testing out its 100% linen bedding — more specifically, its Sophie Stripe set. Secret Linen Store is a good source if you're looking for sophisticated patterned bedding, after all, so it seemed a shame not to.

Since Secret Linen Store has been around since 2013, you'll find plenty of reviews online for it already, but I'm diving deep between the sheets with this one to see whether it lives up to its price tag. For a king-size bed, you're looking at around £249 for a duvet and pillowcase set, with extra for sheets.

This is the first version of the Secret Linen store review you're reading, meaning it's been inspected, washed, and slept in for at least two weeks. This review will be updated a little later in the year, once the bedding has been used for a total of four cumulative weeks. It's important, especially for linen bedding, which tends to be a little coarser to begin with, and softens after multiple washes and uses.

Is Secret Linen Store's Bedding Good Quality?

Bed linen undergoes a lot of wear and tear, both in terms of being slept in and regular washing, so to some extent, the test of durability is a test of time. However, there are a few cheats I use to get a sense of quality when testing bed sheets.

The first is the touch test, not only to give a sense of how smooth and comfortable the textile is, but also whether it's going to regulate your temperature well. They say that the best bed materials for it will feel cooler to the touch than room temperature, and in general, that's what I experienced across most of these bedding reviews all stored in the same conditions.

For Secret Linen Store's 100% linen bedding, it felt cooler to the touch than some (our Bed Threads bedding review, for example), but not as others (Cultiver's bedding review came out top on this front).

Taking a look at the care taken with the stitching inside the duvet can also give you a good clue to the longevity of your bed sheets, and I'd say that Secret Linen Store stood out as a front runner, especially when comparing the best linen sheets. The seams were neat, felt sturdy, and were reinforced with a chain stitch, which is generally considered stronger than a running stitch.

The brand has also come up with a clever repair scheme with The Seam, so if anything does happen to your bedding after (hopefully) years of use, you can have it repaired.

I didn't have any issue with fiber shedding when this bedding was washed, either, something that can be common with linen bedding especially.

How Is Secret Linen Store Bedding to Sleep In?

I tested Secret Linen Store's linen bedding for two weeks, pre-washing before its first use, and between the first and second weeks. To hammer the point home again, linen bedding is coarser to start with, and should, in most cases, soften after use and subsequent washes. Secret Linen Store's linen bedding was a little crisp for its first use, but I could definitely feel it starting to soften during week two. I'll update this further, after further testing.

Having said that, I'd rate Secret Linen Store's linen bedding as on the heavier side. Some linens are light and airy, some are stiffer and heavier — each has its pros and cons, depending on how you like to sleep. For me, the heavier nature made it feel a little more wintery, though I did still find it regulated my temperature well (as someone who identifies as a hot sleeper), tested at a time of year where the nights seemed to fluctuate between warm and cool quite significantly.

On the pro column for this slightly more structured linen is that it held its shape for longer, and I felt the natural 'linen sag' you get after sleeping in linen sheets for a certain amount of time held off a little longer, making it more comfortable to sleep in between washes for a longer period. or too cold.

How Easy Is Secret Linen Store Bedding to Care for?

Harking back to the 'linen sag' issue, this bedding lasted two or three days longer than some other comparable linens, meaning there was only a slight start the linen looking 'too' lived in after around a week. That means if weekly how often you wash bed sheets, your bedding looks good for the whole time.

I tend to not iron my linen bedding, rather drying it as flat as possible and embracing the natural wrinkle of the material, but if you prefer to press yours, I tried it out and found that this linen bedding was largely easy to iron with a high heat and steam function.

How Does Secret Linen Store Bedding Rank on Style?

Secret Linen Store has quite a distinct point of view when it comes to its bedding ranges, and how it presents them. I feel like you'll really be into its offering if you also like brands such as Loaf, Neptune, even M&S's homewares.

However, you can, of course, style it however you like, and a lot of what Secret Linen Store does is simple basics that you can dress up in different styles. There are great solids, timeless patterns such as stripes and checks, and then more intricate patterned styles (especially in the cotton bedding) as well as a collaboration with textile designer Molly Mahon.

Talking of collabs, Secret Linen Store just launched a micro collection with Glassette, too.

The Finer Details

When investing in luxury bedding, the details are important, so to compare brands I'm looking at a few key angles — how it arrives at your door, and the buttons/closings on the duvet cover and/or pillowcases. They don't, really, matter in the long run, but it's the little details that make things feel special.

Packaging: Secret Linen Store's packaging is minimal, but is clearly designed with its environmental impact in mind. It arrives in a biodegradable bag, with paper wrapping only. No plastic. It sets the tone for the brand, undoubtedly. Unlike some other brands, it doesn't come with storage bags, but I'll let you decide whether that's important to you or not.

The Button Test: These linen sheets come with pretty standard buttonhole and button closings, but with a slightly upgraded pearlescent button compared to the basic clear buttons used on some brands.

Is Secret Linen Store Bedding Worth It?

Comparing costs to other similar luxury brands, Secret Linen Store is largely the same price as its competitors at around £250 for a king-size set. Bed Threads costs around £240 for a king-size duvet cover set in flax linen, while Piglet in Bed is priced at £248.

It's a high price tag, yes, but if you're keen on linen bedding then it's a good investment. For those unsure if linen bedding is for them, I'd suggest investing in some more affordable ones first, to avoid disappointment (M&S has a more affordable set, and La Redoute is rated well, too). Secret Linen Store is the place to go to once you do know and are ready to invest in the best quality, 'forever sheets'.

You're buying into Secret Linen Store as a bit of a prestige brand, too, which undoubtedly adds to the price, but sometimes it's worth it for the flex, let alone the style factor that's baked into the brand's designs.

If there's any room in your home you want to feel 'grown up', it's the bedroom, and there's something about Art Deco style that, to me, feels like it has a certain elegance that elevates it. The materials, the colors, the shapes, and styles of the furniture — Art Deco bedrooms deliver an instantly sophisticated feel, if you get them right.

Styling a contemporary version of Art Deco interior design isn't that easy, after all. There's the risk of it stumbling into 'themed hotel' territory if you're too heavy-handed — no, today's take on Art Deco bedrooms benefit from subtlety and knowing your references.

Below, I've curated 8 bedrooms that I think get it right, and some 100 years after Art Deco set out its stall on the world stage, prove that this style is still relevant to contemporary design.

1. Introduce Burled Wood for Your Headboard

Burled wood is often associated with Art Deco, a period that valued the exoticism and decorative qualities of veneers such as walnut. This style of furniture is an easy shortcut to bringing an Art Deco quality, especially through a centerpiece such as the headboard.

However, this type of furniture isn't just an Art Deco cliché; it has its place in modern design, too. "We use burl selectively as a way to add subtle texture and highlight key furniture pieces," say Justin Capuco and Brittany Hart, co-founders of interior design studio Husband Wife. "It has richness that adds timeless depth, simultaneously speaking to both contemporaneity and nostalgia."

The shape of the headboard in this New York apartment feels like a streamlined Art Deco style, too. It combines graphic straight lines and curves, all the while highlighting the maximalist patterning of the wood itself.

2. Or Try Wicker for an Art Deco Design Flourish

Wicker had a bit of a renaissance in the Art Deco era, with designers marrying the pliability of the material to the decorative forms popular at the time. The shapes of wicker furniture at the time were boldly geometric, with intricate detailing, but a balance between those classic forms and a more pared-back simplicity of design today is what will make your Art Deco bedroom feel modern.

In this bedroom by Netherlands-based studio Atelier ND Interior, this wicker cabinet might not be strictly and completely Art Deco, but it certainly brings a sense of the style to the modern bedroom that draws on this heritage. "To make it not classic but more fun I used the wicker cabinet," says interior designer Nicole Dohmen, founder of Atelier ND. "I love the curves, and it makes it more playful and soft. The house was built in the early 1900s, which gives it a lot of character, and to make it more modern, I used these elements."

3. Mix Straight Lines and Curves in an Art Deco Bedroom

While interior designer Yana Molodykh didn't, necessarily, set out to design an Art Deco bedroom for the interiors of this Kyiv apartment, she does admit it's her favorite era of design. "Probably, the complete creative freedom combined with clear financial boundaries subconsciously led me to express my love for Art Deco through the colors and geometry characteristic of the style," she tells me.

Using a striped design from Ferm Living as the foundation for the bedroom wallpaper, the designer layered in contrasting shapes and graphic patterns, all feeding into the cohesive style of the space. "Curtains with an African-inspired pattern and a rounded bedhead soften the dynamic rhythm of the stripes, while soft, plush rugs add tactile coziness," Yana says. "A vintage framed artwork and retro-style wall lamps contribute to the feeling of a space with history."

It's not a space that feels too thematically Art Deco, but with touches of burled wood finishing of the scheme, it's definitely a nod in that direction.

4. Mix Patterns for Art Deco Extravagance

In the design of Maison Cassandre Hotel, a beautiful design hotel in Paris, interior designer Oscar Lucien Ono combined pattern and print in a way that feels at home with the revelry of Art Deco.

"Decorative elements like the embossed wall and leopard-print lampshades reflect my enduring love for Art Deco," the designer, and founder of Maison Numero 20, says. "These rooms are imagined as conversation salons, celebrating exquisite materials and artisanal craftsmanship. Bold patterns — leopard and circular — are juxtaposed with neoclassical statues to evoke a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ spirit. In this bedroom, the geometric motif on the feature wall distills classical Art Deco into a striking, contemporary statement."

Combining graphic prints at different scales makes an Art Deco scheme feel richer and more sophisticated.

5. Choose a Classic Art Deco Wallpaper

Talking of pattern, the right wallpaper is the perfect entry point to an Art Deco bedroom, but what should you be looking out for?

"Wallpaper has become a pivotal element in reintroducing Art Deco into contemporary spaces," Jamie Watkins, co-founder of surface design brand Divine Savages, which has a range of Art Deco inspired designs, tells me. "It is characterized by bold geometric patterns, symmetry, rich jewel tones and metallic accents, bringing a sense of glamour and sophistication to modern homes," he adds.

Bringing color and pattern to the walls in one swoop means your wallpaper works hard for your space, and can be combined with other wall covering elements such as paneling to create an even more rich and textured bedroom.

6. Use Black as a Contrast for Art Deco Bedrooms

Back is Oscar Lucien Ono's Parisian getaway, I can't help but be bowled over by the strategic use of black as an accent for the picture rails in the room, creating a stark contrast with the light, golden tones of the bedroom's color scheme.

"I chose to paint all picture rails black throughout each bedroom in the hotel," Oscar explains, "a deliberate nod to Art Deco frames and posters. This subtle detail punctuates each space with visual rhythm and contrast. When paired with rich gold accents, the black elevates the overall space with a timeless, luxurious character that defines my studio's design language."

Pure black isn't often seen in design schemes in such a contrasted way, but it does bring a little magic as a paint idea for a bedroom.

7. Create Art Deco Appeal With Bedroom Built-Ins

Another area you could bring Art Deco into a bedroom is through your built-in closets. Making small flourishes in the design, whether its in the handles you choose, or the style of closet door. This project, part of a small hotel apartment designed in an Art Deco style, offers plenty of inspiration.

"Art Deco has a lot of octagonal and hexagonal shapes, and we reinterpreted this with the headboard and wardrobe mirrors," says Jacu Strauss, creative director of Lore Group, which designed the suite. "In the true spirit of Art Deco it was about having simpler and stronger geometric patterns, but still using warm materials with it like burl wood, in this case bookmatched for effect."

8. Go Decorative With Bedroom Lighting

While this bedroom lighting might read a little more Art Nouveau than Art Deco (you can read our Art Nouveau vs Art Deco explainer if you need help finding the difference), it certainly emphasizes the ideal of the era that put lighting center stage in its interior design schemes.

So, if not looking at the clean geometric lines and luxury materials of Art Deco lighting so precisely, what sort of feel are you searching for? "We were deep in our 1970s Italian design era for this home, and the Murano chandelier was an instant yes," Traci Fleming of House of Honey explains. "It perfectly captures the bohemian elegance strewn throughout the home. The petal-like blown glass brings a soft glam that plays beautifully with the floral wallpaper and rich textures in the “Music Suite," a dreamy counterpart to the speakeasy next door. It’s a space made for slow mornings, late-night landings, and everything in between."

That speakeasy appeal is part of the charm of Art Deco bedrooms, and this design has it in spades.

FAQs

What Is the Best Art Deco Style Lighting for Bedrooms?

You might think of large, glitzy chandeliers when you think of Art Deco lighting, but some of the best examples of fixtures in this style are semi-flush mounted designs, making them ideal for bedroom lighting, especially when looking for something to put over your bed.

Art Deco wall sconces make for great ambient light above your nightstands, but they're often less directional task lighting. If you want a low light for reading in bed, a small Art Deco table lamp may be best.

Bed Threads isn't a bedding brand I'd heard of until a few years ago. It's an import from Australia, but once it hit British shores, it was kind of hard to ignore. It's really pioneered a particular trend in bedding that's captured our imagination recently, a new sense of maximalism away from the mundanity of simple white sheets. You can find its bedding bundles in unusual color recommendations, its sheets in a sophisticated spectrum of shades, and fun details like scalloped pillowcases, which have gone semi-viral in their own right.

However, it's not a brand I'd had hands-on experience with, well until now. To test out whether Bed Threads is one of the best bedding brands not only for style, but for quality, I got my hands on a set of its classic French flax linen sheets — a king size duvet set and fitted sheet in its Cacao colorway (after all, it'd be rude to not try out one a style in a color given it's one of its biggest selling points). It's one of the brand's best-selling sets.

Yes, you can find Bed Threads bedding reviews on the brand's website already, but I'm calling it, this is probably going to be the most thorough review of its sheets you'll find on the internet.

This is the first version of the Bed Threads review you're reading, meaning it's been inspected, washed, and slept in for at least two weeks. This review will be updated a little later in the year, once the bedding has been used for a total of four cumulative weeks (something that's particularly important for linen, but more on that later).

Is Bed Threads Bedding Good Quality?

To some degree, the answer to this question is the test of time, but to get an understanding of whether the materials are good for sleep, and the bedding will last, there are a few exploratory undertakings I've taken.

They say that good bedding that will regulate your temperature well feels cool to the touch — but this is pretty expected for materials like linen and cotton, with linen in particular having great moisture wicking and heat transferring qualities that help keep you cool. Regardless, I tried the touch test against other linen bedding sheets I was testing, and the Bed Threads flax linen sheets I tested were as cool as the majority of the others, having been stored in the same conditions.

When diving inside the covers to get a sense of the quality, on the whole, they stand up comparatively to the competition. The seams on many of the best linen sheets, it seems, aren't quite as robust as they are on many of the more hotel-style cotton sheets.

However, on my set, I found there were a number of uncut threads on the seams — not a huge problem, but something I didn't notice on other brands' linen sheets. Out of the linen sheets I tested, this is the only set that had linen fibers on the inside that appears as small amounts of fluff. This is quite natural for linen sheets, however, especially for the first few washes, so not a cause for concern.

How Is Bed Threads Bedding to Sleep In?

I tested Bed Threads Flax Linen bedding for two weeks, pre-washing before its first use, and between the first and second weeks. Linen sheets are a little coarse to begin with, but soften after subsequent washes. Yes, the Bed Threads linen was 'crispy' on first use, but felt definitively softer for the subsequent use.

Compared to some of the other linen bedding sets I tested, such as from Secret Linen Store, Bed Threads has more of a light and airy nature for a linen. Others, have more of a heavy and crisp feeling. Either might be to your personal preference, but as I was testing these during slightly warmer spring weather, I'm leaning towards this lighter linen style as my preference. Having said that, I found this linen still slightly heavier than the cotton sheet sets I tested, not something I was necessarily expecting in comparing linen vs cotton sheets.

I count myself as a hot sleeper, but this bedding, combined with my choice of thermoregulatory duvet and pillows, felt like it helped control my body temperature across different temperatures, neither feeling too hot or too cold.

How Easy Is Bed Threads Bedding to Care for?

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with linen bedding. I love the way it looks, and the way it feels to sleep in fresh from the washer; but hate the 'linen sag' that seems to happen after a certain period of sleeping in it. With Bed Thread Luxury Flax Linen bedding, this kicked in around day five or six, which means it needs washing at least once a week for total comfort in my opinion. This feels about right for how often to wash bed sheets for hygiene, too.

While linen bedding looks best with a natural wrinkle to it, if you don't dry it completely flat, it's a little more pronounced than you want it to be. I did, however, find this particular linen bedding set a little harder to iron than some others. Linen needs high heat and plenty of steam at the best of times, but this set took me longer than most to get photo-shoot ready.

How Does Bed Threads Bedding Rank on Style?

I've already sung the praises of Bed Threads on the style front, but it bears repeating. The brand has a broad but curated color range that feels right on the money for bedrooms right now.

Bed Threads only retails linen bedding, meaning you get the benefits of the material's natural good looks, but it does mean that it's not, necessarily, the brand to go to if you prefer crisp-looking hotel-style bedding.

It also has some interesting, more decorative bedding that can really make your bed the centerpiece of the space: scalloped pillowcases, chic linen valances, and textured blankets among them.

The Finer Details

I don't know about you, but when I invest in something like luxury bedding, I like it to feel like a special process, so those little details that might not matter in the long run come into play.

Packaging: Bed Threads bedding comes in smart-looking linen bags, which you can keep for storing your bedding when not in use. The parcel also comes with a color card, showcasing the rest of Bed Threads bedding palette, which is useful for shopping for future bed linen.

The Button Test: This is all about whether the buttons or fastenings on a bed sheet set feel luxurious. For Bed Threads, it doesn't necessarily feel so. The sheets have just a simple clear plastic button and fastening. It feels at home with the casual, laid-back feel of the linen, but other brands have better closings.

Is Bed Threads Bedding Worth It?

Comparing costs to other similar luxury brands, Bed Threads is largely the same price as its competitors. Bed Threads costs around £240 for a king-size duvet cover set in flax linen, while Piglet in Bed is priced at £248, for example, and Secret Linen Store is around £250.

Is it worth the price tag? Yes, I'd say so. It's a good quality linen sheet, available in a brilliant array of colors. If you're investing in a full bedding bundle, you can make extra savings, too. I could see myself building up a collection of bedding from this brand that I could mix and match for sheets, pillows, and duvet covers.

There's a touch that you're buying some of the brand prestige when you buy from many of the big bedding brands, which undoubtedly adds to the price. If Bed Threads is out of your price bracket, you could consider La Redoute's linen bedding as an alternative. It has great reviews, is around half the price (even more when on sale), and a good range of colors.

As someone raised on the West Coast, I associate linen sheets with a certain kind of ease. Not the coastal-grandmother kind, but the real thing — weathered stone under bare feet, sun-warmed driftwood, cotton-gauze shirts that haven’t seen an iron in years. At its best, linen captures that same offhand elegance — relaxed, textural, lived-in, but never sloppy.

Technically speaking, linen is ancient — the first woven fiber in recorded history, favored by pharaohs and now by design people with very good taste. But 2025 iterations are better than ever. The new wave of linen bedding sets are prewashed, pre-softened, and available in palettes that appear as though they were plucked from a Loewe campaign or a Provençal produce market — depending on your mood.

Yes, they’re breathable. Yes, they’re durable. But what makes linen sheets so appealing isn’t utility — it’s attitude. They look better rumpled. They reject perfection. They make your bedroom feel like a boutique hotel that doesn’t try too hard — because it doesn’t have to.

I’ve combed through reviews, exercising my style editor eye, and narrowed the field (but testing of a lot of these linen bed sheets is also underway at Livingetc HQ). Ahead, the best linen sheets that channel that same breezy sensibility from my childhood — from the bedding brands that do it best.

1. Colorful Linen Sheets

2. Neutral Linen Sheets

3. White Linen Sheets

4. Patterned Linen Sheets

FAQs

How Long Does a Linen Sheet Set Last?

Not if you treat them right. “Expect at least five years out of a good quality set,” says Australian interior designer Caitlin Parker of Parker Studio, “though it depends on how often you wash them and how you dry them.” In other words, linen is durable — but not indestructible.

To preserve those fibers, follow the care instructions religiously. Over-washing or high-heat drying can wear them down faster than necessary. Line drying is ideal (and helps avoid musty smells). If you’re dealing with darker shades, keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent fading — though white linen loves the sun.

How Should I Wash Linen Sheets?

Gently. Always check the label, but most high-quality bed linen calls for a warm (not hot) wash on a gentle cycle, with a mild liquid detergent and zero bleach or fabric softeners.

Where Can I Find the Best Linen Sheets?

You’re looking at them. The edit above includes all our top picks, from the design-forward (Parachute, Brooklinen) to the heirloom-worthy (Coyuchi). If you want something that looks as good as it feels, these are the names to know.

On the more affordable end, Amazon, Walmart, and Wayfair have a few hidden gems — just be sure to check the fine print to make sure you're getting 100% linen, not a mysterious blend. And if you stumble on some dramatic customer reviews in the process? Consider that a bonus.

Read up on the six most common bed linen care mistakes — and learn how to avoid them. Your breezy beauties deserve to look this good forever.

