Upholstered headboards, like this one with an Indian flair, are super popular right now. It’s always nice to have large night chests next to your bed for reading material and other personal items.

Buying a mattress can feel like a high-stakes decision. Not only are mattresses expensive, but the one you choose has a direct impact on your health. According to a 2019 study by OnePoll for Slumber Cloud (a bedding company), the average American spends a total of 36 years lying in bed over their lifetime. Working as a Dallas interior designer, I’ve learned a lot about mattresses and bedding over the years. Below, you’ll find my personal tips for finding a mattress that fits both your body and your bedroom perfectly.

There are a lot of mattress options on the market, which can make shopping for one even more intimidating. Learning about the pros and cons of each kind can help you narrow down your options. Just keep in mind that most people require a bed that is medium-firm or firm to keep their spine in proper alignment.

Step 1: Choose Your Mattress Type

Memory foam:

Memory foam “cradles” your body, taking some of the pressure off your shoulders and hips. It also helps to absorb the movements of a sleeping partner. The main drawback of memory foam is that it traps heat, but some companies sell mattresses with cooling features to offset this.

Latex:

Latex mattresses are firmer and more expensive than memory foam mattresses. Since natural latex comes from rubber trees, it is more eco-friendly than synthetic materials like foam.

Innerspring:

Air circulates between the coils of an innerspring mattress, creating a cooler night’s sleep. They are also more affordable and durable than memory foam. However, they have less cushioning. For more comfort, you can always buy an innerspring mattress with a pillow-top, which adds a layer of soft material in the cover. I personally prefer an innerspring mattress with a built-in pillow-top.

My client for this Dallas project likes to put a featherbed on top of her mattress. It’s a topper that goes underneath the sheet, keeping the bed warm and toasty in winter. A featherbed also gives a really fluffy look to the bed, making you want to just run and jump in it.

Hybrid:

Hybrid mattresses, which combine either memory foam or latex with coils, are a very popular option. They have both the support of coils and the softness of foam. However, they tend to be more expensive and difficult to put together.

By the way, if you can wait to buy a new mattress, you should absolutely take advantage of sales. Holiday weekends, such as Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, or Black Friday are the best times to buy.

Adjustable:

Adjustable mattresses allow you to raise the head or foot of the bed, which can be helpful for people who snore or have lower back pain.

The bed in this Africa-inspired guest bedroom has a unique bed frame with rush covering the headboard and footboard. This is from a home we designed in Kessler Park.

Step 2: Shop for the Appropriate Size

In addition to your mattress material, you’ll need to choose the right size for your room.

• Twin: For small bedrooms, bunk beds, children, or teens.

• Twin XL: For tall teenagers or adults with small bedrooms.

• Full: For single sleepers or guest bedrooms.

• Queen: For single sleepers who want more space, couples, or guest bedrooms.

• King: For couples who want more space or have children/pets that sleep with them.

• California King: For taller couples who want plenty of space.

Note that King and California King beds are more difficult to move and can dominate small spaces.

Step 3: Look into Box Springs

Box springs are intended for innerspring mattresses. They provide additional height and airflow from the bottom, as well as shock absorption and support, which help to extend the life of your mattress.

Latex and foam mattresses are not compatible with box springs and should be placed on foundations instead. Foundations have wooden slats instead of coils, which help to support the extra weight of latex and memory foam beds. A platform bed has its own built-in bed frame, so it doesn’t require a bed base.

The shortest type of box spring, sometimes referred to as a “bunkie board,” is about 2 inches tall. The next size up is called “low profile” and is typically 4.5 to 5.5 inches tall. These lower heights can be a good option if your mattress is already tall. A standard box spring is somewhere between 8.5 and 9 inches high. All box springs help to protect and support your mattress, regardless of their height.

Step 4: Find the Right Height

There is a real art to picking a mattress that is proportional to the bed, the nightstand, and the rest of the room. Mattresses have gotten so thick that they overpower a room or dwarf the headboard sometimes. Tall beds can be dangerous to fall out of too, especially for an older person.

In my opinion, the perfect bed height is 27 inches—high enough to be beautiful, but not high enough to be dangerous. I’d recommend pairing a 14-inch dust ruffle with a 13-inch-tall mattress to make a total of 27 inches. Your night chest should ideally be a few inches above the top of the mattress, box spring, and frame.

Notice how the night chests are taller than the bed in this Preston Hollow bedroom.

Step 6: Get the Most Out of Your Mattress

You may have heard that you need to change your mattress and box spring every seven years. In my experience, a quality mattress and box spring can last much longer than that if you take good care of them. Of course, if you’re having trouble sleeping comfortably or waking up with neck and back pain, it might be time to replace your mattress.

People tend to sleep in the same spot in their bed every night. If you flip the mattress around and turn it upside-down, it keeps even wear on them. My husband and I flip our mattress at least once a year. Also, it’s not a bad idea to replace your mattress cover every few years to remove dust mites. Another option is to get a new mattress topper instead of replacing the whole mattress.

Now, if you want a whole new bedroom—not just a new mattress—then it might be time to speak with an interior designer like myself. Bedrooms are one of my favorite spaces to design because there is so much room for creativity. Whether you go it alone or hire a professional, taking the time to find the perfect bed for your body, budget, and room is always worth the effort. To schedule a consultation with us, call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665 or send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

Seen above is the master bedroom from a chateau we designed in University Park, Dallas.

Although there are dozens of ways to style a bed, some methods are more tried-and-true than others. If you’re looking for a way to refresh your bedding without committing a style faux-paus, you’ll want to take a look at these guidelines. In this article, I’ll cover classic formulas for making a bed as well as the most popular colors, patterns, and materials for bedding.

Foolproof Formulas for Making a Bed

The four standard size pillows in the back and smaller decorative pillow up front are just the right proportion for this queen bed.

The number and size of the pillows you should use depends on the size of your bed.

For a queen bed, you’ll need: two queen-size pillows, two sham pillows, and an accent pillow between 22 and 26 inches. For a king bed, you’ll want to use the following pillow formula: two king-size pillows, three king-sized sham pillows, and an accent pillow between 24 and 26 inches.

The stylistically safest way to arrange these is to put the pillow shams in back, your sleeping pillows in the middle, and then your accent pillows in front. Here are some alternative formulas for beds that are also very balanced:

Four sleeping pillows in back, one lumbar pillow in front
·Two sleeping pillows in back, one lumbar, and one accent pillow in front
Four sleeping pillows and two to three differently shaped and sized accent pillows in front

If you have a pretty headboard, you may want to go with fewer pillows to show it off. For lumbar pillows, consider placing a round decorative pillow in front; it’ll contrast nicely with the rectangular shape behind it.

We made sure to use lumbar pillows here so that the hand-blocked pattern on the upholstered