If you're anything like me, at this point in the year you're itching to redecorate. Spring is the perfect time to usher in a fresh style and welcome a sense of renewal into your home, and if you want to experiment with brand-new colors, there's no better place to start than the bedroom.

More than any other room in the home, our bedrooms are an extension of our true selves. These spaces cater to you, and you only (or, perhaps, your partner) so you can really let loose and unleash your personality. All that said, we also need these sleep sanctuaries to be relaxing, comforting spaces, so it's a good idea to tread carefully when it comes to bedroom color ideas.

Trends are also perpetually shifting, so there's a high chance that whatever shade had the public vote this time two years ago is no longer in favor. How does that translate in 2025? According to interior designer Nina Lichtenstein, it means less moody hues and expressive colors and more natural, delicate tones. "As bedroom design shifts toward more organic, calming spaces, certain colors are falling out of favor," she says. Keen to know what they are? Here are the five bedroom colors that are going out of style this year.

1. Cool Gray

The wave of so-called "Millenial Gray" hysteria has well and truly passed, but many contemporary designers have still been incorporating chic, slate grays in bedrooms in recent years, typically in small doses as a cool accent. In 2025, however, Nina Lichtenstein says that's no longer the case.

"Once a go-to neutral, cool gray now feels sterile and uninviting, lacking the warmth needed for a restful space," she says. Instead, for a chic, laidback color trend that retains warmth and comfort, she suggests using earthy beiges and warm taupes. "These nature-inspired neutrals evoke sand, stone, and driftwood, creating a cozy, grounded feel," says Nina.

Does beige feel too impersonal to you? For a perfect middle ground between gray and beige, try a more nuanced greige like Elephant's Breath, from Farrow & Ball, which makes an excellent bedroom paint idea. The contemporary color has an undertone of magenta with an ultra-calming effect, reading cooler in north-facing rooms.

2. Dark Navy

Inky navy tones reminiscent of the night sky have been a popular sight in bedrooms lately, where many designers have opted for color drenching for a cocooning feel. To some degree, it's a paint application that makes sense in the bedroom — an immersive midnight blue shade to lull you into sleep — but most designers agree deep, dark colors aren't on the bedroom agenda in 2025.

"Deep navy had its moment as a moody, dramatic choice, but it can make bedrooms feel heavy and enclosed," says Nina. Designer Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home, agrees. "In general, I think we're seeing darker tones falling out of favor when it comes to bedrooms," she says. "People are really looking to make their bedrooms into serene sanctuaries these days — so light and airy pastels are trending upwards, as are soothing nature hues like sage green, aqua, and sky blue."

If you want to embrace the undoubtedly calming properties of blue, consider a dustier, smoky tone instead of navy. "These draw inspiration from the sky, offering a calming, restorative energy perfect for a modern bedroom," says Nina.

3. Teal

There was once a time when every young woman between the ages of 12 and 29 had a teal bedroom. They were so ubiquitous that the shade has had its fair share of meme treatment online, and you still see plenty of bedroom accent walls in the expressive color. The bright jewel tone no doubt has its place in our homes but these days, the bedroom isn't one of them.

According to designer Gala Magriñá, cozier shades are at the forefront of bedroom color schemes in 2025 instead. "We are seeing a growing response of people approaching design with greater mindfulness, considering how every choice impacts their physical and mental well-being," she says. "This is particularly relevant in bedrooms where we’re seeing a greater focus on comfort that invites calm and relaxation."

For a similarly expressive color to teal but with a more soothing quality, she recommends choosing a pale or mid-green. "Opt for softer, tonal paint colors that calm and soothe; think rich biophilic hues like sage greens," she says.

4. Stark White

Crisp, bright whites are a default paint idea for walls, and while their fresh, invigorating feel might work in a kitchen or entryway, it's not a tone best suited to bedrooms.

That's not to say white bedrooms aren't a good idea at all, but rather than a pure iteration of the shade, choose a warmer off-white tone. "Crisp white can feel too stark and cold, making bedrooms appear lifeless rather than serene," Nina notes. "Instead, try soft organic whites with warm undertones such as mushroom, linen, or a gentle clay-infused white, which mimic natural light and create an inviting atmosphere."

Be sure to add some points of contrast if your walls are white, too. The black accents in the space above, for example, help to bring a layer of depth and dimension into the soothing bedroom.

5. Saturated Pinks

When Barbiecore took over in the summer of 2023, pink bedrooms were everywhere. It was a color trend that coincided with the "Y2K" resurgence which saw playful, brightly decorated bedrooms rise to the fore, but both of these trends proved to be fleeting.

Helen Shaw, color expert and Director of Marketing at Benjamin Moore, says there's a shift away from saturated colors in 2025, especially in the bedroom. "This year will focus on a more subtle and comforting take on color," she says. "These ‘quietly colorful’ hues are easy to use in the bedroom and won’t tire over the years as your style evolves and furniture or décor swaps in or out."

She goes on to name paler pinks and reds as the ‘new’ neutrals perfect for our sleep sanctuaries — think baked clay, raw plaster, and earthy terracotta. "These hues add a touch of warmth to bedroom space while remaining the perfect foundation for a laid-back neutral scheme," Helen explains. "Plaster pink shades work perfectly for this look. The soft, dusky rose tones in both add a wonderful earthy and grounded feel, perfect for a bedroom where we unwind and rejuvenate."

For a bedroom that feels fresh and on-trend in 2025, steer clear of these colors that are falling out of favor.

And the bedroom isn't just where colors are shifting in style. There are also kitchen colors to avoid for 2025 too, if you're planning to remodel your space this year.

Whenever I stumble upon an affordable, easy, and creative interior hack, it is a good day. Especially when everyone's favorite Swedish furniture brand, IKEA, is involved. This simple yet genius trick can transform the SÖDERHAMN sofa in seconds, and has me dreaming of cozy-chic corners and more whimsical seating styles.

We all have those pieces of furniture that have seen better days — maybe there are a few small stains on the cushions of your couch, or the linen fabric is not as crisp as it once was. However, instead of splurging on a brand new sofa, this IKEA hack takes a slip cover and bed skirt and creates a brand new look. Not to mention, one that hits all the latest sofa trends.

I spoke with LA-based interior content creator, Mallory Wackerman (who shared this stylish trick on her TikTok @malloryinteriors), to discover her secrets for recreating this look in your own home. Here's what she said.

"I had just moved into a new apartment and received a hand-me-down IKEA SÖDERHAMN sofa from a friend, but it had a few stains and needed a refresh," says Mallory. So she started looking online for some inspiration, including sofa slip cover ideas and all the latest sofa color trends.

"A rollercoaster of emotions ensued, because I found some awesome IKEA sofa cover options, but the only problem was that the velvet skirted sofa covers I was interested in were really pricey, at around $600-$800 plus," says Mallory, of the Bemz IKEA sofa covers she was looking at.

So, how to give a more affordable sofa a stylish update? For Mallory, that meant making her dream skirted sofa cover herself.

"There are a ton of IKEA sofa cover options on Amazon at varying price points — most of which range from $150 to $350, which was right around my budget for this temporary sofa upgrade," says Mallory. "These covers, however, are fairly simple and don’t typically come with the skirted option, so here’s where I got creative: I found a gorgeous dark navy blue sofa cover — which was on the higher end of the Amazon options, but the quality is great — and then for the skirt I found a complementary navy blue bed skirt for $18."

Shop the Skirted Sofa Cover DIY

To ensure this DIY looks its best, it's important to consider the type of sofa you have already. Mallory says that this hack worked particularly well with her IKEA SÖDERHAMN sofa "because there are no arms on it and the bottom sofa cushions are built into the couch and non-removable, so the bed skirt can fit perfectly in the seam between the cushion and the base of the couch."

If your base cushions are removable, Mallory says "you may need to put the bed skirt a bit lower on the base of the sofa than I did, which could look less seamless." Or it could be a great opportunity to incorporate another detail like the fringe furniture trend.

Before

After

As for styling, Mallory notes that the skirt trend tends to lean more traditional, so it's important to balance it with more contemporary pieces. "My apartment is an older, vintage LA apartment so I knew I wanted to make this modern style appear a bit more traditional which is why the skirt worked so well," she says. "Currently, it’s sitting next to a gorgeous upright piano so the room is full of vintage charm, but then I juxtaposed it next to some more modern pieces to still give the room some edge."

While navy is arguably the new black this year (or so our style editor says), you can, of course, opt for any color that matches your room's existing palette. Play around with the colors of the skirt and your cushions by either going for a complementary look or use contrasting shades to create a stylish two-toned couch. "And remember, you can always swap out the legs as well!" says Mallory.

Shop Other Ways to Upgrade Your Sofa

Any hack that does not involve getting too deep into renovation mode is a DIY I can get behind, and this sofa trick is the perfect stylish refresh to take on this year. I could just as easily see it done to an ottoman or armchair, too, to complete the suite.

Your bedroom is the space to which you should look forward to retreating, whether for a cheeky daytime nap or to settle down and recharge at the end of a long day. It is also the room in which you begin a new day and, as such, needs to be able to adapt from feeling calm and serene, to energizing and positive at the flick of a switch – and this why making bedroom lighting mistakes at planning stage can be disastrous.

While your color scheme and the layout you choose will also play a huge role in the way the room feels and performs, nothing has quite as much of an effect as your bedroom lighting ideas – in short, this is one area that you should prioritize getting right.

We asked design and lighting experts for the mistakes they commonly see being made when it comes to bedroom lighting so that you can create a scheme that is nothing but a success.

1. Relying on a single overhead light source

There aren't many areas in the house that benefit from being lit by a single overhead light, with the exception being, perhaps, a utility cupboard. And, in the case of bedrooms, this is to be avoided at all costs when you're planning bedroom lighting.

"Relying solely on an overhead ceiling light with a fluorescent bulb is a common bedroom lighting mistake," says Kerry Smith, owner and CEO at Rustic Red Door Co. "This approach can make the space feel cold, stark and uninviting, undermining the warm, cozy atmosphere a bedroom should have."

Kerry isn't the only expert who advised against this approach when it comes to bedroom ideas.

"Using bright overhead lighting only is a big bedroom design mistake," agreed Chloe Wang, a Los Angeles-based luxury interior designer at Mastuvu Design. "It disrupts the relaxing vibe we crave from our bedrooms. Instead, focus on bedside lighting. Wall-mounted sconces framing your bed or table lamps with soft, diffused shades can create a soothing glow too."

It isn't just single pendants that should be given a wide berth in bedrooms either — a ceiling full of bright recessed fittings is also to be avoided.

"In general, you want to avoid relying on harsh recessed can lights and instead layer in lamps or sconces for more flattering light at eye level," advises Jennifer Jones, principal designer at Niche Interiors.

If you are struggling to understand how to create a layered approach, interior designer Victoria Holly of Victoria Holly Interiors has some super useful tips.

"A single overhead light, no matter how beautiful, can feel harsh at night or different times of day," says Victoria. "It’s crucial to combine ambient lighting and task lighting in a bedroom to create a functional and warm space. In any bedroom, we like to have at least two types of light, if not more.

"First and foremost, recessed light for functionality. Secondly, bedside lighting, whether these are wall sconces, table lamps, or pendant lights. And then I also love to do a statement flush mount light or chandelier, depending on the ceiling height. Last but not least, a floor lamp if there is a seating area in the room. All of this lighting allows for you to completely adjust the mood and ambiance at any time of day or night."

2. Using cool color temperature bulbs

The bedroom should feel warm and welcoming — this is where color temperature can make or break a scheme. Even better, if you want ideas for quick bedroom makeovers, this is an easy one to execute.

Color temperature is measured in Kelvins (K) and you should see a number on the box of any bulbs you look at.

"A common mistake is using cool-toned bulbs in the bedroom," warns WG Hickman, owner at Tri-County Air Service. "I always recommend warm, soft lighting of around 2700K to promote relaxation and better sleep."

"Nothing screams 'wrong vibe' like bluish, harsh lighting," confirms Magda Callery, an interior designer and florist at Style by Magda. "Your bedroom isn’t a tech startup; it’s your retreat. Stick to warm, soft tones (2700K to 3000K) that whisper, 'relax, you deserve this.'"

3. Positioning lights incorrectly

Even if you nail the type of lights in your bedroom, if you ignore one of the golden rules and position them incorrectly you may as well not have bothered.

"Lights that are poorly positioned, like bedside lamps that are too high or too low, is another mistake to avoid," explains Chloe Wang. "Make sure the base of the lampshade is at eye level when you're seated or lying in bed. Adjustable sconces are another option that caters to varying needs. You can get battery-operated sconces for a budget-friendly fix."

"Your bedside lighting should be tall enough to illuminate your book or phone (no judgment) without blinding you," adds Magda Callery.

4. Underestimating the power of dimmers

If you want to know how to make bedroom lighting cozier, making sure it is dimmable will mean you can adapt its brightness depending on the time of day and what you require from the room at any particular moment.

"Adding dimmer switches is key as well to adding complete adjustability to all your light fixtures," explains Victoria Holly.

Remember though, not all light fittings and fixtures are created equal.

"I often see people using cheap dimmable LED bulbs that flicker when dimmed to lower levels, which can strain your eyes and disrupt relaxation," points out WG Hickman. "Look for high-quality, flicker-free dimmable LEDs with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 90+ for a smoother and more comfortable lighting experience."

These SYLVANIA LED TruWave Natural Series Light Bulbs from Amazon come highly recommended.

5. Poorly planning task lighting

While it might be tempting to associate task lighting with more practical rooms, such as home offices or for kitchen lighting ideas, it is really important to include it in the bedroom too.

"Not having any task lighting is a big bedroom design mistake," says Chloe Wang. "Task lighting allows us to read or work in bed without being in the dark. Add a focused task light, such as an articulated wall sconce or a directional table lamp."

6. Playing it too safe with fixtures

Your bedroom should feel personal and be totally tailored around your preferences and requirements — this is one space in the home where it really pays to be a little self-centred.

With this in mind, don't be afraid to indulge in a few whimsical, stand-out light fittings or lighting trends that you absolutely love but might not feel brave enough to use elsewhere in the more 'public facing' rooms.

"A quirky pendant or a sculptural lamp can take your bedroom from 'meh' to 'wow' without breaking the bank," says Magda Callery. "Remember, lighting is like the jewelry of your space."

7. Going overboard with too many lights

We may have talked about the benefits of layers of light and warned of using a single overhead fitting, but don't take things too far and include a blinding number of lights either. This applies whether you are looking at how to light a dining room or any other space where a welcoming vibe is key.

"More lights don’t equal better lighting," explains Magda Callery. "It’s about balance, not turning your room into Times Square."

The key to success here is to ensure you include three layers. A good ambient (or background) light in the form of something like a chandelier or well-placed recessed fittings, task lighting, such as bedside lamps, and accent lighting in the form of hidden LED strip lights or wall-washers.

FAQs

How do I fix bad lighting in my bedroom?

Unless you are starting totally from scratch you are likely to find you need to make some adjustments to your bedroom lighting to ensure it works well for you.

In some cases it may simply be a case of switching out bulbs that emit a cold, sterile color temperature for something more warming and cozy. Another easy fix is to swap standard switches for those that are dimmable. Even changing out-of date shades for new ones that offer a softer, more flattering glow can make a huge difference.

In many cases, adding to what is already there, as opposed to taking away, can solve bad lighting. For example, if the room currently only has a single overhead pendant, adding in thoughtfully-placed floor lamps and some table lamps for bedrooms, as well as some wall sconces, will totally transform the room.

Once you have your bedroom lighting sorted, you can move on to your kitchen lighting design to ensure the busiest area of the home is perfectly illuminated.

Remember the wavy, psychedelic Ultrafragola mirror that went viral last year? Well, the design world's love of curvaceous interior decor didn't stop there. From minimalist, abstract lamps to scallop-edged napkins, whimsical design can be spotted everywhere.

For those of us wanting to incorporate a little extra fun into our interiors, there are plenty of high-end brands that are willing to help. But for decorating enthusiasts working on a more limited budget, look no further than the DIY guru Danie Berger (@diydanie).

Crafting extraordinaire Danie fell in love with Lulu and Georgia’s Samantha Dresser but didn’t have the budget to match her passion. Fortunately, she had the tools and imagination to craft her own set of drawers, creating something wholly her own as a clever IKEA hack.

SIMPLE DIY DESIGNER DRESSER

"Modern farmhouse, modern organic, a sprinkle of dark academia and modern folk." That's how Danie, star of Can I Make It for Cheaper? on YouTube, sums up her personal style.

While gazing at a wasted corner of her spare room, Danie found herself fantasizing about storage that was practical but didn't scrimp on style. "Enter the Samantha Dresser from Lulu and Georgia. I mean, have you seen it? The scallop detailing, the clean lines, the vibe—it’s perfection." Unfortunately, her dream dresser was out of budget so she had to find another way to fill this gap in her storage needs.

"I rolled up my sleeves and launched into a mission on my YouTube series, Can I Make It for Cheaper?, where I found a DIY solution for less!"

You'll need:

• IKEA TARVA 6 Drawer Dresser
• Pneumatic Brad Nailer, like this one from Walmart
• A jigsaw tool - this budget Black+Decker one will work fine
• A table saw, like this DeWalt one from Amazon
• Gorilla wood glue, which you can buy from Amazon
• Quarter round trim, from Home Depot
• New handles (we like these ones from Anthropologie)

Starting out this IKEA dresser hack with the TARVA - "it's the DIY holy grail" - Danie changed up the legs, drawer fronts and incorporated the Samantha's whimsical scallop detailing.

After "MacGyvering" new legs with locally sourced lumber, quarter-round trim, some wood glue and brad nails, she had to tweak the TARVA dresser to fit her new design. "I had to compensate for the new round legs but it was totally doable with my table saw!"

Then she moved onto the feature detailing: the scallop pattern that runs along the dresser's top drawers. Using Photoshop and some rudimentary math, Danie crafted the perfect template for her half-moon pattern. "I traced it onto the wood, went to town with my jigsaw, and sanded everything smooth." To ensure the perfect finish, she touched up any gaps with wood filler and sanded them back down.

Once the base was complete, Danie used a paint-stain technique, keeping the pine's natural texture visible, but avoiding any of the usual blotching issues that come with staining IKEA furniture made from laminated pine. She sealed it with satin finish and then "topped it off with some gorgeous antique gold drawer pulls."

Now, the dresser is sitting happily in what would otherwise be an awkward corner of her spare room, making a statement where others might see an interior problem. "I spent just $740 to create a custom dresser that’s totally me." Danie couldn't be happier with the outcome.

Follow Danie Berger's DIY Series on YouTube.

Can't DIY? Here's What to Buy

Finding the perfect nightstand to set the scene (and store your things) in your bedroom or guest room is not always an easy thing to do, especially if you're after a particular style at a particular price point. But that's not say it's impossible. In fact, the perfect nightstand might be hiding in plain sight... at least it was for the professional DIYer behind this inspiring IKEA hack.

Digital creator and expert furniture flipper, Kristen Coulson, turned the classic white HEMNES cabinet into a vintage-meets-modern nightstand that anyone with "designer taste, but an IKEA budget" would dream of. She wanted to create a piece that would stand out as a warm and chic accent in her space, and, armed with a sander, wood stain, and playful round bobbin detail, she was able to create a pair of custom nightstands that look seriously stylish.

Want to get your bedrooms ready for hosting season with a cozy piece that also oozes style? Kristen takes us through her clever IKEA nightstand hack, and how to get the look in your own home.

Kristen Culson (@something.renewed) says the inspiration for this DIY came from designer-looking nightstands and furniture pieces. "Particularly the Jenny Lind style that have round elements," she adds. "I love this look and I thought something simple like adding the round half ball could give a similar vibe, on a DIY budget."

Kristen started with the base — the best-selling IKEA HEMNES nightstand— which she sanded down to the original wood in order to stain it in a color of her choosing. "These nightstands had the typical white IKEA factory finish on them. I knew this line of IKEA bedroom furniture was made of solid pine, so I wondered… what would happen if I sanded it all off!?" says Kristen.

Luckily, the wood grain underneath was a beautiful base that she could work with. Kristen then stained both the nightstands and the wooden balls in a rich walnut color that gave the pieces a vintage, worn look. If you want a bit more color and to keep the chic vintage look, vintage-inspired paint colors would also work a treat for this DIY.

After the stain dried, Kristen glued the half-round spheres to the sides. "I used an orbital sander, Minwax stain, polyurethane, wood glue, half wooden spheres from Amazon, stain applicator, and a brush for applying topcoat," she shares. "I also purchased new knobs on Amazon."

"I absolutely love the look the renovation gave these nightstands," she says.

Shop the DIY

Once you decide to begin the IKEA HEMNES hack, there are a few practical tips to consider. "Stain the wooden balls beforehand," advises Kristen. "They’re easier to glue down after being stained! My biggest tip is to have patience when sanding off all the IKEA white paint Use a piece of sandpaper to get in the cracks so every trace of it is gone!"

As for finding and styling a pair of nightstands that works for you, the options are endless. Though Kristen used the HEMNES nightstands from IKEA, any bedside table could be your starting point. "I recommend finding your nightstands second-hand or anywhere that comes at a relatively cheap cost," says Kristen. Once the renovation process begins, the chic, elevated look will follow.

I love the look of these natural, yet playful bedside tables in a farmhouse bedroom idea, or as an antique-inspired piece in a stylish guest bedroom. Creating a warm, inviting bedroom is important in the cozy months.

"I would style the entire room around the nightstands with pops of that same color stain," says Kristen. All that is left is to add a few decorative vases and candle sticks on top.

Who says custom DIYs have to be hard? This IKEA hack is proving to be the cozy refresh your home needs this holiday season.

We all know that decorating your home can be expensive. There are the fun expenditures – the paint colors, the rugs, the decorative chairs of the world – and then, usually later down the line and when your budget has all but dried up, come the less exciting, functional costs, which you resentfully fork out the least possible amount of money for. And when people look to scrimp and save, the bedding budget is often the first to take a hit.

In a perfect world, everyone would kit out their beds in the finest threads – we’d all like to feel like we’re slipping into the satin sheets of a five-star hotel every night. But 'good' bed linen tends to come at an eye-watering price. So instead, it’s tempting to settle for what seems to be the lowest possible price-to-quality compromise.

Good sheet quality means good sleep quality, and in turn, a better quality of life. After all, most of the time we’re at home is spent in bed – so perhaps this is one area you shouldn't pinch the pennies in. As interior designer Matthew Coates from Coates Design + Architects puts it, “If your sheets and blankets feel luxurious, it’s like a personal retreat every night.”

That being said, you shouldn’t need to remortgage your house to get your forty winks. Curating a hotel-worthy bed setup is about being savvy about your budget, or knowing where to look for the best price-to-quality bargains. Plus, there are sure to be some great Black Friday bedding deals on the horizon.

We’ve consulted experts to provide some guidance on the matter, sharing their thoughts on the best fabrics, pillows and piles, and whether hyped-up products are actually worth the cash. For a good night’s sleep, just follow these tips…

Which fabric should I choose for my bedding?

It’s the foundational block in a good nights’ sleep, so picking the best bedding material is important. Not only does it need to be soft and supple to your skin, but durable too – consider the amount of wear it gets.

“The most important thing for me is comfort and quality — bedding should feel amazing to sleep in and hold up over time,” shares Matthew Coates. “I always look for fabrics that are breathable and soft, like cotton percale, sateen, or linen. I tend to avoid synthetic blends because they can trap heat and don’t feel as luxurious.”

The big question — does bedding thread count matter? "Fiber content and quality are more important than threadcount as you could have a high threadcount of poor quality threads," explains interior designer Alexandra Peck. "The best quality threads are made of long fibers that are spun into high-quality yarns. The shorter the fiber, the more susceptible the threads are to damage; whereas a longer fiber will resist breakage."

When shopping for bedding, materials such as linen have naturally long fibers. In cotton, look for Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton as these have long fibers, too.

"I avoid microfiber and polyester sheets because even though these can be very soft to the touch they tend to trap heat (even when they say they are "cooling")," Alexandra adds. "In general I recommend natural fibers over synthetic materials as they are more breathable and easy to care for."

Where to spend, and where to save

Choosing how you spend your bedding budget is about balancing aesthetics with practicality.

“If I’m prioritizing where to spend my budget, it’s on sheets and pillowcases, as they’re the closest to your skin and make the biggest difference in comfort,” says Matthew. “A high-quality duvet insert or comforter also gets a decent portion of my budget because it impacts how cozy and restful your bed feels.” After all, all the decorative pillows in the world can’t stop you from shivering under a threadbare comforter every night.

However, cheaping out on the surface level of your bedding can make your scheme look inexpensive. "In terms of styling a bedroom I would invest more in the duvet cover, shams, and decorative throw pillows as that is what is seen and enjoyed in the visual sense," Alexandra says, "however, on a tactile level, I would recommend investing in quality sheets that are soft, breathable, and have long-lasting durability."

If there's one place to spend, according to Alexandra? "The most important place to focus on quality are your sheets, or if you follow the European trend - the bottom/fitted sheet and the underside of your duvet cover (Europeans don't use top sheets!) The reason why you want the best quality here is because this, of course, is where you most interact with your bedding."

What brands do our experts love?

If there's anyone we'll take recommendations from, it's people who buy bedding for a living.

"On the higher end I love Frette bedding," Alexandra says. "For a more mid-level price, I'm loyal to Parachute for their sateen sheets and duvet covers. Bed Threads is my go-to for their linen bedding as I love mixing and matching their pieces to create custom sets."

"Lastly, I specify a lot of velvet coverlets from Restoration Hardware," Alexandra adds.

Is expensive bed linen worth the cost?

There’s no denying that bedding can sometimes come at astronomical prices, begging the question – do high prices equal high quality?

“Price and quality often align, but there are exceptions. You can sometimes find great deals on quality bedding during sales or by sticking to classic cotton or linen instead of luxury weaves,” explains Matthew.

And as a bonus question, is good bedding really worth the price? “Splurging isn’t always necessary, but spending a bit more on good sheets is a choice you’ll never regret—it really elevates your daily routine,” says Matthew.

It's not something I ever thought I'd say, but I've kind of fallen for ruffled bedding. With its flouncy edging, I had thought that this style of bed linen was a dated throwback and that you'd only see it in stuffy, overdressed homes, but something's shifted in the design world right now.

With the likes of the 'soft girl aesthetic' and coquette style appearing as huge trends in both fashion and home design, we're seeing the return of ruffles and frills in soft furnishings in an unexpected way. Retailers such as Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters are all over it, each offering a pretty, maximalist take on the trend, while I just bought a set from Zara Home that will suit a more minimalist sensibility.

"Ruffled bedding is having its moment because it strikes the perfect balance between being tasteful and adding texture to a room," says Chloe Rae, a brand stylist for TBCo. "In a time where interiors lean toward serene, layered spaces, ruffles offer a touch of character without overwhelming. It’s a design choice that feels tactile and inviting, while still being versatile enough to suit a range of aesthetics."

If you're thinking about getting into the look, now's the time — I've found oodles of Black Friday bedding deals for ruffled bedding right now from some of my favorite retailers, and plenty more design-forward styles to shop, too.

How to style ruffled bedding

The return of a bedding trend such as the ruffle is undoubtedly led by a design nostalgia that we're seeing in a re-emergence of retro room ideas.

"Ruffles, often associated with our mothers' and grandmothers' generations, tap into this desire for nostalgia," Chloe Rae, of TBCo, agrees. "By incorporating ruffles into our bedrooms, we’re creating spaces that feel both more modern-maximalist, yet reference simpler times."

"This comeback also reflects a shift in how we approach bedroom decor—moving away from purely functional to something more thoughtful and lived-in. We’re creating spaces that feel personal and curated, where every detail adds depth and warmth without sacrificing style."

However, lean too heavily on these vintage-inspired details, and your bedroom might end up feeling a little dated — a pastiche of vintage style.

"To keep ruffled bedding modern, pair it with clean, structured elements to create contrast," Chloe says. "This should let the texture be the statement without feeling overly romantic. Balance the softness of the ruffles with sleek furniture, bold lighting, or a sharp-edged side table, and you'll have a bedroom that feels effortless and timeless."

Now that's a take on ruffled bedding I can get on board with.

Shop Ruffled Bedding in the Sales

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To carpet your bedroom or not to carpet your bedroom? That seems to be the question. Normally, plush padding to pamper your feet is most welcome in a space as cozy as the bedroom, but is the wall-to-wall carpeting look becoming a style of the past?

New York City-based interior designer Paris Forino certainly thinks so. She even went so far as to call it "dated and suburban". While I'm not quite sure I'm ready to ditch the design idea completely, it certainly sparked some serious debate in the Livingetc office. Not only were we discussing about whether wall-to-wall really was an out-of-style carpet trend; but it also raised questions as to how you should then style the floors of your bedroom.

Bedroom carpet ideas have long been considered (by some) to be a standard design choice. We all want our sleeping quarters to be as relaxing and serene as possible, after all. So, are you currently staring at your bedroom carpet in loathing or regret? Or do you love the soft texture and warmth it adds to your space? Let's weigh up the pros and cons.

Carpets in Bedrooms — The Cons

According to Paris Forino, the biggest con in the 'is carpet out of style' debate comes down to the design era it tends to emanate. "Wall-to-wall carpet is reminiscent of the dominant trend in the 1970s-1980s to carpet a whole home," she says.

When I personally hear the phrase 'wall-to-wall carpeting', I must admit, the first images that come to mind aren't great. I think first of the seafoam green carpet in the bathroom of my grandmother's house (it was the first thing to go), and the stain-ridden carpet of my college rental house.

Knowing how to clean carpets in order to keep it fresh from wear and tear can also be extremely difficult. Considering your lifestyle and what is practical for you home is an important factor when weighing up the pros and cons of this look.

Livingetc's style editor Julia Demer says she's never had carpeting in any of her bedrooms. "I’ve occasionally visited homes and envied its plush coziness, but overall, I don’t miss it," she notes. "It really comes down to personal preference and, perhaps, whether or not you wear shoes inside (if you do, carpet might not be the best choice!).”

While it may be true that many of the designs of the 70s are back, but better right now, perhaps bedroom carpets are one trend that should stay there. "My position in the bedroom carpet debate is intrinsically tied to my love for older, historic homes," says Livingetc's editor-in-chief Jessica Cumberbatch-Anderson. "The character of original planks or parquet is a huge part of the appeal of these homes, and it feels like sacrilege to cover them up with wall-to-wall carpet."

Carpets in Bedrooms — The Pros

To me, the biggest argument in support of carpets in bedrooms still being stylish is the simple fact that incorporating comfort into this space is one of my top priorities. Almost all of the best cozy bedroom ideas involve some sort of fuzzy landing for your feet.

Livingetc's interior editor Emma Breislin says that while she's not an outright advocate for carpets in bedrooms "a part of me has always felt like they belong in a bedroom. It’s a space where softness and comfort outweigh all else, so why would you want to step onto cold timber floorboards when you could sink into a plush carpet?"

And there are definitely ways to make your full bedroom carpet look fabulous. Choosing styles that are full of patterns, texture, and color, brings an undeniable layer of visual beauty to a space, and they become the statement piece of the room. "I’ve had a picture of a bedroom with sisal carpets on my mood board for years now, and it’s still yet to date, in my mind," says Emma.

So, is wall-to-wall bedroom carpets an outdated style?

I know it's annoying to say, but I really think it depends on the carpet you choose and how you style it. When done right, a wall-to-wall bedroom carpet can be a striking visual in a room (just look at the image above). The only thing is, knowing how to choose the best carpet color and style can be hard.

But there was an alternative option that the Livingetc team was all able to agree on: rugs. Opting for a fun abstract rug or simple modern style to cozy up the bedroom is the happy middle-ground. And Paris Forino agrees that a custom area rug is the way to go. "It allows more versatility with patterns, colorways, and shapes," she says. "In addition to versatility, you can also swap and clean area rugs with more ease."

Jessica also agrees. "While I do love the calming and quieting effect you get from carpeting a bedroom, you can get the same effect from an area rug (especially a high-pile, plush one) without stripping away the visual interest of wood floors," she notes.

Shop Cozy Bedroom Rugs

We spend a third of our life in bed which, I'd say, is reason enough to want to spend that time sleeping well. Nobody likes tossing and turning just to wake up with dark circles and an aching back. We want a sleep that feels like snuggling up in a comfy, cozy cloud.

There are many factors to consider when establishing how to sleep better. Picking the plushest pillow (whether you are team soft or team firm), making sure the room is at a perfectly chilled temperature, and maybe even choosing a relaxing diffuser fragrance are all parts of the game. But what if I told you, you could cut all the extra fuss, because the answer to the sleep of your dreams could very well be a futon floor bed?

Now, I know that the phrase "futon bed" does not exactly scream "you're about to have the best night's sleep of your life". We all recall the futon beds of our youth - small, fold-out beds with thin mattresses that looked far from stylish - but these trending beds are far cry away. These days, Japanese futons are a chic and practical choice for your bedroom haven.

Japanese futon beds, traditionally known as a shikibuton, are designed simply to rest on the floor. Melissa Morris from Futon Beds From Japan explains that the beds are typically made out of 100 percent cotton, and focus on sustainability and purity to provide the most natural comfort and be an exemplary aid for better sleep.

"The cotton interior is supportive and allows for correct spinal alignment giving support and alleviating pressure on the hips, neck, and shoulder," says Melissa. This makes it a perfectly balanced sleeping environment based on cotton's breathability. The futon's subtle luxe style gives floor beds a whole new credibility.

If you want to try going full traditional and embrace the key pillars of Japanese style decor, the mattress is meant to be laid on the floor with a mat beneath it called "igusa rush tatami". Melissa explains that this mat helps purify the air, absorb moisture, and allow for airflow around the futon while it is in use. "Additionally, they help to adjust comfort by adding a slightly spongy layer below the futon," she adds.

You can really go for any look to incorporate this sleep secret into your modern bedroom ideas and make the space personal to your style. Adding a wooden structure to lift the futon off the ground will give your bedroom a sophisticated and more contemporary touch.

Not only do shikibutons make the best futons, but they add an element of natural luxury to your sleeping space. Making them the perfect compliment for a zen minimalist bedroom. Owner of luxury Japanese retreat Modern Ryokan Kishi-Ke, Nobuyuki Kishi, says they use these futon beds at their remote seaside sanctuary.

"The most notable uniqueness of the Japanese style futon beds are their simplicity and connection with nature," says Nobuyui. The futons get that fresh bed feel because of their inclination to be sun-dried in the mornings. "Airing the lightweight beds in the sun is a natural way of caring for your bed. UV rays help refresh the cotton and kill any dust mites in your mattress," adds Melissa.

The simplistic design pairs well with materials in the home like wood and stone. Not to mention they are the perfect practical small bedroom idea for people who do not want to compromise style. "They're designed to be aired so that you can store them away during the day and enjoy using your room for other activities as you please," says Nobuyuki.

Ready to upgrade your sleep with a bed that perfectly marries comfort and style? I'm already thinking of ways to toss my box spring to the wayside.

Shop the Futon Look

In the realms of IKEA's classics, the LACK shelf is up there with the best of them. You'll see this popular and budget-friendly floating shelf system in all kinds of homes, bringing a sleek and modern touch to decorating walls.

But, unlike the likes of the BILLY bookcase, KALLAX sideboard, or even the sidetable from the same LACK range, you don't often see an IKEA hack using these floating shelves. Maybe this is because they just do the job they need to in the first place — but after discovering this "LACK hack" by creator Justin Miller, I have a feeling we've been overlooking a potential goldmine of creativity.

Justin, who chronicles his inventive decorating of a 1929 one-bed apartment in Los Angeles on Instagram and TikTok at @miztermiller, came up with the idea of a floating wall unit for a corner of his home. "I have long thought that the LACK shelves could be "hacked" into a wall unit; I have never seen someone do something similar," Justin tells me. "I have seen some really amazing built-in bookshelves that leave a large space without shelves to hang art, so that was my inspiration there. My friend had this "floating" shelving unit behind her couch that I loved for months before I realized it actually wasn't floating and had legs! So I mixed all these ideas together and came up with this."

Justin used a total of five LACK shelves for his DIY. Currently retailing at $29.99, it means this project comes in at just under $150. Is it just me, or does this idea not make this corner of Justin's home look incredibly chic and expensive?

"The shelves are so affordable and versatile, that I definitely think we will be seeing some more 'LACK hacks' in the future," Justin says. I spoke to the creator to get some more insight into his project.

How to create a floating wall unit with LACK shelves

The beauty of the design is in its simplicity, making it an ideal weekend project. There's no cutting required, and the LACK shelves have finished ends, so you get a neat finish just by attaching them together. "They come in three lengths, and I played around with different options utilizing the different lengths, but ended up only using the 74" ones," Justin explains.

It was then affixed to the wall using the provided wall anchors with the LACK shelving.

The process of creating Justin's idea is simple in concept, but a little unwieldy in execution. "I would definitely not recommend attempting it on your own like I did!" Justin advises. "It's possible, but the shelves are so big, they're a bit awkward to maneuver alone."

If you've ever tried to put up a LACK shelf before, you might also be acquainted with another issue Justin encountered. "I always find wall anchors to be more tricky than they need to be," he says. "The other thing that's a bit difficult is that the brackets have almost zero give to them - maybe 1mm of give - so you have to be very precise. A laser level will be your best friend."

Styling the design

Justin's design makes for a perfect frame for his artwork. "The cow art was originally supposed to go in my dining room, but I 'temporarily' hung it in my living room on that wall a few months ago. When I tried to take it down a couple of weeks ago, the wall felt so wrong without it, that I customized my shelf layout around it," he says.

With his minimalist shelf styling, it has become perfect spot to curate a collection of magazines and some curios collected over the years. "I actually kind of just threw some stuff on the shelves to show what was possible, and was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it," Justin says. "I stacked my design magazines on the bottom shelf; I like the white spines facing out with little peeks of color from the covers. I have green elsewhere in my living room, so I wanted to tie that in with the tall antique Chinese vase made of green marbled clay and the green glazed rim on an antique Turkish ceramic jug from Olive Ateliers. The canes are vintage carved folk art from Guatemala that I got at a flea market. I love how they fill the space without adding any height."

It's an idea we can see working for a frame around a TV too, for example.

Justin's design for this floating unit is the perfect fit for his space, but nothing is stopping you from experimenting with combinations of floating shelves to create your own design to fit the wall you have to play with.

The floating shelf, by itself, doesn't always work in the modern home — it can feel a little obtrusive if not used thoughtfully. Justin's idea gives it some bulk, and some context in the wider design, and it might just be the best way to add some storage and decor to a wall without having to turn to a bespoke, built-in design.

Get the Look

No matter the season, wrapping up in cozy cloud-like bedding has got to be the best way to sleep. We all love cuddling up under the comforting weight of multiple blankets, yet the warm and fuzzy dream turns into a sweaty reality when you're trying to sleep in this harsh summer heat. Pointing multiple fans in your direction might feel like the best solution at the time, but if it's heat that keeps you up at night, reconsidering your bedding choice could be the most effective way to stay cool.

Cooling comforters are the trending solution that seems completely worth the hype. They're purposefully designed to bring you the bit of comfort and weight that you crave, without overheating you. Whether you're a naturally hot sleeper or just looking for a seasonal comforter to see you through the warmer months, they should definitely be on your radar.

After searching through the best comforters for hot sleepers we've found that cooling comforters might just be the ideal option. Here, we ask experts how they work and rustle up some of the best options to buy.

What are cooling comforters?

We're all familiar with the difficulty of sleeping in heat. There's no doubt that cooler bedrooms are conducive to a better night's rest, but no one wants to completely sacrifice a cover to keep your bed cool. Enter the cooling comforter.

Danny Noyed, Senior Product Editor at the Sleep Foundation, shares his expertise on why cooling comforters are a saving grace for hot sleepers. 'If you're having trouble staying asleep due to heat, you are usually running into issues with either too much sweat and too much body heat building up,' he says. 'Cooling comforters are made of breathable materials that allow air to flow through them, carrying some of your body heat away before it builds up and wakes you up.'

Because they are typically made of moisture-wicking materials, they work in a similar way to other moisture-wicking products like athletic clothing. 'This means that cooling comforters help draw sweat away from your body before it pools and becomes an issue,' adds Danny, leaving you more comfortable for a more satisfying rest.

What should you look for when buying a cooling comforter?

When looking for the best bedding for hot weather, it can be hard to know what will suit you best. Luckily, we've helped narrow down what to search for. 'When searching, the things to keep in mind are breathability and a lighter density fill,' says Danny. Aside from that, it largely comes down to personal preference.

Two of the more expensive yet effective variants are down-comforters and wool-based comforters. 'Wool can be expensive, but it's breathable and moisture-wicking, which is great if you sweat,' says Danny. 'Down comforters can be durable and cozy if you get a lightweight option, but they can be pricey and high-maintenance when it comes to washing.'

Some of the more popular options include bamboo and eucalyptus-derived comforters. Danny shares that both of these options are usually very breathable, moisture-wicking, and feel smooth to sleep on. The only thing to watch out for is that price and quality can vary a lot with these materials.

Cooling comforters are a purchase that can be used year-round if you're a chronic hot sleeper who's hoping to sleep better, or you can swap them in and out as the seasons change. At the end of the day, a cooling comforter is still a comforter. 'And if you're still too hot to sleep with a cooling comforter, don't use one,' advises Danny. 'If you're too cold with a cooling comforter on, then either add more blankets to the mix or swap the comforter itself for a warmer, denser comforter.'

Getting a good night's sleep is all about being as comfortable as possible, and when trying to beat the heat, opting for a breathable cooling comforter that still gives you a cozy weight is the way to go.

Was there ever a more versatile flat-pack than the IKEA KALLAX? Simple, practical, and multi-functional, this storage solution epitomizes everything the Scandi homeware brand does best. It's also a DIYer's favorite when it comes to customizability, and after seeing this elegant living room sideboard project, it's no surprise why.

With pine molding, a lick of paint, and some metallic gold touches, this Art Deco-style IKEA hack brings a touch of Parisian chic to this living room alcove. It's all down to the work of home renovator Emma-Jo Woollin (@mysecrethouseaccount), who shares the DIY improvements to her Victorian villa over on Instagram, and this one was just too good not to share.

Below, she explains the steps she took to turn the unit from lackluster to luxe. 

Noticing that her alcove was crying out for a sideboard, Emma decided to put her skills to the test with a bespoke IKEA hack. The eight-shelf KALLAX unit was the perfect fit for her living room DIY project, measuring 30 3/8 x 57 7/8 inches. 

Using the KALLAX doors for her fluted credenza idea, Emma set to work adding molding. "We used half-round pine molding and cut them to size (8.6 inches) using a chop saw to cover each door, using sandpaper to file the edges for a smooth finish," she explains. "We then attached them to the doors with No Nails glue, using a heavy object to weigh them down whilst they dried."

Once all the doors were attached to the unit, Emma used the Zinsser B-I-N primer — which she calls 'the holy grail of all primers' — to prep for painting. She knew she wanted a dark, moody color to contrast with the white walls in her lofty living room and make the metallic touches pop.

"I used a KALLAX door to get a color match service, mixing the paint the same color as the unit," she says. "I gave the doors three coats of color in total."

Finally, it was just a case of adding the hardware and styling the sideboard for an elegant, art deco alcove. She used gold handles from Amazon and matching feet, also from Amazon, to raise the credenza off the floor.

The complementary gold finishes in the mirror frame, plant pot, and pendant lights make for a high-end, luxe look that elevates Emma's living room. If you ask us, it's the perfect lesson in how to make an IKEA KALLAX look more expensive. 

This stylish sideboard will be living rent-free in our heads for the foreseeable!

Want more where that came from? This Scandi-style IKEA KALLAX DIY looks completely different and is hard to believe it has the same base.

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When it comes to creating a built-in closet, you can always rely on IKEA's PAX. With this versatile system, you can decide the size and shape of your wardrobe to maximize every inch of storage space. But alas, the simple, ubiquitous design of IKEA's flat-pack furniture often falls short, and it certainly doesn't belong in a turn-of-the-century home. Or does it?

This IKEA hack proves that with a few simple tweaks, contemporary flat-pack furniture has a rightful place in period properties. Homeowners Frances and Benjamin — who share the renovation of their 1899 home on their Instagram @itsnotsogrimupnorth — wanted a built-in wall closet that fitted seamlessly into their turn-of-the-century home. By combining IKEA's PAX and EKET cabinets and putting their DIY skills to the test, they designed this elegant DIY that blends in beautifully in their color-drenched bedroom.

Below, the couple breaks down how they transformed their IKEA flat-packs into an authentic-looking Victorian built-in wardrobe.

Frances and Ben's home is a typical turn-of-the-century home found in cities in the northern hemisphere — think high ceilings, bay windows, and decorative period features like ceiling roses and crown molding. However, like many other Victorian homes, it also has awkward spaces that don't utilize space. 

After knocking out part of the wall in their main bedroom in an effort to make their alcoves more symmetrical, they realized they couldn't remove the structural area in the middle (likely the chimney flue), so they decided to opt for a built-in storage solution instead. "We’re in the process of renovating the entire house, so bespoke built-in units were out of our budget," explains Frances. 

Naturally, they turned to the next best thing: IKEA. "We knew this way we could get the classic symmetry we wanted while saving some money and hiding the awkward architecture by only compromising a small section of the interior in one of the units," Frances notes. "With some careful planning and IKEA's PAX planner builder tool, we managed to come up with a design that would work in the space."

To bridge the gap between the closets in each alcove, they bought two EKET cabinets with double doors. Frances admits that she and Ben are more attuned to design than DIY, so when it came to construction, they had a little extra help in the form of Ben’s dad.

"We used a jigsaw to cut the back of one of the PAX units to fit perfectly into the shape of the alcove and also slimmed down the EKET units so that they fit in line with the PAX frames," Ben explains. 

Once all the dimensions of the individual systems were flush, Ben and Frances built a timber frame to lift all the units off the floor. To create the built-in look for their bedroom, they then used MDF boards to fill the gaps between each section.

"Afterward, we plasterboarded from the ceiling down and lightly skimmed everything in," Ben says. "The ceiling had been lowered and plastered anyway as it was covered in horrible artex, so this was the ideal solution for us."

After the frames were complete and everything was fixed to the wall, they then used an MDF window board with a bullnose edge as a DIY shelf on top of the EKETS. To create a traditional paneled look on the simple IKEA cabinets, they added pine wood molding to all the doors.

Once these were dry, it was time to paint. Ben and Frances knew they wanted to color-drench their space by painting their fifth wall the same shade as their other walls for a bedroom that feels airy and elegant, but with a modern twist.

"For the color, we loved Lick’s Pink 03 — we were aiming to create a room that had the feeling of a Parisian boutique hotel," says Frances. After going in with a coat of Zinsser B-I-N primer, they then added the color. 

According to Ben and Frances, it was the painting that was the most time-consuming of all. "We found that the key to a smooth finish is to sand very lightly between coats and to paint the molding with a brush first before going over the door with a small roller to keep as flat a texture as possible," explains Ben. "It was a pretty monotonous process, but definitely worth the effort."

They finished off the wall closet with a coat of clear furniture varnish and added some modern brass hardware from Plank (the STACK ribbed T-bar handle and the LOVELL circular knobs) to give it a more modern, transitional style. 

To help their wall closet look as though it was an original feature of the property, they chose to add coving around the top edge, which they carried along the entire ceiling. This attention to detail is what makes this built-in wardrobe look so traditional and authentic. It really is the little things that count.

"We absolutely love the final result," says Frances. "As our combined design style is a blend of traditional with some more contemporary touches, we can’t imagine anything else working as well for us in the space without spending on custom carpentry."

They've already found a legion of fans on Instagram who are hailing Frances and Ben's bedroom as ‘the pink room of dreams’. It's a label Frances and Ben would be more than happy to catch on!

I'm an IKEA hacker, so I know first hand that with a little lateral thinking and some DIY, you can achieve pretty much anything you want with the brand's budget-friendly furniture. IKEA makes brilliant basics, which are at the heart of any good IKEA hack, so that you can translate the latest trends in interior design into your own home, without breaking the bank.

Of course, it's not always as easy as it sounds, or as easy as IKEA hackers make it look. Some of the most inventive IKEA hacks use tools that are expensive, or that you need experience with. Personally, I've made-over cabinets, made IKEA's freestanding closets into built-in closets, and even done some pretty creative things with an IKEA fruit bowl (but more on that later), so I know what it takes to make your creative dreams a reality using IKEA as a base.

This list of IKEA hacks is pretty extensive, but I'm editing it down to the best examples and the best techniques for elevating flatpack furniture for a modern home.

How we've edited down the best IKEA hacks

As an award-winning DIY blogger and an interior stylist, I've pulled this list of some of the greatest IKEA furniture hacks together not only with an eye on the latest decorating trends, but also a practical understanding of how easy these projects actually are. I've rated their difficulty from one to five stars, based on the materials used, techniques required, and how handy you have to be with power tools.

1. Add scallops to a TARVA dresser

Difficulty rating: 2/5

Copying Danie's legs makes things a little bit harder, but the scallop design itself shouldn't be too hard if you've used a jigsaw before

While IKEA's furniture is often timeless in design, that sometimes means it can be lacking in details that make it feel designer. However, DIY content creator Danie Berger, of DIY Danie, took inspiration from the Samantha Dresser from Lulu and Georgia to add details to IKEA's brilliant basic dresser TARVA.

"I traced it onto the wood, went to town with my jigsaw, and sanded everything smooth," Danie explains. With new legs made from lumber and quarter-round trim, and a new coat of wood stain, this IKEA dresser hack looks almost unrecognizable.

2. Use LACK shelves for this creative wall display

Difficulty rating: 1/5

This no-cut DIY is ideal for people not experienced in power tools, though getting the spacing right for brackets might be a bit of a challenge.

If there's ever been an example of how IKEA provides the raw materials to create something beautiful and unexpected, this DIY is it. Interiors content creator Justin Miller, of @miztermiller, created this wall decor using IKEA's LACK shelves, simply fitted together in a different configuration. "They come in three lengths, and I played around with different options utilizing the different lengths, but ended up only using the 74" ones," Justin explains.

Justin used his wall hanging to frame a piece of art, but we can see this working just as well as an IKEA hack for around a TV, too.

3. Create a Trendy Bobbin Look

Difficulty rating: 1/5

The sanding is a bit of a chore, but worth it for the cool stained look. A painted version would be easier, however.

'Bobbin' furniture is a big trend right now, and though it can be expensive to buy, DIYer Kristen Culson of @something.renewed showed us this brilliant trick for recreating the look using just these half wooden spheres from Amazon.

As an IKEA Hemnes hack, Kristen says: "These nightstands had the typical white IKEA factory finish on them [but] I knew this line of IKEA bedroom furniture was made of solid pine," meaning she could sand it back. Then, she simply glued the half spheres in place, before unifying the wood color using a wood stain. Super simple, yet super effective.

4. Frame fluting within your IKEA furniture

Difficulty rating: 2/5

You'll need to use a chop saw, accurately, for a good finish.

Home renovator Emma-Jo Woollin of @mysecrethouseaccount turned her KALLAX from lackluster to a great IKEA dresser hack for the entryway.

She used the KALLAX doors for her fluted IKEA cabinet hack and added molding. "We used half-round pine molding and cut them to size (8.6 inches) using a chop saw to cover each door, using sandpaper to file the edges," she explains. She then attached them to the doors with No More Nails adhesive, available from Amazon. A quick drying miter glue can also be useful when you need to adhere quickly, without a glue curing time, or by combining adhesive glue with a fine nail gun, filling the holes afterwards.

To contrast the white walls in her lofty living room, she used a KALLAX door "to get a color match service, mixing the paint the same color as the unit," she says. "I gave the doors three coats of color." Finally, she used gold handles and matching feet from Amazon, to raise the credenza off the floor.

5. Use fluting as an overlay

Difficulty rating: 2/5
With larger molding pieces, and fewer cuts to make, this project will be quick to achieve.

If you want your cabinet hack to make a big impact then look no further. This simple but effective hack will transform your IKEA IVAR cabinet.

Lau from @living.bylau gave her IKEA IVAR cabinet an upgrade by adding some cool texture and a splash of pink, creating a classy finish. She glued wooden sticks onto the cabinet at a horizontal angle before coating it in Gamma’s Texel paint and adding furniture legs from Amazon. For the console table decor, she added display pieces and ornaments to get a modern look.

6. Add paint techniques to your fluting

Difficulty rating: 3/5
This hack requires some pretty precise and meticulous painting to make the effect come to life

This IKEA furniture hack is one of my own, a slightly different take on the fluted trend by adding a graphic painted design to the front.

To get the fluted effect on the front of the cabinet, I measured the inset of the cabinet door and cut some half dowels to size. Place all the dowels roughly on the door and start to mark out your pattern with a pencil. Then, using a fine painter’s tape, I taped over the lines. I started on the outside of each line so that I could paint the center section first.

I chose a wavey design in a neutral color palette using leftover paint. Consider two coats for a rich color finish. I then stuck the dowels to cabinet. Start on the inside edge, and if you find that the dowels don’t fit exactly, you’ll need to sand down the edge on the last dowels to be fixed. Once all the dowels were stuck down, I gave the whole cabinet a once over with a clear, matte varnish, like this one from Amazon, that is hard-wearing.

7. Use fluting for the back of shelves

Difficulty rating: 4/5
Neat and precise, this IKEA furniture hack is a labor of love, but totally transforms the space.

Designer Claire Douglas renovated her living room by customizing the HAVSTA cabinet. "I wanted the larger section in the middle of the unit, so I decided to move the central, structural shelf. This was easy to do and just required a couple of new drill holes," Claire explains.

She built and attached her frame to the MDF panel to add both units to the wall. The designer then added an MDF panel to cover the gap between the top of the units and the ceiling – to emphasize the bespoke aesthetic.

She then added lights by attaching the frames of the units with screws and a piece of wood to the ceiling to ensure they were sturdy.

Once Claire had completed the main structure, she added more MDF strips around the edges of the unit. "This gave the appearance of thicker wood on the unit and allowed me to balance out the width difference between the top and bottom units," she says. Fluting was introduced on the back of the cabinet, for a twist on the trend.

As with every great hack, Claire decided to change the HAVSTA's handles. In this case, she used some half-moon-shaped handles that elevated her unit further.

8. Update cabinets with BJÖRKÖVIKEN doors

Difficulty rating: 4/5
Introducing kerf cuts to get a solid piece of wood to bend isn't for the faint of heart, and may need speciality cutting tools

This transformation comes from Annie Williams of @champagne.chaos, an Ohio-based designer who renovated her home in Columbus. Annie was inspired by Arhaus’s $3,000 Finnley Media Cabinet – a mixed-material focal point complemented by luxe white marble.

For this IKEA entertainment center hack, she chose the IKEA BJÖRKÖVIKEN cabinet doors "because they looked so similar to the $3,000 fluted Arhaus media console that I love so much," Annie says.

"Four IKEA BJÖRKÖVIKEN cabinet doors made up the shell," Annie says. "The most difficult part was getting the MDF cabinet doors to curve on the sides, using kerf cuts." According to the designer, the Kerf cuts were a series of close-together cuts that she made down the back of the wood – almost but not all the way through.

After completing the fluted doors, Annie cut a curved top from the plywood for the top of the unit. She then built platform legs for the bottom and painted both. "I also attached to studs for added support since the piece is heavy," Annie adds.

9. Consider IKEA overlays to give furniture an elevated look

Difficulty rating: 1/5
These easy-to-attach overlays will transform a cabinet door instantaneously.

"IKEA overlays are custom-made pieces designed to fit specific IKEA furniture items," explains Lotta of Norse Interiors. "They can be made in various materials, such as wood, metal, or plastic, and come in different designs, patterns, and colors."

These are a great way to transform and personalize regular IKEA furniture into unique, bespoke, and elevated pieces that better match a person's interior design tastes. "Overlays are lightweight, paint-able, and easily attach to furniture, doors, walls, and glass," explains Cheryle Rhuda of O'verlays. "They're more than just an IKEA hack - they are used as mullions on kitchen cabinets, upgrading doors, wall coverings, and can be used on any flat surface in your home."

To attach these, all you need is adhesive or other mounting methods provided by the overlay manufacturer. You can also switch out the whole front of the IKEA furniture by replacing the entire doors. Overall a great weekend project!

10. Upgrade IKEA doors with this modern design

Difficulty rating: 2/5
If you're well acquainted with a chop saw, this hack is pretty simple.

This IKEA IVAR hack was inspired by a designer piece of furniture. I created a striking cabinet, using small square and rectangular-shaped panels stuck onto the doors' surface.

I cut 56 blocks out of leftover sheet timber using power tools. It's so important to number each piece as you do it. They're all a similar size, but slightly different, so without the numbers, it'll take you forever to find the right order to put them in.

I used a Ryobi Palm Sander (available from Amazon) to sand the edges. Since the IVAR sits on the floor, I chose some simple bun feet from Amazon to raise it up slightly. I finished it with furniture paint that didn't require priming first. Because the IVAR is untreated, it's a super easy piece of IKEA furniture to paint. I finished it with a matt varnish. And there! The piece looks as good as store-bought.

11. Use cane webbing doors

Difficulty rating: 1/5
This hack uses a store-bought door, painted in a different color.

If you fancy giving your IKEA cabinet a modern update, this hack is a great idea. Emily @blu.j.designs has the perfect hack.

"I was on the hunt for a buffet that was 12" deep by 66" long but everything I was finding was way over my budget," says Emily. "When I found the IVAR system I knew I found the perfect piece. Using two IVAR cabinets and doors, we painted them with Dixie Belle's Caviar Chalk Mineral Paint and Satin Clear Coat. The doors were 1/2" too wide, so we cut 1/2" off on each of the strike sides of the doors. We screwed the bases together to create one piece, added HAOTH antique handles from Amazon, and 6 gold spray-painted Waddel legs from LOWES."

12. Or add cane to existing doors

Difficulty rating: 2/5
Adding cane webbing to doors is super easy, and you can cut your door with an easy-to-use jigsaw tool.

Take your IKEA BESTA TV stand to another level with this fun hack. Kalthouma of @baytkalthoum describes how she turned her BESTA into a showpiece. "For this IKEA cabinet hack, I kept the BESTA doors and had them cut geometrically," says Kalthouma. "I had to cover the sides that were cut with lipping for a seamless look. I then glued cane on the doors' back and added knobs on the front that I found in Zara Home." The easiest TV mounting idea!

13. Make a cool apothecary cabinet with IKEA MOPPE

Difficulty rating: 2/5
Some simple cutting and addition of new pulls make this an easy project

The unassuming mini MOPPE drawers are perfect IKEA hack fodder. Get creative like @patirobins and make a trendy vintage-style apothecary cabinet for living room storage, made with four mini moppe drawers.

"I trimmed the top row as I wanted the cabinet to look more rectangle, then glued the 4 cabinets using adhesive, framed it with wood, and then attached four hairpin legs," says Pati. "I also turned the drawers the other way around so I was able to attach my own drawer pulls - giving it a library look. You could wax or stain it for a more retro feel." Try these library drawers pulls from Amazon for a similar look.

14. Turn a dining table into a designer desk

Difficulty rating: 1/5
A simple paint job any beginner DIYer can tackle

Who'd have thought a small home office could become such a stylish space? The budget Ingo table has been transformed into a sleek desk perfect for a modern house by Ruth of @mrs_macs_home.

"The INGO is a small dining table but also makes a great size desk,' says Ruth. 'It’s also so easy to makeover as it’s made in untreated solid pine, so it's perfect for painting/staining etc."

"I painted the lower base and legs in Farrow & Ball Modern Eggshell in Railings and then lime waxed the top with Liberon liming wax."

15. Overhaul your office with this IKEA Hack for Alex drawers

Difficulty rating: 3/5
Cutting down hardboard to cover the drawers makes this project a little trickier.

We'd be motivated to start work if our home office looked at this. Instagrammer Jyll Mackie of @jyll_mackie cleverly created an IKEA office idea with some IKEA ALEX drawers into a feed-worthy IKEA desk hack.

So how did she do this IKEA hack? "I used two ALEX desk drawers as my base," says Jyll. "I love the functionality of these drawers, especially with the drop file folder drawer but I’m not a big fan of the look."

"I used a 2’x4’ piece of 1/4” hardboard and cut it down to cover each drawer," says Jyll. "I cut strips of the same hardboard to create the 'shaker' style front. I used construction adhesive and clamps to fasten these to the ALEX drawer fronts. I primed and painted the whole desk. Once dried I added hardware. I built my desk top out of birch plywood but you could use the desktops from IKEA. The cost of hacking the actual drawers was less than $20 (hardboard + adhesive)."

16. Introduce designer style to a drab Alex drawer unit

Difficulty rating: 2/5
Fixing the cane webbing to the front of the drawers may be even easier than fixing to an open hole.

Rattan and cane are a popular interior design trend, popping up on furniture from chairs and beds to cocktail cabinets and more. We love how DIY-er @handymacly has brought this seventies style into the study with an elegant overhaul of IKEA's Alex desk drawer unit.

She assembled the desk without the drawer fronts and sawed the cleats using the miter box (to get precise angles) to the dimensions of each of the drawer fronts and sanded them down.

She painted the wooden cleats black with two coats and stapled the cane directly to the drawer fronts. Once the cleats were dry, she glued them into place on the drawer fronts and fixed them with clamps while they dried overnight. Finally, she screwed the new gold handles behind the cleats for a total transformation.

17. Turn an IKEA fruit bowl into a side table

Difficulty rating: 4/5
Cutting curved legs to fit a sphere makes this project a hard one to get perfect.

Everyone has owned a wooden fruit bowl but how many of us have realized its potential as a stylish furniture piece? I decided to DIY this $25 IKEA fruit bowl by drawing around the bowl on a piece of MDF, and cutting out with a jigsaw. Since he needed to give the table thick legs, he stuck the pieces of MDF together with adhesive. Once dry, he drew around the edge of the bowl and cut the line out with the jigsaw too.

I then drilled eight holes in a cross across the Blanda bowl with a thin drill paintbrush. Turn the bowl over, and on the inside, drive a screw through into the top of the legs with an electric screwdriver. I then applied skimming plaster over the table and then sanded it. To finish it off, I painted the table with a stone-effect paint with a little grit in it to create texture, using a paint brush.

If you want to make your table look even more striking, place interesting side table decor pieces like vases and candles atop.

18. Design a side table using IKEA RÖDEBY bamboo armrests 

Difficulty rating: 2/5
Easy to put together, this DIY furniture is a super simple make if you can cut the bamboo armrest.

Want to give your living room furniture a brand-new look? This upcycled side table is a great example. Made using a plant pot, a lazy Susan tray, and a bamboo slatted armrest, all from IKEA, home renovator Kerry Kellett (@klk.interiors) was able to come up with a great IKEA coffee table hack emblematic of organic style. To design this piece, she used one large IKEA NYPON plant pot for the base, two IKEA RÖDEBY bamboo armrests as the wood veneer wrap, and a SNUDDA Lazy Susan as the tabletop.

"I wrapped the first armrest around the pot and then measured the remaining space," says Kerry. "Using the second armrest I cut a piece to size and filled in the gap." She then made the tabletop by removing the base from the lazy Susan so she was left with just the tray. "Flip the pot upside down so the base is at the top," says Kerry. "You then need to apply adhesive to the base of the pot and place the top of the lazy Susan onto this." Once dry, Kerry painted her side table with furniture wax to give the IKEA veneer a more rustic effect with a darker tone.

19. Repurpose a chic wireless mushroom lamp with KARAFF and BLANDA

Difficulty rating: 1/5
Turn 3 simple IKEA buys into a designer-look table lamp.

Madycke Elisabeth of @madison.mea used just three simple IKEA items and a few basic materials to design a wireless mushroom lamp from scratch, adding to a long list of IKEA desk hacks.

"My mom got me the 'KARAFF' vase, 'BLANDA' bowl, and the 'KORNSNÖ' lamp," says Madycke. "To protect the outside of the vase and bowl I first taped it off. Then I covered the inside completely using the spray paint," she says.

She colored the outside in a beige-mushroom tone. Then she placed the vase on a table and kept the KORNSNÖ light face down into the vase. Then covered the BLENDA bowl and place it upside down so that it rested on top of the light. When you push it down, you activate the push button on the light, turning on the lamp. Voila!

20. Design Mediterranean-style shelves using KALLAX

Difficulty rating: 4/5
There's a lot of process to this Kallax hack, but it has an uneven finish by design, which makes small mistakes less noticeable.

Alice, a decorator and DIY expert of @homeflufflyhome has used an IKEA KALLAX hack to create the most eye-catching shelf. "I thought the original KALLAX was way too plain," says Alice. "While useful, IKEA furniture is always very square and symmetrical and everyone has the same, so I wanted something a bit more individual."

For this, she began by removing the boards to create a less ordered look. After this, she applied Styrofoam sheets to each shelf to build up the width and create that rougher, textured appearance...much like a Mediterranean-style unit. "I then created rounded shapes in polystyrene sheets, which I glued to some niches," Alice explains. Once it was dry, she coated the entire piece of furniture with white tile mastic.

Finally, she sanded every surface and added a protective wax to improve the durability of the shelves.

21. Turn a pretty HEMNES unit into a beachy, coastal gem

Difficulty rating: 1/5
Beyond repairing this design, Ebony's paint makeover is a simple project.

Furniture renovator Ebony Basten says, "I found a broken HEMNES unit for $30 on the marketplace. It had no back, a split drawer, and dodgy drawer runners."

A perfect IKEA hack for a small home, she decided to first purchase a 0.4-inch MDF slab and cut it to size to build a new back. She glued and clamped the drawer to fix the split, and finally adjusted the runners to help the drawers glide smoothly.

She painted the unit with Feast Watson Liming White timber stain and then primed the piece using Dulux’s Precision Maximum Adhesion. And then finally did a last brush with Fusion's Eucalyptus mineral paint. Ebony even added hand-painted details to the drawers to make her IKEA HEMNES extra personal.

22. Use gilded paint for a glamorous finish

Difficulty rating: 1/5
Metallic paints are a little more involved to use than standard ones, but it's an easy project nonetheless.

Inject a splash of glamor to your sleep sanctuary with this chic IKEA nightstand hack by Leoma Harper, interior stylist of @styletheclutter.

"During the first lockdown I was on an upcycle mission," says Leoma. "These IKEA HEMNES bedside tables ended up being victims of this and now have a completely new look."

"The new aesthetic was created using primer, followed by two coats of the lovely Fusion Mineral Paint in Ash, some gold leafing on the drawer, and finished off with a new handle from Anthropologie. I love how a new piece of furniture has evolved through this spontaneous paint over."

23. Give your chest of drawers a cool geometric look

Difficulty rating: 2/5
Getting good, clean paint lines from a stencil is a skill in itself, but spend some time practicing and this project won't prove a challenge.

If you’re looking to get creative with your chest of drawers, then Courtney of @steelbirchstudios has a quick and easy hack for you.

"A bit of a spontaneous hack, I found this Lime Green IKEA TARVA Chest ditched on the side of the road," says Courtney. "I’d been waiting for the opportunity to use my Linear Tile Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils - and it was the perfect candidate. I first sanded it down and applied primer. I went with a base of Raw Silk and stenciled the pattern using Coal Black (both by Fusion Mineral Paint). I kept the base natural, tapered the front legs just a touch and, finished with small brass knobs. It’s a brilliant pattern that would work on almost anything."

"The design unfolds slowly as you turn the stencil in different directions. It’s really fun to use."

24. Give an IKEA Stockholm a sleek makeover

Difficulty rating: 1/5

A very simple paint makeover.

Lauren of Elsie Home transformed her IKEA STOCKHOLM sideboard with this quick and easy hack. Ideal for living room or as a dining room buffet.

"The IKEA STOCKHOLM sideboard is made with a walnut veneer, so it was important to use a good primer," says Lauren. "We used Kilz primer, here on Amazon, since the veneer couldn't be sanded and then painted with Benjamin Moore Caldwell Green paint. I chose to leave the legs unpainted to give the piece a bit more dimension."

25. Utilize IKEA PAX to upgrade your laundry room

Difficulty rating: 4/5
Choosing an unpainted finish means Kerry had to be very clever with this laundry build.

DIYer and lifestyle influencer Kerry Kellett wanted to make her laundry room more organized and functional. "We created a large utility/built room in what was the old kitchen in our house," she says. "I wanted this space to be practical, and functional, but also easy on the eye."

For this, she decided to get creative with a DIY IKEA storage hack using the PAX system. "I started by building a frame on the wall and floor using CLS timber 3x2," she says. "This creates a sturdy base for the carcasses to sit on, but also raises them off of the floor, so the skirting board can sit across the front." She then secured the units by fixing them together, then raising the waste plumbing for her washer. Kerry then used spruce pine timber all the way around on the metal shelf brackets for strength. "Finally, the last step was then adding the skirting board to the front of the unit." This gives the entire hack a built-in look that looks so professional/

26. Go for built-in storage using IKEA PAX and BESTA units

Difficulty rating: 2/5

Less "built-in" than other hacks, this project is on the simpler side for a bespoke look that won't take you forever.

Home renovator Lacey Moldow (@loft.flora) wanted to expand the storage in her Atlanta home and decided to take the designer IKEA hack route. For the living room, she used two PAX wardrobes and a BESTA unit in the middle of the room. "I then had to reconcile the differences in base height and depth to make them look like one cohesive built-in unit," she says. "The 29-inch PAX units that fit within my space only came with the option of one larger door and one tiny door. That just looked wonky to me and I wouldn't have it, so I ended up having to buy two of the larger doors and cutting them both down to size, then using some paintable iron-on edge banding to clean up the edges."

After that, she built a wooden platform from 1x3 boards so the middle BESTA unit could sit flush with the PAX units on either side. To give the units a customized look, she painted them the same color as the walls in that room, which is Warm Blush by Benjamin Moore, but she used a Zinsser's B-I-N shellac primer first. All in all, this project proves that storage ideas for small spaces can be seriously stylish and that a DIY bespoke approach is the way to go!

27. Add a new built-in media wall with EKET cabinets

Difficulty: 4/5
Linsey used some complex techniques to construct the floating shelves in this hack.

Multifunctional storage is the name of the game. Home renovator Linsey Learmonth of @thedcdiyer wanted to boost the functionality of her living room and decided to use some of the best IKEA products for alternate uses. She used three EKET cabinets with double doors and one single-door cabinet, as well as four sets of EKET double drawers to create a weall storage unit.

"I'd already assembled and lined up the EKET cabinets and secured them to the studs," she explains. She added a pine top to the surface of the cabinet. "For this, I used pocket holes, rounded the edge, and then sanded, stained, and sealed before attaching from the underneath, inside the cabinets," Lindsey explains.

"I built the upper shelves using ¾ plywood and dado joints, and attached the whole structure to the wall with floating shelf pins," says Lindsey. She then dge-banded all the rough edges and used a stain to match. Not only did this turn out to be a great DIY project, but it also saved her thousands of dollars.

28. Fashion a stylish fireplace surround with OXBERG doors

Difficulty rating: 4/5
This project, with its bespoke curves and built-in cabinets, took weeks in the making.

Home renovator Melanie Boyden of @melaniejadedesign used an IKEA BILLY bookcase hack to create built-in shelving in just a few simple steps.

She bought 15 3/4 inch wide BILLY units, as well as OXBERG doors, an MDF sheet to cut the arch shapes, trim to go around the edges of the bookcases, and strip wood to give the doors their ribbed effect. "I also used an old worktop from our kitchen as a hearth and a large shelf to act as a mantelpiece," says Melanie.

She built the BILLY units and bound them together and attached them to the walls. Then she used the MDF sheets to fit the front of the bookcases and took it up to the ceiling for the built-in effect. She measured the recessed panel on the OXBERG doors and cut the strip wood for the ribbed effect. She also fixed BASE boards to the bottom of the cabinets to hide the bottom of the bookcases.

It took her four weeks to complete the entire shelving project; but at a nominal cost.

29. Add kitchen cabinets in an entryway

Difficulty rating: 2/5

It's mostly piecing IKEA cabinets together in the right way, with less cutting of new materials required.

Sophia Hardy of @sophia.at.home, used IKEA kitchen cupboards to create chic coat and hallway shoe storage cabinet.

'"We knew we wanted built-in storage in our entryway, so when the time came to renovate, we had a few quotes from local carpenters for some cabinets to be built - these were way out of budget," Sophia explained.

The designer sketched out what she wanted the storage to look like – most primarily; she wanted four doors to accommodate the four people in her home. She also wanted additional shoe storage and planned to maximize the historic high ceilings by building up by 10 feet.

Sophia used 12 wall cabinets in total – before setting up the lower four to create a ledge. She then chose shaker-style doors with low, closed hinges and ordered the minimalist golden handles separately. The designer also added timber on either side of the cabinets to ensure they remain in place.

30. Add moldings to an IKEA BILLY

Difficulty rating: 2/5

Adding the molding around the edge is an easy way to make the BILLY look more built-in.

This clever idea is courtesy of Liz of @prettyprospectcottage, who used BILLY bookcases to create a built-in alcove that stands as an exhibition space in her living room.

Using two slim BILLY bookcases, Liz created a raised platform at skirting board height from CLS timber (screwed securely into the back wall) and a piece of MDF. This was for the units to stand upon. "I [then] put the bookcases on top and fixed them to the wall with small blocks of CLS timber and metal brackets," she adds.

To emphasize the ‘built-in’ style, Liz then made a frame surround for the units using molding that matched the paneling details elsewhere in the room. ‘I added a piece of skirting board along the front bottom edge and had a strip of timber cut to fit the gap in the middle,’ she explains.

Once the units were in place and prepared for painting, Liz finished with a coat of matt varnish.

31. Style a modern planter with IKEA bed slats

Difficulty rating: 2/5

Get comfortable using a chop saw and this project will feel simple.

Seasoned DIYer Deborah Stubbington of @bangonstyle used a store-bought trellis, a lick of paint, and some old IKEA bed slats to create a modern wooden planter. "I had to strip off all the webbing and the staples off the bed but once I’d done that, they were the perfect length for a planter," says Deborah. She used her miter saw to cut the ends of each bed slat. Once she had the four panels to make up the planter, Deborah screwed them all together to form the sides.

To create a base, Deborah bought wider wooden slats from a store and arranged them on one end of her planter, leaving gaps in between for drainage. "I also added feet to the base of my planter using two offcuts of bed slats to raise it off the floor." The perfect, most budget-friendly IKEA garden hack!

32. Transform an IKEA BILLY bookcase into a dressing table area

Difficulty rating: 3/5

Robyn built out this custom vanity between two IKEA products.

Feel like a film star every time you get ready with this ingenious IKEA Billy bookcase hack by Robynof @the_house_acc.

She used two BILLY Bookcases and two IKEA OXBERG glass doors to create the ultimate IKEA hack, forming these dresser units. Robyn used Frenchic Paint's Black Jack for the doors before adding reeded adhesive film by Glass Films Europe to create the on-trend fluted glass effect. We're a little starry-eyed over this one.

33. Split moldings across IKEA wardrobe doors

Difficulty rating: 3/5

You'll need to learn to cut miter corners with molding to achieve this look.

What do you do when the IKEA PAX wardrobe isn't quite grand enough for your glam bedroom? Elevate it with an upscale IKEA hack, of course.

CleverThe clever duo Kevin and Sarah of @readmorehouse did just that. "When faced with a no-closet master bedroom in our late-1800s Victorian Italianate home, we hacked the IKEA PAX system to create a character-filled, built-in wardrobe system that looks like it was always here," say Kevin and Sarah.

"We added crown molding, baseboard, and wall trim to match the original profiles in the room, seamlessly blending the wardrobes into the architecture," share Kevin and Sarah. "Finally, oversized 18" brass pulls add a touch of modern Victorian luxury."

34. Customize built-in shelves with 4 BILLY bookcases

Difficulty rating: 4/5

It's an involved DIY which will need some skill in getting the finishes looking perfect.

Home renovator Rachael Young of @firsthouseonfinn created shelves with an IKEA shelving hack to transform her front room. "The room was previously a workspace that I no longer needed," she says. "It also wasn't my style and didn’t flow with the rest of my home." She decided to keep the desk, add more seating, and create her DIY shelving for extra storage.

She and her partner assembled one BILLY bookcase unit, to get an ideal spacing between each set of shelves. "We had to figure out how many bookcases and how many height extensions we would need for our space," Rachael explains. Between each unit, they installed 2x4s. For a seamless look, they used 1/2 inch MDF for the faces and arches. Once they nailed the arches, the couple reattached the crown molding at the top for a truly built-in appearance. They finally sanded and coated the exterior, and painted the walls, trim, baseboards - everything but the ceiling - in Cinnamon Sugar.

35. Convert BESTA cabinets into sideboard storage

Difficulty rating: 3/5

A simpler built-in IKEA cabinet hack to try if you've never done one before.

Home renovator Fiona White of @ourstaffordshiresanctuary noticed the potential of alcoves on either side of the fireplace and wanted to experiment with an IKEA built-in hack. 'We already owned one of the BESTA units and so decided to give it a go ourselves with an IKEA hack,' says Fiona.

"We built a base for the unit at the same height as our baseboards," Fiona explains. "Then we ordered a thick piece of MDF cut to size to make the tabletop." In a clever manner, she blended the sideboard with the rest of the home with the trim that gives the storage a classic paneled effect. "After adding molding and skirting, we caulked all the gaps and then primed and painted using the same color as the walls," says Fiona.

36. Use IKEA PAX wardrobes for a built in bedroom storage

Difficulty rating: 3/5

Cutting the IKEA system down isn't so difficult, but you'll need to be careful in cutting new doors for your storage.

Home renovator Sophia Nikolaides of @1894home decided to put her Ikea PAX wardrobes for a fresh, new bedroom storage hack. "When we came to finding a solution to an awkward nook under our bedroom eaves, we decided to use the IKEA PAX," she explains. "We cut the sides of the unit to fit under the slope and used the provided fixings to make it sturdy," she says. "Then it was a case of getting it in place for the doors."

To ensure that the storage looks seamless, she added slab doors. She then painted a soft neutral on the doors as trim; the same as the walls to create a unified aesthetic.

37. Create a sleek built-in shelving unit with Ikea BILLY bookcase hack

Difficulty rating: 3/5

You'll need to be able to cut large sheets of timber for the fronts of these cabinets, but otherwise it's a simple project using the BILLY system.

Who knew an IKEA BILLY bookcase hack could look so stylish? We love how Elisha of Our Aesthetic Abode has transformed the shelving unit into a modern display piece.

"I started with two IKEA BILLY bookcases and then I framed around them using 2x4s," says Elisha. "I then cut 1/4” birch plywood with an arch detail for each shelf and nailed this facing to the 2x4 frame. I used a shellac-based primer first (BIN) and then Sherwin Williams Emerald paint in Urbane Bronze!"

Perfect for book organization, plant pots, or display items, this is a super chic addition.

38. Create a split wardrobe with IKEA PAX

Difficulty rating: 3/5

Building plinths and a few other built-in elements isn't the hardest IKEA wardrobe hack, especially when the PAX does most of the hard work.

Looking for IKEA bed hacks? Now this is clever. The hard work of Charlotte and Ben of @new.house.home has certainly paid off with this elegant built-in wardrobe.

The couple brought together two IKEA PAX wardrobe frames with four GRIMO Doors and two BORGHAMN handles. Charlotte explains: "The first step was to build a plinth for each of the IKEA PAX wardrobes to stand on. The idea of this was to raise them a bit, creating a more built-in and elegant feel."

"We then used Medium-density fibeRboard around the edges and top of the wardrobe to box it in, using wooden battens hidden behind the MDF to hold it in place."

"After using more MDF to build the shelves in between the wardrobes, we corked and filled around the edges to make it look seamless with the walls" says Charlotte. "We then lightly sanded down the wardrobes, before priming them & the shelves. Finally, we painted the wardrobes and the entire room in Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster. We used Eggshell paint on the wardrobes and shelves to give them a slight shine, and then used Emulsion on the walls."

39. Use this IKEA METOD hack in the bathroom

Difficulty rating: 2/5

Cutting down the cabinet to be slimmer for a small bathroom is the biggest challenge for this project.

If you fancy giving your modern bathroom a makeover, now you can give thanks to @eakerblom and @viccee, using their IKEA METOD cabinet hack.

‘First, we cut down on the depth by 3 or 4 inches so it would be the right fit for the bathroom,' says Erik. 'Then we added drawers using IKEA BODBYN fronts and cover panels. The piece between the cabinets and the countertop is not from IKEA, just added for a more built-in look.’

‘We then sanded down the cabinet before adding two coats of Jotun’s LADY Supreme Finish paint as we felt the grey gives a more harmonic feeling with the marble and brass.’

40. Give your cabinets a stylish update with the EKET IKEA hack

Difficulty rating: 2/5

This project might be a bit trickier if your cabinets don't fit exactly as Harriet and Luke's did.

If you’re looking to spruce up your EKET cabinets, then Harriet and Luke of @twentyfivehome have the hack just for you.

"We measured our living room corners and the IKEA EKET cabinets fit perfectly on each side of the chimney breast," says Harriet. "After attaching them to the wall (2 units in one alcove and 3 in the other), we cut MDF panels to size to fit down either edge and along the bottom of the units. We also added an MDF top which we had edged with a router to give it a nicer finish."

"For the doors, we glued decorative beading and caulked the gaps to make them look seamless. Finally, we primed and painted everything to match the wall color, apart from the top which we painted white. So pleased at how they turned out, especially as it saved us a huge amount of money."

42. Fashion an ultra-modern cabinet with this IKEA BISSA hack

Difficulty rating: 2/5

A simple tidy up and paint, with new handles, transforms this project.

If you fancy giving your IKEA BISSA cabinet a sleek finish, Raden of @radenayu has got the perfect hack.

"I used two old IKEA BISSA units for this hack and started by scraping off the laminate which was already peeling as well as filling any holes or dents using a wood filler," says Raden. "I then proceeded to prime the cabinets before painting them with macchiato color. I used 3 coats of paint and sanded them in between each coat. To elevate the whole look, I added a half-circle gold hardware onto each door."

"Because IKEA BISSA is relatively bigger than the narrow IKEA HEMNES shoe cabinet, you can put stuff on top of it. You can just decorate the cabinet as an entryway storage or make it a home command center like I did."

FAQs

What does IKEA hack mean?

IKEA hack means decorating IKEA furniture using Do-It-Yourself skills. The idea is fairly simple: a person buys a piece of furniture from IKEA and changes, alters, or decorates it using DIY hacks.

Whether it's a simple paint job or reconstructing the furniture altogether, DIY hacks allow you to give your IKEA furniture a simple upgrade.

Is IKEA cheaper than DIY?

IKEA tends to be cheaper than DIY as it's possible to make the item you want using affordable IKEA parts rather than spending more on raw materials to make shelves or desks, for example.

It does depend on how much you spend on your materials, but since IKEA does simple household items so well, your best option might be to invest in IKEA items and use DIY hacks until you get the look you want.

Can you sit on IKEA furniture?

Many IKEA hackers repurpose the likes of cabinets into built-in seating, but if that a good idea? On each IKEA product, you'll be able to find the maximum weight limit. As the IKEA EKET is a small cube-shaped cabinet and can hold around 15lbs per shelf, while the KALLAX has maximum load per shelf being 28lbs, for example.

If it's not designed to be a seat, we wouldn't suggest sitting on IKEA furniture unless you're able to reinforce it through the hack itself. Adding extra supports, brackets and fixings may be able to make your furniture sturdier to sit on. There won't, however, be a way to test this new load capacity, so you'll have to use your own judgement, and have it be at your own risk.

Once only bought to prolong the life of a skip-worthy mattress, savvy sleepers are waking up to the comfort-boosting benefits of investing in one of the best mattress toppers from day one. Even if you think your existing mattress is the bee’s knees, there’s always room for improvement and a topper could be that game-changing addition that pushes a standard sleep experience to the sublime. 

Mattress toppers are also brilliant for filling any missing moments in your existing mattress. You don’t hate it, but it could be comfier. The two most popular reasons for investing in a mattress topper: to add softness to a firm mattress, or breathability to heat-trapping traditional memory foam models. Anyone suffering from back or joint pain will also benefit from a topper that adds an extra layer of support and cushioning where it’s most needed. 

The way we sleep, and our material preferences are personal so there’s always going to be a degree of subjectivity involved. Factors such as body weight, body temperature, and even bedding can have an impact on how individuals experience the same mattress. To help narrow down your options, we’ve shortlisted the top seven toppers we believe are the best for a variety of sleep positions and priorities. 

From traditional featherbeds and wool to modern high-tech foam, we’ve dug deep to find the very best currently on offer to help fast-track you towards your dream sleep set-up. And, if your mattress is beyond the help of a topper, don't miss our guide to the best mattresses.

The best mattress toppers 2026

Who will the Layla mattress topper suit?
A great little all-rounder, this foam-based topper is perfect for anyone looking to extend the lifespan of their mattress,  gain extra support and sleep cool. Due to its plush nature, side sleepers may find the most comfortable, but if you're looking to add a soft touch to your mattress, the Layla is it. 

What is it like to sleep on?
Plush and cozy, while also having an airy feel that keeps you sleeping cool and providing very important pressure relief.  It conforms to your body and cushions hips and shoulders but its thinner profile prevents any stuck feelings. 

Special features?
The 2” of copper-gel infused memory foam helps sleep cool and provides anti-microbial benefits.  It uses thick straps to tuck over your mattress.

What do you get for your money?
A lengthy 120-night trial and a 5-year guarantee. 

Who will the Tempur mattress topper suit?
The Tempur Topper Supreme is built for anyone looking for support and pressure relief, which the adaptive foam perfectly cradles you in any sleep position. It's also extremely beneficial if you want the cushion of the infamous Tempur material, without shelling out for the entire mattress. 

What is it like to sleep on?
We describe it as a medium-firm. Its motion isolation properties also ensure you won't be disturbed by a restless partner or pet. It's also hypoallergenic and breathable, ideal for people with allergy sensitivity or who are prone to overheating. 

Special features
The topper uses the proprietary Tempur material that uniquely responds to your weight, shape, and temperature for truly personalized support. The cover is also removable and fully washable.

What do you get for your money?
The Tempur-Topper comes with a solid 10-year warranty, but when purchased directly through Tempur-Pedic, the mattress is non-returnable. However, if purchased from an external retailer that carries Tempur-Pedic,  your purchase is subject to the return and exchange policies of that retailer.

Who will the Sleep Innovations Topper suit?
This four-inch topper is for anyone looking to drastically change the feel of their mattress. It offers a great combination of support and comfort helping to alieve pressure points and limit motion transition. The washable cover is also convenient for upkeep. 

What is it like to sleep on?
The soft topper contours to your body with just the right amount of sink for a feeling we can only describe as like sleeping on a cloud. The four-inch depth hat also has the ability to reduce pain caused by pressure points. We should note, that if you already do tend to sleep hot, this won't exactly make you sleep cooler. 

Special features
The four-inch dual design of  Sleep Innovations Ultra Soft Support Gel Memory Foam Dual Layer Mattress Topper combines the best qualities of foam and featherbeds for plush, contouring support. It features a three-inch cooling gel memory foam layer with a one-inch washable quilted fiberfill topper that stretches over the memory foam and mattress to secure itself to the bed like a fitted sheet.

What do you get for your money? 10-year warranty, and follows Amazon's 30 day return policy. 

Who will the Peacock Allet Topper suit?
Dreaming of a fluffy cloud-like surface to bring your bed some extra cushion? This featherbed from luxury linen brand Peacock Alley is for you. It also plays double duty as a mattress protector with a moisture-proof barrier for further protection.

What is it like to sleep on?
Luxurious and comfortable, with the plush and fluffy fill for a night full of breathable comfort. The baffle box stitching ensures the filling doesn't shift.  It's easy to wash too and is said to get loftier with each wash. 

Special features
The featherbed has a 2-3˝ high box quilt design with a cotton sateen cover. The full elastic polyester skirt securely fits mattresses 14-18˝ deep.  The entire topper is also washable. 

What do you get for your money?
30-day trial period with free shipping and returns. 

Who will Nest Bedding Topper suit?
Wool is beloved for its temperature regulating properties, keeping you cool in the warmer months, and holding on to your body heat when it's colder. This organic merino wool topper is highly regarded for its extremely soft and itch-free design. The topper is ideal for anyone with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) or allergies to down feathers and polyester fibers and is looking for healthier alternatives. Its supportive design also helps ease any back pain. 

What is it like to sleep on?
All sleep types will find that the wool topper sleeps cool and offers increased support, especially around the hips. It doesn't offer the cradling feeling of foam or the plushness of down, but it's a subtle cushion that makes your bed feel luxurious. As far as care, a mattress protector is highly recommended and regular sunning and airing are beneficial for disinfecting wool. 

Special features
Merino wool is the softest wool available, and this certified-organic design is free of any chemicals or dyes and wrapped in a cotton jacquard cover.  The topper has elastic straps to fit your mattress and is made to order. 

What do you get for your money?
Free standard delivery and a 30-day trial period. 

Who will the Avocado Organic Latex Topper Suit?
Choose this Latex topper if you're after a spotlight on eco-conscious, high-performance all-natural latex that is resilient, durable, and offers good temperature control. 

What is it like to sleep on?
Cool and comfortable. Plus, with the option to choose between a plush or firm density, this topper comes pretty close to customizable comfort. The firm uses D75 medium-firm natural latex to add gentle support and resilience while the Plush with D65 soft natural latex will provide a more cloud-like, luxury-plush feel. 

Special features
The latex topper is made with GOLS organic certified latex and GOTS organic certified wool, with a  quilted ticking made with GOTS organic certified cotton. It's also available vegan (without wool).  

What do you get for your money?
Avocado offers a lengthy one-year trial, with a 30-day minimum and the topper is backed by a 10-year warranty. 

Who will the ViscoSoft Topper Suit?
The thick Viscosoft plays double duty to help you sleep cool and offer pressure relief.  The memory foam is motion isolating by default, making it ideal for couples. 

What is it like to sleep on?
Refreshing with the help of a cooling cover, copper technology, and ventilated foam (more on that below) while also extremely supportive to keep your body in perfect alignment and cushion any sensitive spots. The four-inch design truly transforms the feel of your bed, though you may find yourself needing to invest in some deep-pocketed sheets. 

Special features?
The washable cooling cover helps moderate heat and deflect moisture while the copper-infused memory foam also works to transfer heat from the body to keep you cool. Another 2-inch layer of ventilated memory foam increases breathability and provides contouring support. The topper also utilizes a breathable mesh anti-slip backing and elastic straps that conveniently connect it to the bed.

What do you get for your money?
A 60-day money-back guarantee and a 5-year warranty.

Why do I need a mattress topper?

For many, the first encounter with a mattress topper occurs when an existing "old faithful" mattress starts to give up the ghost, but funds don’t quite stretch to replacement. And it’s true that a topper can successfully hide a few lumps and bumps, saving your mattress from landfill for a few more years.

However, once you have enjoyed that extra level of comfort and support, a mattress topper may well become the norm. They’re the dishwasher of the bedroom, once you’ve experienced the benefits, you’ll never go without.

It’s also worth appreciating that a topper can provide a really decent layer of protection to the mattress beneath. If you have invested in the best mattress you can afford, a topper will ensure that outlay lasts longer. Unlike many mattresses, a topper can usually be machine washed, which also provides an extra layer of hygiene where you rest your head.

What do I need to consider when choosing a mattress topper?

Depth
Toppers range from a single inch to over four or five inches thick, but we recommend aiming for at least two to three inches for a really noticeable comfort boost. Do take into consideration the depth of your existing mattress. If it’s already thick, adding four inches may make getting in and out difficult, not to mention the issue of finding fitted sheets deep enough to accommodate both topper and mattress.  

Breathability
If you often wake in the night feeling too hot and a bit sticky, prioritize breathability. Aerated layers and open-cell foams equate to freer air movement and a cooler night’s sleep. More serious issues are best tackled with a gel-infused topper. 

Fit
A topper that moves around in the night is incredibly annoying, not to mention uncomfortable. Toppers can also be quite heavy and unwieldy, especially foam-based designs, so you need one that stays in place. Look for wide elastic straps with sufficient length to hug your existing mattress securely. They can be tied shorter if required but too short elastic will ping off in the night. Some also sport non-slip bases for extra resistance. Do check the dimensions closely to ensure a close match with your mattress. Cheap toppers are often smaller than they should be, which reduces your sleep area.

Cleaning
It’s recommended you clean your topper every six months to maintain good hygiene and longevity. Taking your topper to a professional cleaner is often necessary due to sheer size – a thick California King topper simply won’t go into the drum of a domestic washing machine. Foam toppers often have a zip-removable top cover, which can easily go in your washing machine and dryer, which is worth prioritizing if you have dust allergies. Adding one of the best mattress protectors is another way to keep your topper clean – just find one big enough to wrap over both the topper and mattress.

What are the best mattress topper materials?

Memory foam can be a real ‘Marmite’ material for some as it lacks the bounce they are used to from a more traditional topper, but if it’s spine-support your current mattress is missing, it’s worth taking another look. Check out ‘new generation’ open cell foam to avoid sweatiness. Some, like ____, inject the foam with gel, which is designed to take the heat away from your body. All the foam toppers on our list offer sleep testing, so you can return your topper if it’s not for you.

Hybrid toppers combine the plush quilted design of featherbeds with thin layers of foam, or sometimes latex, to provide extra comfort than you’d typically expect from foam alone. A real people-pleaser, hybrid toppers suit most sleep positions and tend to be star performers when it comes to temperature and allergy control.

Down/feather is still the go-to for luxury bedding companies, and with good reason. Look for a mix of fine down and feather to enjoy maximum softness – akin to sleeping on a giant feather pillow! Kept well plumped, they will regulate temperature surprisingly well but it’s in winter that the squishy warmth comes into its own. Down alternative options are also abundant, and great for anyone with major dust allergies or wanting to avoid animal products.

Wool toppers are a bit more niche but offer a very luxurious softness and bounce that is less likely to flatten, or lump compared to feather. A natural temperature regulator, wool will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer and is also a sound choice for allergy sufferers. Not all can be cleaned so do check before you buy.

Wondering how to plan a walk-in closet has been on my mind all week. The return of Carrie Bradshaw has highlighted many things - I'm a touch more careful on my Peloton now, for one - but clothes storage, and having the space to done properly to do it well, has been the true design stand out.  It was just beyond their closet that Big kept his bike, and through the closet that - spoiler alert - Carrie had to step to find him. And through all the drama, I just couldn't help but wonder why I wasn't hanging clothes so nicely myself. 

Closet organisation ideas are the key to a happy, tidy home. If you can get your storage sorted then everything else flows neatly out from that - if there is a place for everthing, and everything is in its place...well, you know the rest.

But what if storage was more than just function and a thing of beauty, too. I spoke to Vicky Silverthorn, the decluttering expert behind You Need a Vicky (who once, many moons ago, helped me declutter my kitchen) to get her expert tips. For if anyone knows how to plan a walk-in closet, it's her. 

How to plan a walk-in closet

1. Start with a declutter

It may seem obvious, but the first thing to do when planning a walk-in closet is to declutter. 'Without having sorted out your clothes, got rid of ones you don't need and taken stock of what's left, you don't know what you're building a closet for,' Vicky says of a process that needs to come before you get to your walk-in closet ideas.  'Often we'll find ourselves having to squash clothes into a space which hasn't been designed with the owner's possessions, which defeats the point of having a lovely space.' 

2. Work out the hanging space you need

Once  you have done a declutter, you're better placed to build a closet which perfectly suits your needs - it's good to have done this if you're working with small closet ideas as you can truly use every inch of space. 'Count up the clothes you have left, and check the lengths that they tend to be,' Vicky says. 'Shirts are different lengths from blouses, men's clothes tend to need longer spaces than women's. Once you've done your audit you can measure the drop you need between rails and get it absolutely right for you.' 

3. Categorise your clothes

In order to avoid just throwing your clothes anywhere - and so as to be able to find them easily - sort your clothes into categories in which to store them in the walk-in closet.

'I love categories,' Vicky says. 'But there are only a few you need to stick to. Firstly it's the obvious one, put blouses with blouses, trousers with trousers, jumpers with jumpers, and so on. And then within that, categorize twice more - once for color, once for length - short sleeves or long. It's that simple.'

Vicky goes on to say that some people like a final category for work clothes 'so that they can ignore them on the weekend.' Which seems like a nice approach to add to dressing room ideas, too. 

4. Focus on shoes

Shoes need to be a focus of your closet design, not an afterthought. 'People often think they can just shove them at the bottom on the floor, but there is never enough room for that,' Vicky says. She suggests adjustable shelves instead, of differing heights. 'Some for trainers, some for boots, depending on what sort of shoes you have.' 

5. Decide whether to hang or fold

Just like how deep a closet should be, this is open to interpretation. 'There is no hard and fast rule as to whether you should hang or fold items like sweaters,' Vicky says. 'You've got to do what's right for you. The only thing to remember is not to put drawers or shelves too high - if you've folded your sweaters and put them in a spot you can't reach it'll just be irritating.'

6. Make an island for belts and accessories

In a super luxe walk-in closet, you'll want an island in the middle for extra storage. 'I would suggest that this is full of drawers,' Vicky says. 'Keep them really simple, ideally with bespoke dividers made especially for you, but if not, with ones you can chop and change as your habits evolve. Amazon do really good drawer dividers which you can fit in as you need - they have a spring to hold them tight in place.'

Shop Amazon's selection of drawer dividers here.

7. Choose the right hangers

There is no point going to all the effort of building a walk-in closet of dreams only to fall at the last hurdle with a mishmash of hangers.

'Be sensible with hangers,' Vicky says. 'Uniform hangers will be so much more pleasing and make your clothes feel so much more desirable to wear.' She suggests slimline hangers, of which Amazon has a great selection here. 

8. Finish the space with a black out blind

If you're lucky enough to have  natural light in your walk-in closet then you'll want to cover the windows for the time you're not in there picking out clothes. 'You'll need a blackout blind last of all,' Vicky says. 'To make sure your garments don't get sun bleached.'

What to do with corners in a walk in closet?

Vicky says that corners in a walk-in closet are ideal for things you need infrequetly, like dinner jackets or ballgowns. 'You can also get rails that go right round corners, so they will help you make the most of the space,' Vicky says. 

It is hard not to have very high expectations when testing a premium mattress like the Simba Hybrid Luxe. Even more so when the brand consistently makes it onto lists recommending the best mattresses around and has 'Best Buy' awards from Which?.

Like similar mattress in a box brands, Simba has spent the last few years perfecting the manufacturing of hybrid mattresses – that is a mattress that uses a combination of springs and memory-like foam for a sleep experience that is the best of both worlds. In April 2021 they debuted their newest mattress – the Hybrid Luxe – and having given the Simba Hybrid Pro that came before it five stars, we were keen to test it out. With 10 layers, to the Pro's seven, I was very intrigued to see what these layers were and how you could improve on full marks. 

I have now been sleeping on the Simba Hybrid Luxe for two months – so plenty of time to work out if it is for me, though not as long as Simba's generous 200-night trial. With this mattress I have been through unseasonably cold weather, plus highs of 28 degrees celsius and more, in my overheating loft bedroom. As a side sleeper, who usually goes for a medium-firm mattress, I wanted to see if this met my demands of something supportive with a pillowy top to sink in to. Here are my thoughts.

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress specifications:

• Tension: medium-firm
• Type: Hybrid (foam and Aerocoil springs)
• Sizes: single to super king

Who will the Simba Hybrid Luxe Suit?

The beauty of this mattress is it really does suit everyone. If you like a firmer mattress, the support from multiple spring layers delivers, yet the foam and bamboo wool layers offer a softness that you will lightly sink into. Side sleepers, front sleepers, back sleepers and those with aches and pains will all be left feeling gently cradled through the night.

Unboxing the Simba Hybrid Luxe

Like all Simba mattresses, the Hybrid Luxe is ordered online and delivered for free in up to five business days. You have the option of zero-contact doorstep delivery, or they will deliver to a room of choice – I wish I had opted for the latter as though not too cumbersome, this mattress is rather weighty. I definitely would recommend their help with a king or super king size.

Once we had wrestled it up two flights of stairs (still easier than an uncompressed mattress, for sure), we just had to place it on the bed, and use the special Simba opening knife provided to cut off the plastic. It then gently unfurls, allowing you to remove the plastic and leave it to inflate.

Simba predominantly use cardboard packaging, but unfortunately there is a fair bit of plastic around the mattress itself – currently a necessity for a rolled mattress like this to remain rolled. The plastic can be recycled in selected places, or – as I have done – saved for decorating jobs or the other random occasions you really wish you had a big sheet of plastic.

The Simba Hybrid Luxe says it is ready to sleep on in six hours, but being impatient, I had a lie down after about three and considered it good to go. However, I didn't sleep on it until after the six hours to be sure.

The smell is often off-putting to those buying from mattress in a box brands, and I have experienced some with quite a strong synthetic chemically smell. The Simba did smell quite strong, but not of plastics or anything noxious – more of an earthy, woody smell that I presume is from the bamboo. I could still smell this about a week later, but my other half stopped noticing it after a day or two.

What is the Simba Hybrid Luxe to sleep on?

Onto the most important part. What is it like sleeping on Simba's most advanced mattress to date?

First impressions
Prior to sleep, I had a quick lie down and to be candid, my initial thoughts were that it did not feel four times more comfortable than my old Ikea mattress that was a quarter of the price. After a couple of minutes however, the give in the top layer was noticeable, as was the lack of pressure on joints that I had experienced with my old mattress as soon as I rolled to my side.

A great night's sleep
I had been waking up intermittently in the weeks before swapping to the Simba Hybrid Luxe. The first few nights I slept on the Hybrid Luxe I slept right through, feeling noticeably more rested in the morning than I had before. While it hadn't blown me away at first, I could see how it had adjusted my sleep position and motion transfer was barely noticeable from my other half (who moves a lot in his sleep). It is virtually silent – impressive for a mattress with any springs let alone three layers of them.

I usually sleep on my side, but have happily slept on my back on this mattress. It is comfortable for lying on my front too, though the top layer might not yield quite enough for some. On my back and side, I feel fully supported and aligned – I tend to find it easier to get into a comfy position and stay that way.

Another great thing is how good the edge-to-edge support is. I am prone to lying right at the edge of the bed and with previous mattresses this has left me feeling slightly precariously balanced. It can easily support quite a lot of weight right to the very last centimetre of sleep surface. This will reassure anyone who does like to sleep a bit too close to the side and could be well suited to those with mobility issues or struggles getting out of bed.

Temperature regulation
The Simba Hybrid Luxe claims to have amazing temperature regulation properties. If you bought it on this alone, you may be a bit disappointed. I will caveat this by saying I seem to have issues with controlling my temperature properly – I rarely feel just right. It did keep me nice and warm when I first came to test it at the start of April when temperatures were under 10ºC outside for some time. 

However, as soon as it got a little bit warm outside, I was occasionally waking up a bit too warm and uncomfortable. It is certainly no worse than it was with my old mattress, but I did expect it to be somewhat better on account of the claims – and price. That said, the sleep surface does offer a breathability that means when I do wake up a bit warm, it does seem to dissipate quickly if I move and after switching to the Simba Hybrid Duvet too, I have felt more comfortable.

My other half thinks it is more cooling than the old mattress, but again, not enough to position this as a USP.

Firmness test

This is at the firmer end of mattresses I have slept on before, but not too firm. While my observation is that it is just the right mix of firm with a soft upper you can sink into, I wanted to show it in a more scientific way. So, out came the weights and laser level to demonstrate.

With 16 kilograms on top and a laser level on the surface, it left a 7.5cm depression. At the edges this was actually less – around the 6cm mark. Great edge-to-edge support for those who sprawl, but a bit more of a depression in the middle than the Simba Hybrid Pro that we have tested before. This only sank 7cm with a 25kg weight. The Hybrid Luxe is therefore better suited to those who want a medium-firm mattress with plenty of softness for shoulders, hips and knees.

I would rate it an eight out of 10 on the firmness scale. My other half who is a (fair) bit heavier than me rates it a six – he would prefer it to be slightly firmer. In conclusion, if you are lighter and like a firm mattress it is fine, but anyone much lighter than me might want a bit more give and could consider investing in one of the best mattress toppers to up the softness. Likewise those over 12 stone might find it on the softer side, though it is still very supportive right across the full width. 

What don't we like about the Simba Hybrid Luxe?

This is a big mattress. It is 31cm deep and those 10 layers sure do make it weighty. So, you won't want to be moving it often – if at all. If you live in rented accommodation and see yourself moving a lot in the future, consider this as this mattress should be with you for the long haul.

It also demands rather deep sheets. If you have the double, size up to king size sheets. If you have super king, you might be restricted to buying Simba's fitted sheets – I assume these are made to fit their deeper mattresses.

These are relatively minor drawbacks to what is otherwise an amazing mattress.

The layers: what is the Simba Hybrid Luxe made from?

The Simba Hybrid Luxe boasts 10 layers – three more than the Hybrid Pro and five more than the Simba Hybrid. The layers are:

1. Soft breathable sleep surface – this can be unzipped and washed
2. Open cell casing – holding the mattress together when the breathable sleep surface is removed. Also very breathable
3. Bamboo wool layer
4. Open-cell Simba Pure foam layer – yielding yet offers depth
5. 25mm Aerocoil spring comfort layer
6. As above – yes, a double layer of Aerocoil springs
7. High definition Simba Pure foam – this offers supreme edge support
8. 40mm carbon steel spring comfort layer – for even more support
9. High definition Simba Pure foam – offering further edge support further down
10. Zoned Simba Pure foam support base

This makes the Luxe 6cm deeper than the Hybrid and 3cm deeper than the Pro. The upgrades are the bamboo wool layer, additional spring layers and their softest sleep surface to date. By using bamboo, they have created a surface and wadding that is antibacterial, breathable, moisture wicking and fast drying to aid thermal regulation. 

Simba Luxe eco credentials

Simba has taken steps to ensure this mattress is a sustainable choice. Firstly, they have swapped wool for bamboo which is fast growing and doesn't use as much water in its production as wool. It is also free from animal products which is a factor that might appeal to some buyers.

They also have made sure their foam is as eco-friendly as can be. Foam from other brand's mattress include TCPP and other chemicals such as phosphates, parabens, biocides and organic pollutants which aren't good for the planet. Simba have created Simba Pure, their own foam that is free from the above while exceeding fire safety regulations. What's more, it it these chemicals that gas off in the first few months (or years) of a mattress's life, causing a noxious smell – Simba Pure is free from this, too.

Finally, Simba will recycle any products that are returned as part of their trial.

What do you get for your money when you order a Simba Hybrid Luxe?

As well as the mattress and free delivery, Simba offers a range of things showing their confidence in their products. These include:

• Risk free 200-night trial: if you don't love it after 200 nights they will collect it and refund you
• 10-year guarantee: should it fail in that time, they will replace it with a brand new one

How does the Simba Hybrid Luxe compare to other mattresses?

The closest competitor mattress to compare this to is probably the Brook + Wilde Ultima. You can read our Brook + Wilde Ultima mattress review to compare. Like the Simba Hybrid Luxe it has 10 layers of a very similar make up – two layers of springs, open cell foam, a breathable layer and an integrated mattress cover, just to name a few. The Ultima is slightly more expensive at just over £2,000, but our reviewer gave it five stars and states it is the best mattress she has ever slept on. You also get the benefit of being able to choose soft, medium or firm which makes that better suited to those who don't want anything as firm as the Simba Hybrid Luxe.

The Simba Hybrid Luxe is also slightly more expensive than the Emma Original Hybrid which was released around the same time. We also rated the Emma Original Hybrid 4.5 stars. It is not quite as firm as the Simba and is made from five layers measuring only 25cm – better if you struggle finding deep enough fitted sheets or have a high bed and want a thinner mattress.

We don't rate the Luxe quite as highly as its predecessor, the Simba Hybrid Pro which got five stars from us in tests on one of our sister titles. It only has seven layers and is missing the extra layer of 40mm high carbon steel springs you get on the Luxe, has no open cell casing under the breathable sleep surface and the Luxe has an additional layer of Simba-Pure foam with edge support – the Hybrid Pro has just one. However having lay on one (but not slept on it), it felt as comfy as the Luxe, and was a bit more yielding which I prefer. Without sleeping on both I can't argue that the Luxe is not worth the extra £300–400, but the Hybrid Pro shows you can get an amazing mattress closer to the £1,000 price bracket. 

However, if you are vegan you might want to consider the Luxe with its bamboo layer and sleep surface, over the wool layered Hybrid Pro.

How does it rate online?

Though the mattress was only released in April, it has already received star ratings averaging four to five out of five from various sources. There are not many customer reviews yet on the Simba site or the third parties that sell it, but full reviews agree that it is incredibly comfortable and very very supportive – so exactly what you need from a mattress.

Livingetc verdict: is the Simba Hybrid Luxe worth the money?

The Simba Hybrid Luxe is definitely worth the money. I haven't slept better on any other mattress before and while it is a couple of hundred pounds more than its predecessor, it does have three extra layers. While other reviewers agree that it is hard to tell whether these three layers offer a superiority to the Simba Hybrid Pro, I liked that it used sustainable bamboo in place of wool and would happily pay the difference for that and would argue that the additional layers will enhance the durability.

It is an investment and sounds steep at first, but I sleep so much better with this mattress. After all, sleep should be an investment as it can contribute (both positively and negatively) to our overall health.

• Why not upgrade your sleep further with new bedding from our list of the best pillows

About this review and our reviewer

This mattress was tested by our Editor in chief of Homes Ecommerce, Lindsey Davis. While she has tested lots of bedding, this is the first mattress she has officially reviewed – though is guilty of inviting herself for a lie down on other people's mattresses if they tell her they have a well known mattress in a box. 

She tested it from April to June in 2021. For those who remember, April was unseasonably cold (heating still on here until early May...) and after a rainy May, June had some high temperatures in the upper twenties and lower thirties. This gave her a good idea of how the mattress will perform in both hot and very cold weather. As someone who is awful at regulating her body temperature, she was keen to put Simba's temperature control claims to the test.

Simba has allowed her to keep this mattress, free of charge. This is great news for you (and her) and she will update the review over the coming months. 

If you’re seeking a hypo-allergenic mattress that’s naturally breathable and completely free of harmful chemicals and toxins, The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress is well worth a look.

With more than 15 years’ experience crafting cot, crib and single mattresses for the younger generations, 2021 witnessed The Little Green Sheep’s first foray into mattresses for grown-ups. Like its renowned children’s mattresses, this new Natural Pocket Sprung Mattress focuses on all-natural materials, such as wool, coconut coir, latex and cotton. 

We tested a Super King version of the Natural Pocket Sprung mattress for two months in the summer, taking care to assess it on comfort levels, temperature control, support and, above all, how well we slept. Keep reading to discover how it performed, then feel free to check out our best mattress guide to find out how it compares in this competitive market.

The Little Green Sheep Natural Pocket Sprung Mattress specifications:

• Tension: Medium or Medium-firm (two-sided)
• Type: Pocket Sprung
• Depth: 22cm
• Sizes: Single, Small double, Double, King, Super King

Who will The Little Green Sheep Natural Pocket Sprung Mattress suit?

All sleep positions:
This is a dual-sided mattress. On the Medium-Firm side, you’ll get the extra support needed for front or back sleeping positions. The medium side comes into its own when sleeping on your side. The shoulders and hips feel very well supported and you’ll wake without any niggling aches or pains.  

Traditionalists:
Memory foam seems to have saturated the mattress market, but it’s not for all. This is perfect for those who prefer a traditionally made sprung mattress that allows your body to move freely rather than sink into its foamy depths. 

Allergy suffers:
There is nothing unsavoury or noxious about the construction of this handmade mattress, meaning it won’t create or exacerbate allergies if you’re that way inclined. They have perfected this feature with their best cot bed mattress so we love that grown ups get to enjoy the same clean sleep, too.

Hot sleepers:
All the natural materials in this mattress are naturally breathable and help to regulate your body temperature, keeping you cool in summer and warm (but not too warm) in winter.

The unpacking

There’s no getting around it, this mattress is heavy. The two delivery men who brought it were not delighted to see the five stone steps up to our front pathway, and nor were they happy the tail-lift on their truck wasn’t working. Luckily, we had a couple of our own men on-site and between the four of them, they manhandled the mattress into our house via the triple-width sliding doors into the kitchen. 

The Little Green Sheep take great pains to instruct customers to measure their entrances, turning points and staircases before ordering, and we could see why! No pocket sprung mattress should be significantly bent when moving, as it disrupts the springs inside and can damage them irrevocably. Happily, our staircase doesn’t have a turn and once the delivery guys had gone, the two men left standing managed to heft it into our bedroom. There was cursing. 

Then it was just a matter of removing the strengthened cardboard outer and plastic protective inner bag and popping it (using every muscle in our bodies) onto the bed. Phew. Obviously, the Super King that we tested is going to be the heaviest in the range but it’s definitely a two (or maybe four) man job to lift it. This also means turning the mattress, which is recommended every three weeks, is not a solo venture. If you live alone, you’ll need to call in back up! 

Sleeping on The Little Green Sheep Natural Pocket Sprung Mattress

The mattress arrives with a brief welcome booklet with instructions on how to care for your mattress, and, crucially, how to tell which of the two comfort sides is which! We decided to start our testing efforts on the Medium-firm side, which possibly wasn’t our smartest move. But first, remembering the Little Green Sheep’s advice, I put on the best mattress protector in our airing cupboard, making sure it was waterproof as per the company’s recommendations. 

Bear in mind that our old faithful mattress is also pocket sprung, but it’s no spring chicken and suffers from tired springs and two distinct craters where our bodies lie! Moving from that to a box-fresh pocket sprung, on the firmest surface, was something of a rude awakening. By comparison it felt like we were sleeping on the floor. Not good. We didn’t make it through one night before flipping the mattress over to the Medium comfort, wherein things got a lot better. It was still firmer than we’d become used to but at least we felt like we were sleeping in a bed again. 

In all honestly, the first night went 100% better for my husband, who woke up full of enthusiasm for this mattress. Phrases like ‘game-changing’ and ‘slept like a log’ were being thrown around, which was impressive given he’s not usually the chattiest pre-coffee. I was going to take a little more convincing, but I reminded myself that it can take a little time for your body to adjust to a new mattress, especially if the one you have moved from was at the end of its life (about two years ago!). 

However, while I felt the mattress was a tad too firm for my tastes, I did notice a distinct reduction in aches and pains when getting out of bed. As a keen runner, who also spends around 8–10 hours a day hunched over a laptop, I’d become used to groaning my way into the shower each morning. After just one night on The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress, the comparable ease with which I skipped into the shower persuaded me that it was worth keeping the faith. Sure enough, after just a couple of weeks the mattress no longer felt too firm and started to feel just right. My muscle memory had finally let our saggy old mattress go and embraced this new supportive sleep space. I couldn’t have been happier. 

Motion transfer
So, now to the finer points, like motion transfer, which is all about how much one partner disturbs the other during the night. Sleeping on a Super King gives you a bit of an advantage, as you are physically further away from your partner for much of the night. However, our old mattress was a Super and I would often get complaints about my twitching legs and ‘comfort breaks’ come morning. Fortunately for me, my husband is one of these rare people who lie dead straight, usually on his back, and doesn’t move until morning. It’s a bit weird if I’m honest. 

Anyway, this means he was really the only one who could judge the Natural Sprung mattress on motion transfer, and, after thorough quizzing, he decided that he was still aware I was moving because of the duvet movement (and my thudding about to get to the en-suite) but not the mattress itself. In conclusion, I was still disturbing his sleep but not through any fault of the mattress. 

Support
To measure the tension and support of The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress, I dug out my trusty 56lb/4 stone weight. On the centre of the mattress it sunk exactly 5cm, and that figure stayed resolutely the same at various locations across the mattress – from head to toe, and edge-to-edge. 

This basically reveals that the mattress offers the same tension/comfort levels across its full surface, so you won’t get any lumpy areas or feel like you’re going to slide onto the floor if you get too close to the edge. You can expect to sleep comfortably wherever you lay your head – hello Starfish Sleepers! 

Temperature control
Although I don’t have any clever ways to measure temperature regulation, what I can say is that I slept much cooler on this mattress than I had been prior to its arrival. As a naturally hot sleeper, who keeps the windows wide open all year and throws the duvet off repeatedly, this was where The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress really got my attention. 

Now, I have slept on mattresses with all manner of space-aged cooling claims, including nano technology designed by NASA, and also reviewed the best mattress toppers, which included options with high-tech cooling powers. And I can, hand on heart, report that The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress beat them all hands down. Turns out you don’t need science to keep you comfortably cool by night, you just need a mattress made from all-natural materials. 

Depth
After the initial settling in period, we both slept incredibly well on this mattress, but if I had to pick fault it would be over its thinness. The mattress’ 22cm-depth feels a little mean and our standard fitted sheets didn’t stay taut without attaching sheet suspenders. Annoying but not a dealbreaker. Don’t let such minor issues put you off this truly excellent mattress.

The layers

This is a traditionally constructed handmade mattress. We’re talking proper-size springs (not the tiny conical springs you’ll find in a Hybrid foam mattress), each in their own individual pockets (made from natural calico of course), which means they stay upright and untangled. The cover is a thick 100% cotton Herringbone quilted design that feels robust, like it will hold everything together firmly for years to come. 

Quilted within the cover is a layer of organic wool, which provides a bit of softness and padding. Naturally anti-allergenic and temperature-regulating, the wool is designed to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. We can only vouch for the latter, but it absolutely works. Wool also happens to be naturally fire-retardant, helping this mattress to meet safety standards without the use of chemical retardants. 

Beneath the cover there are also two layers of 3cm-thick natural latex (one on the top and one on the bottom), made using the sap from Hevea trees and completely recyclable. Latex has similar supportive and muscle relieving qualities to memory foam but without any chemicals. Under the latex there’s a thick layer of coconut coir (2cm-thick on the Medium-Firm side, and 1cm-thick on the Medium side), again naturally sourced, that wraps around the springs creating a sturdy but breathable structure. According to The Little Green Sheep, coconut coir acts like thousands of tiny springs to provide even more support. 

Like most traditional pocket-sprung mattresses you can’t remove the cover for washing so the company recommends using a mattress protector. In my experience, removing the cover of any mattress is not easy, and zipping it back on again after it’s been washed, and usually shrunk a tad, is a two-man job involving broken fingernails and cursing. A mattress protector is my preferred option.

The tensions (comfort feels)

The unique selling point of The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress has got to be its dual-sided comfort, which essentially doubles your chances of finding this mattress comfortable. On one side, the side without the stitched label, it is Medium-firm. Flip it over to the side with the label and you get Medium. Clever, but what’s the difference? 

The Medium-firm side is cushioned but with a bit of extra support that you’ll need if you primarily sleep on your front or back. If the mattress is too soft when sleeping in those positions, you’ll most likely wake up with neck ache. Medium support is the most popular tension as it suits side sleepers and those who switch around in the night, which is actually what most of us do. Offering a little more softness to cushion the hips and shoulders, Medium is not so soft that you don’t get any support. For us, Medium was definitely the best, but it was nice to have options!

How sustainable is The Little Green Natural Pocket Sprung Mattress

It’s pretty obvious that the high levels of responsibly sourced, sustainable natural materials in this mattress makes it an eco-friendly choice. The metal springs are the only element that don’t directly come from Mother Nature. We also love that all of The Little Green Sheep’s mattresses are made in solar-powered factories, and the production of natural mattresses involves a far lower carbon footprint than standard synthetic mattresses. 

The entire mattress can be easily recycled, with most of the non-metallic materials also being compostable, so you won’t have any end-of-life landfill stress on your conscience.

What do you get for your money?

If you’re used to memory foam mattresses or just haven’t slept on a pocket sprung mattress for a while, you might find it takes your body a little while to adjust to the more structured feel of The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress. This is why the company offers a 100-day, or rather night, sleep trial before you have to commit. We found it took about three weeks before we really settled into this mattress, so 100 days should be more than sufficient for even the most restless and indecisive sleepers to make a decision. 

The mattress also comes with a five-year guarantee, which isn’t as generous as some companies, especially since seven years is the recommended replacement cycle, but it’s to be sniffed at either.

Ordering and delivery

Ordering online is a dream but you will need a little patience. Each mattress is handmade and will take from one-three weeks to arrive. Delivery is free and a two-man service. Ours arrived in the height of Covid-ness, so they were only prepared to bring it into the entrance hallway. However, in normal times they should happily deliver to the room of your choice. This is very good news as they are extremely heavy mattresses! 

For a reasonable £25 extra, the delivery people will remove your old mattress and have it recycled.

Is The Little Green Sheep Natural Pocket Sprung Mattress worth it?

Now this all depends on how much you value handcraftsmanship and natural materials as there’s really no escaping the fact that this mattress is expensive. The Super King we slept on retails at £2,298.95 and even a lowly single natural sprung mattress from the Little Green Sheep will set you back £1,098.95. Its closest competitor is probably Button & Sprung’s Galway mattress but The Little Green Sheep’s offering includes Latex and two comfort options.

My husband fell head over heels with this mattress from night one, and refused to hear a bad word against it. He continued to sleep extremely well throughout the testing period. I’ll admit this wasn’t a ‘love at first sleep’ experience for me, but once my body had adjusted to a new surface The Little Green Sheep’s Natural Pocket Sprung mattress’ benefits began to hit home. 

I loved how it supported and cushioned my pressure points, seriously reducing the morning aches and pains, but mostly I loved its cooling prowess. During the two-month testing process, in the height of (an admitted not terribly hot) summer, I managed to keep the duvet on all night, every night. What a total result. 

Emma’s third mattress launch to date, the Emma Premium landed at the beginning of this year (2021). It was originally called the Emma Original Hybrid, but has undergone a name chance since – either way, it has been a big hit with customers. So much so, the brand is already adding a single version to the line-up. 

I have tested all of the predecessors from Emma, so was keen to compare their latest premium offering. Heralded Emma’s ‘most advanced hybrid mattress’, the Emma Premium has a few tricks up its sleeve, such as longer springs and extra foam, but does it live up to the hype? We tested a double Emma Premium mattress for three weeks in April/May. Find out how we got on and how it compared to other contenders for the best mattress around.

Who will the Emma Premium mattress suit?

The abundance of hybrid mattresses on the market shows that while we all want to be wooed by memory foam, the appeal of a traditional pocket sprung mattress is here to stay – so when paired they create a very well engineered mattress. This mattress is firmer than Emma's last venture into hybrids – the Emma Hybrid – making it suit all sleep position, including back sleepers. It is great for those with back pain, potentially providing an alternative to overpriced orthopaedic mattresses – though this isn't a claim Emma makes.

It also suits...

• Memory foam fans seeking more movement and bounce
• Hot sleepers who appreciate good air flow and breathability
• The risk averse – you have 200 nights to decide if it is for you

The unpackaging

Like most hybrid mattresses, the Emma Premium is vacuum sealed and delivered in a box (measuring 42cm x 42cm x 100cm). At just over 28kg, said box required two to manoeuvre, but getting it upstairs and around a tight bend in our hallway was a breeze. Anyone in a top-floor flat or with spiral stairs can buy without access concerns. 

Once released from the box, it inflates surprisingly quickly, so I’d recommend opening it on your bed base and then wrestling the mattress into position as it unfolds. Most memory foams take a good 12 hours to fully form but I honestly think we could have slept on the Emma Premium within the hour. Great if you’ve just sent your old mattress off for recycling using Emma’s collection service! 

What's the Emma Premium like to sleep on?

When you first lay down, the Emma Premium mattress doesn’t feel like your typical memory foam. There’s no gradual sinking feeling, nor is it Millpond flat. In fact, it feels very much like a traditional pocket sprung mattress and responds similarly when moving around, which was a very promising start. 

Claiming a mattress will suit all sleep positions is a bold move. But as a restless sleeper who often works their way through them all during the night, it’s one I feel qualified to test. I always start on my left side, with one knee forward as a ballast and on the Emma Premium I felt incredibly well supported – a noticeable improvement on my regular pocket sprung with latex top. In fact, it went a bit too well as I didn’t recall waking again until morning broke. A rare occurrence. 

In order to put Emma’s claims to the test, the following night I started on my back, and again slept well. I did wake on my side but only because my husband admitted to rolling me there to stop snoring! So, it’s comfortable for back sleepers but doesn’t help with snoring. Then came the real test – front sleeping. This is a last resort for me as the pressure is usually too much for my neck but that went surprisingly well, too (after switching to a flatter pillow). Side-sleeping was definitely the most comfortable position for me, but not by much and I was certainly comfortable enough to drift off in the other positions. If you do prefer to sleep on your back or front, do give the Emma Premium a try.

Testing firmness
Emma rate the tension of this mattress as Medium-firm and having tested many mattresses over the last couple of years I agree with this assessment. As a fairly lightweight build, I usually favour a soft-medium mattress that cushions my long-suffering (virtually worn out) ‘runner’s hips’. I’ll admit I did miss the immediate squidge of our 5cm-thick mattress topper. However, the Emma Premium is far from unpleasantly firm and I woke up with fewer aches and pains that normal, even the morning after longer runs, which suggests my pressure points were being well supported. My heavier-framed husband found it perfectly pitched – ‘not too hard, nor too soft’ was his verdict. 

The weight test involves placing a 56lb/4 stone weigh on the middle and edge of the mattress to measure uniformity across the surface. A good quality mattress is evenly supportive, allowing you to enjoy maximum sleeping space. In the middle of the Emma Premium mattress, my trusty weight sank by 5.5cm, and on the edge it was a little more than 6.5cm. This indicates you can expect to achieve equal comfort levels right up to the edge of the bed – great for starfish sleepers and those who like to spread out. Other hybrid mattresses I have reviewed are closer to the 7–8cm mark in the middle, and deeper again on the edge, suggesting the Emma Premium is indeed a good choice for those who err towards the firmer-side of medium-firm. 

Motion transfer is hard to measure but, essentially, the Holy Grail is a mattress that lets you sleep undisturbed by fidgeting bedfellows. On this point, I’d have to say the Emma Premium isn’t as good on reducing motion transfer as latex or all-foam mattresses, like the Emma Original for example. It is closer to the motion transfer you’d expect on a traditional pocket sprung. As mentioned, I change sleep positions a lot in the night and my husband reported that, although he noticed I moved around significantly less on the Emma Premium, he did feel my movements more than usual. If there’s a big disparity between your bodyweights or nocturnal movement, then motion transfer might be an issue for the lighter or stiller sleeper. 

What's the Emma Premium made from?

The Emma Premium is packed with an impressive five layers of comfort, which is what makes it the brand’s ‘most advanced mattress yet’. The first layer is a new generation aerated foam, made to Emma’s own top-secret formula. It is called Airgocell and, according to Emma, is similar to a gel and offers substantial relief to pressure points alongside squidgy softness. Being 50% air, this layer is all about breathability and cooling. 

The second layer is memory foam, which moulds to your body’s contours and is considered particularly affective for those with back problems. Then there’s a layer called ‘cold foam’, which isn’t memory or Airgocell but is designed to help with air transference and to stabilise the springs below. Said springs are next. At 12.5cm tall, they’re full-size pocket springs, not the tiny conical coils found in most hybrid mattresses. Each spring is individually cased to stop them cobbling up and allow more targeted support. 

Finally, there’s a base foam layer, which is a standard solid foam used to stabilise and lend height. Together, these five layers form a 25cm-thick mattress, which is the perfect size for most fitted sheets. 

The top cover is breathable, removable and machine washable, which anyone who appreciates hygiene will love but is also ideal for allergy sufferers. The material is soft but stretchy, which makes zipping it back on very easy – no muscle-power required. Best of all, it doesn’t overheat. Admittedly the outside temperature was still below 8°C overnight when we tested, but I was frequently chucking off the duvet at 3am in our usual bed the week before. Not so with the Emma Premium. Same duvet, same room, same temperature, but the duvet stayed on all night long. Evidently all Emma’s talk of air holes and breathable textiles really do have an impact on memory foam’s sweat-inducing reputation. 

What do you get for your money?

Emma’s amazing 200-night sleep trial – double the norm – boils down to zero risk to your investment. Most mattresses take at least a week to settle and for your body to find its groove, but you’ve got more than three months to bed the Emma Original Hybrid in. And if you decide it’s not The One, just contact Emma’s customer support team, or use the online returns portal, to arrange free collection, no questions, no sneaky charges. 

The 10-year guarantee is equally impressive and protects against undue dents, cracks or any other damage that was not your fault. Send photographic evidence and the faulty mattress will be replaced free of charge. Returned mattresses are recycled or donated to charity.

Ordering and delivery

This mattress-in-a-box is delivered for free, without contact, to your doorstep (or to a nominated neighbour). You can also choose your preferred time slot when you receive delivery notification. Emma mattresses are made in the UK – the air miles on this one are therefore nice and low.

How does it compare to other Emma mattresses?

This is not Emma’s first rodeo when it comes to Hybrids. It was initially (and rather confusingly) called the Original Hybrid, whereas the actual original Hybrid, launched in 2017, is just called the Emma Hybrid. The recent rebrand as the Emma Premium has removed that confusion, but it is still a hybrid. So, why should you shell out extra (£250 more for a double at time of writing) for the new model? 

The main difference lies in the springs, which are much longer and more spring-like compared to the micro-coils in the first Emma Hybrid, and thus firmer (the Emma Hybrid is rated Medium-soft). You also gain a layer of foam – specifically, the Cold Foam stabilising layer – and the new Emma Premium is also much better suited to back sleepers (and those with bad backs), as well as side-sleepers of course. 

How does it compare to the Eve Premium Hybrid?

The Emma Premium’s closest competitor is arguably Eve’s Premium Hybrid, which I tested in 2019, and awarded 4 out of 5 stars. The Eve version is marginally less expensive and a little deeper (28cm) but, like the Emma, it has five layers of high-tech foam, full-size springs and is Medium-firm comfort-wise. Personally, I found the Eve a touch too firm, whereas the Emma has a little more give. The Emma also wins points for its 200-night sleep trial, compared to Eve’s 100-night offer, so if you’re indecisive by nature, perhaps try the Emma first.

Is the Emma Premium worth it?

The Emma Premium has more bells and whistles than you could ever imagine possible from a mattress and, while not cheap, feels like value for money. Sleep is an investment – as it should be – and so is this mattress. It is supportive yet cushioning and doesn’t cause you to overheat in the early hours. I slept soundly in all positions (best on my side though) and although I don’t have a bad back, I really can imagine that it would provide relief if I was ever unlucky enough to do so. 

The only negative I have to say about the Emma Premium mattress is regarding the noxious chemical smell it gives off. This is expected with any foam-based mattress, but it was noticeably stronger than others I’ve reviewed and lasted a lot longer – at three weeks, it was only just beginning to fade. I’ve no doubt it will fade but anyone with particularly sensitive olfactory skills might suffer for a while.

If you're keen to add a different decor vibe to your bedroom this season, look no further. The queen of darkness, designer Abigail Ahern, has just partnered with luxe bedding company, Secret Linen Store to create a sumptuously moody range of elegant bedroom textiles. 

Featuring four new designs, the collection taps directly into Ahern's boho aesthetic with 100% linen, as well as cotton linen mix bedding in four rich new designs that will provide instant effortless elegance to any bedroom.

Read more: Modern bedroom ideas – 18 of the best modern bedroom looks and how to style them

Two of the designs boast a delicate herringbone design in cotton linen mix fabric, while the other two are made from richly pigmented 100% linen. 

'They're all quite unusual colors for a bedroom,' explains Abigail. 'They're not particularly conservative and yet we've just been blown away with the reaction to them. They're just a brilliant way of making your bedroom look sumptuous and inviting.'

Henderson Soot & Henderson Butterscotch bedding

The barely-there herringbone designs on the two Henderson linens are so subtle that you only really notice them when you look up close. The fabric is woven and hemmed first and then washed to give the fabric a soft, laundered look.

'I was really passionate in having a little bit of a print in the collection and the two Henderson designs have a very subtle print,' explains Abigail.  

'Because a bed is such a large item in a room, I didn't want a large print zinging out. So what the subtle print does,' she says, 'is that it gives the bed real life, without overwhelming the space.'

Read more: Abigail Ahern shares her secret for making a small space feel bigger using color

Available in two colorways - Soot a dark khaki green, and Butterscotch a rich, warm brown shade, they're both made from a super soft cotton linen mix.

'I have Soot on my bed at home,' says Abigail. 'I'm quite obsessed with its masculine sensibility because I think it feels quite cool in a bedroom.'

'Butterscotch is a mid-tone - it's not super dark, it's not really light - and it would work with pretty much any style and any color. It would look beautiful if your scheme was pale, it would look equally beautiful if it was dark, too,' she adds.

Peppercorn & Darkest Spruce bedding

The pattern-free foils to the Henderson herringbone linens, are the classic Peppercorn and Darkest Spruce designs. Woven and dyed in Portugal, both sets are made from 100% linen and come in a choice of two sumptuously rich shades. 

'Peppercorn is a pinky brown,' explains Abigail. 'It's such a hard shade to describe, but it is the most restorative color on the planet - you walk in and see it in a room and you want to pop down on that bed because it's so inviting - it makes a space feel like a sanctuary.'

'With Darkest Spruce, there is something so beautiful about the color,' says Abigail. 'It's got this connection to nature and I think when we connect to nature we automatically feel grounded.' 

'I'm super obsessed with texture,' says Abigail. 'Texture turns rooms around. It's like a herb or a spice - it adds pizzazz - when you partner these textural cushions and throws with a bit of pattern you're almost creating magic.'

'You don't really have to do a lot to the rest of the bedroom,' she explains. 'All of the images that we shot for the collection, the styling is so simple and so brought back. The bedding is the hero and the star.'

'It's an incredibly grounding, calming collection that simply makes you want to linger longer in bed!' she adds.

Listen: We chat to Abigail Ahern in our Home Truths podcast

Molly Freshwater, Creative Director of Secret Linen Store says of the new collection:  I could not be more excited to share our newest collection with Abigail Ahern.'

'As a textile designer myself, working with Abigail on this project has been a complete pleasure. Just when you think we have the bedlinen world covered, along comes a collection that is nothing we have created before.'

The Secret Linen Store x Abigail Ahern new collection is available now.

The day many of us have been waiting for has arrived; we are now allowed to host family and friends in our homes. So as we finally start thinking about welcoming guests and visitors back into our homes, how do we tackle the guest bedroom?

For many of us, unused guest bedrooms have been moonlighting as homework or home office spaces during lockdown, or perhaps as a playroom space while nurseries were shut. So even if you've already had a good spring clean earlier this year, you'll want to give your guest bedroom a proper clear out and a good clean – not just to make it an inviting space, but to put any worried guests' minds at ease that it's as germ-free as can be.

We've collated a few expert tips for getting your guest bedroom ready for post-lockdown visitors, and some ideas on how to make this overlooked space more inviting – without having to commit to a major overhaul. From self-cleaning bedding to easy plug-in wall lights, get your guest room ready for your long-awaited visitors.

DEEP CLEAN

Jo James, founder of Bedfolk, advises: “Give all soft furnishings a wash, dust surfaces and bookcases, clear up any clothes, vacuum the carpet, open a window and make the bed up with fresh bed linen”.

Preparation is more important than ever – bedrooms and bathrooms can be hotbeds for germs, so making sure you are taking precautions and cleaning regularly and efficiently between guests is essential. There are some simple things you can do to make your life easier when hosting guests, like using mattress protectors, duvet protectors and pillow protectors which means you can really deep clean your spare bed when your guests go home.

Cleanliness will be at the forefront of nervous guests' minds but there are a few gestures to keep this a germ-free space.

Soak&Sleep’s in-house Sleep Expert, James Montgomery-Castle, suggests: “Encourage your guests to kick back and leave their shoes and the door, ideally swapping to slippers or bed socks to prevent outside germs being spread indoors.

He adds: “One thing that’s not going to go away for a while is the need to hand wash as frequently as possible. Invest in some nice hand soap and leave out some fluffy hand towels and encourage guests to freshen up frequently as they move around your home”.

Leaving doors and windows keep the fresh air flowing inside, and will make those inside feel more comfortable knowing fresh air is circulating.

GUEST BED OPTIONS

A good bed and a comfortable mattress is arguably the most key thing of all. For a fresh look, invest in a gorgeous statement bed like Button & Sprung's Rose king size bed.

Of course, a guest bed can take up quite a bit of room, and with many homes adapting in a world post Covid-19, homeowners are starting to view their guest rooms as multi functional spaces.

For a room that needs to serve other purposes when you're visitor-free, we recommend a daybed that can pull out as a double bed, like IKEA's Hemnes day bed. Simple, but it works (we speak from experience). This frees up floor space so that the room can be used as a playroom, reading room or home office, as the guest bed can be set up as a daybed / sofa. Three large drawers underneath offer plenty of storage for guest bedding, freeing up space in the linen cupboard, and keeping guest linens separate.

You can find upholstered designs on Sofa.com, like the Isla loveseat sofabed which pulls out as a single bed, or the Henry 'bed in a box', which pulls out from an ottoman.

Hosting a couple with kids? Don't panic. A compact roll-out bed like Bundle Beds' design should be able to fit in the laundry cupboard, or in the guest bedroom cupboard (or even under the bed). It simply unclips, rolls out, self inflates and is ready to sleep on. The Bundle Beds include a self-inflating mattress, duvet and pillow and bed sheets, all of which are machine washable.

BEDDING

If a friend (or relative) is close enough to deserve staying over, then we say they are deserving of good bedding. You're going to want some breathable, adaptable duvet and pillows. Dusk's Feels Like Down range is designed to mimic the luxurious feel of down and feather but is vegan-friendly, and comes in 4.5 tog (great for lightweight summertime slumber), 9 tog and 13.5 tog (a heavier duvet adding cosy warmth in the winter).

Keep germs at bay withself-cleaning bedding.Dormeo has incorporated a Silver antimicrobial treatment, using the power of silver to bring long-lasting antibacterial properties to the products it’s infused with. This unique antimicrobial treatment contains ultra-fine silver crystals that release silver ions at a controlled rate only when the conditions for bacterial growth exist, creating a barrier for odours to allow for lasting cleanliness and freshness.

The Evercomfy Silver Bedding Bundle includes a 13.5 Tog duvet, 2 pillows and a mattress protector. From £49.99.

COOL NEW SHEETS

Sheets are the decorative bit, and can add some instant pizazz to your guest bedroom.

“No-one enjoys sleeping on scratchy or worn out sheets that have been on the main bed for ten years before being relegated to the guest room. Give the room some crisp and cool sheets for a boutique hotel vibe,” advises Jo James, founder of Bedfolk.

Different bedding styles can feel different in terms of warmth so it’s worth knowing what will suit your room or home. Percale cotton is cooler to the touch and is suited to hot sleepers, whilst sateen cotton has a naturally heavier drape, making it ideal for those that feel cold in the night. The addition of a natural linen sheet can satisfy both sides of the camp as it is a natural insulator to trap more heat under a duvet at the same time as being temperature regulating and comfortable to sleep under on its own. For nervous visitors it's worth bearing in mind that 100% hemp bedding can be washed at a higher temperature to kill off germs. Soak & Sleep do a lovely neutral range of hemp bedding that feels and looks like linen.

For something super pretty, Peter Reed‘s charming and colourful bed linen trims are coveted by everyone including Her Majesty The Queen (they hold a royal warrant). Each bedding set is bespoke and made to order, so you can pick from any trim, colour cord, or embroidery design you like. Fun for a personalised touch, and lovely as a gift too.

This is the boat design from the Junior Collection. £250 for a fitted sheet, single duvet cover, housewife pillowcase and Oxford pillow case.

Meanwhile Sarah K‘s pretty scalloped edged bedding gives guest beds a gorgeous, summery boutique hotel vibe.

£26 for an Oxford pillowcase, from SarahK.co.uk

Last but not least, not everyone sleeps at the same temperature during the night, but you can cater to everyone’s needs and make your guest bedroom extra comfortable by layering the bed with blankets, throws, and pillows so your guests can decide how much coverage they need. A bedspread, like Kalinko's Lotus bedspread for example, is also an easy way to tie a colour scheme together.

LIGHTING

Aside from bedding, lighting is another sure-fire way to update the look of the room. Wall lights look smart but can be a real faff to wire in, but there are plenty of smart-looking alternatives out there, that can still be wall-mounted but plug in like a regular table lamp.

Cox & Cox have some lovely options like the wall light below, and made.com have some modern alternatives too.

For a more eclectic look or to add some colour, update table lamps or wall lights with one of Matilda Goad's iconic scalloped shades.

Pooky also have some wonderfully colourful and vibrant options, that will promise to give a room an instant lift.

THOUGHTFUL TOUCHES

And finally, it’s the little touches that really make the difference. Calming bedside lights rather than a glaring bright overhead light. A carafe of water with glasses on the bedside and a towel on the end of the bed. Storage if guests are staying for longer than one night will help them live in organised harmony. Bathroom spares for forgotten essentials. A flickering candle on a nightstand to relax and aid good sleep, books and magazines to help them wind down well and a universal phone charger to avoid the dreaded dead battery– these touches will make guests feel welcome as soon as they arrive.

Often overlooked, a wastepaper basket is absolutely essential in a guest bedroom so they can discard their rubbish.

A phone charger is one of the most common thing that guests forget to bring, and you might not have the exact charger they need. We recommend getting a universal wireless charger plate in the guest bedroom, so guests can simply place their phone (whatever make, whatever model) on the plate to charge their phones. The SanDisk iXpand Wireless Charger promises to charge phones at lightning speed.

We think dogs are part of the family, so for guests bringing their pooch it would be a thoughtful touch to place a spare dog bed in the room.

We live during a time where there is a lot of ‘noise.’ Where once we just had glossy magazines helping navigate our journey to creating the look we want in our home, now we are bombarded with information on websites, social media accounts, Pinterest – which all makes it harder to make a decision.

For almost twenty years I was fashion editor on a string of national newspaper and magazine titles. Then it was purely about fashion, now each of those stores has brought out a homeware collection – diversifying the breadth of shops to buy in, too.

It can be really tricky trying to work out what your personal home style is – because there’s simply so much choice. But if you’re standing in your home wondering where on earth you should start, go back to fashion – go back to your own wardrobe and take a look at the pieces within that speak to you.

As an ex-fashion editor, I would say that. But Kate Watson-Smyth, author, interiors expert and founder of Mad About The House blog is also someone who espouses the virtue of looking at your wardrobe as a gateway to pinpointing your décor style.

1. EACH PIECE PLAYS A ROLE

I like to think of a room as if it were different items of clothing, with every piece playing a different role. Let’s take a living room as an example, walls are the largest area to consider, so you can think of them as you would the dress or trouser suit you’re choosing to wear that day.

A sofa – arguably the next largest surface area within the space - will be the coat you wear over the top. Cushions and rugs are your shoes and handbags, while your jewellery would be the accessories that tie the overall look together, like a plant or vase.

2. LET YOUR CLOTHES DICTATE THE COLOUR AND PATTERN FOR YOUR HOME

If you’re stuck on where to start, think about the principles you apply to your clothing style. For example, I am someone who is unapologetic about colour. My wardrobe is full of prints and clashing patterns mixed with a slight bohemian sensibility, so I began to mirror this in my home style too.

I’ve mixed bold shades of blue, green and splashes of yellow with textured prints and rugs, which is all reflected by the pieces in my QVC collection – bright, statement pieces that bring a bit of life to the corners of your home.

If you consider decorating a bit like getting dressed, using colours that you already know you like, starting a scheme won’t be quite so overwhelming.

3. TRANSITIONAL ACCENTS

As you transition your wardrobe from winter to spring, use this as inspiration for your home décor too. Start introducing more vibrant colours and playful patterns. Just as you replace your wool coat with a lighter trench, you could swap in new cushions and brighten up your living room.

It doesn’t have to mean re-decorating your entire house every time the sun comes back out, but simply updating a few little accent pieces. A reversible throw like the one in my QVC collection is a great versatile piece to take you from season to season.

4. COMFORT IS KEY

Your home is somewhere you spend so much of your time. You want it to feel like a little sanctuary from the stresses of the outside world, so comfort is also key! Ultimately, if you’re comfortable wearing something, you’ll probably be comfortable living with it.

For both my wardrobe and home, once I find those pieces I love that really fit my personal aesthetic, I just know they’ll last me for years.

‘Edited by Erica Davies’ is available exclusively at qvcuk.com

Former supermodel Celia Forner has launched a book on beautiful bedrooms, with images of some of the world's most fabulous bedrooms.

Titled Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms and Boudoirs, the book takes a tour of some of the world's most remarkable and over the top bedrooms. They range from historic boudoirs frequented by the likes of Marie Antoinette, to more eclectic sleeping chambers, including that of art collector Peggy Guggenheim. Some of the world's most contemporary hotel rooms serve more modern design inspiration.

See more beautiful hotel bedrooms in Livingetc's most drooled over hotel destinations

Celia Forner encourages us to use the book as a palette with which to be inspired by hundreds of the most stylish, iconic, and 'simply fabulous' beds.

She explains that, ‘In our bedrooms, we take leave of our daily woes. Far from the bustle of the kitchen, the sociability of the living room, or the indulgence of the dining room, this part of the home is reserved for intimacy, romance and dreaming.’

Take inspiration from the private bedrooms ofroyalty, artists and the glitterati.

See Also:Stylish Dark Bedroom Ideas

Tour the rooms ofChatsworth House and Houghton Hall,as well as bedrooms from international palaces like Venice or the Duke of Genoa’s in the Palazzo Reale and the State Bedroom at the Pavlovsk Palace, St Petersburg.

Find traditional style oak-panelled bedrooms beneath decorative, coffered ceilings, alongside exotic roomslayered with parrot embroidered silk sheets in Indian palaces, andspace-age fictional bedrooms from the set design of2001: A Space Odyssey.

See Also:IDEAS FOR BEAUTIFUL BEDROOM LIGHTING

Pour over design classics in Art Deco and Mid Century Modern style bedrooms, or the Paisley bedspreads, embroidered pillows and carpet wall-hangings in bohemian boudoirs, or contemporary ideas in hotel style bedrooms at the other end of the interior decorating spectrum.

See Also:Bedroom Wallpaper Ideas

Whether your interior style is minimalist or maximalist, monochrome or eclectic, there's inspiration for everyone.

How stunning are these murals in this bedroom of the Guinness family?

Or this earthy Moroccan daybed setup?

And although we can't resist a modern interior, we can still appreciate the incredible craftsmanship that's gone into the ornate wood panelling in this more traditional bedroom.

We're absolutely in love with the sculptural shape of this jaw dropping canopy bed.

And we wouldn't say no to this more rustic bedroom either. A bed up in a treehouse, with wraparound veranda? Yes please!

Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms, and Boudoirs, by Celia Forner. Published by Vendome Press, available in all good bookstores and online. (November 2019, £50).

See Also:Hotel designer Kit Kemp on mastering a dream bedroom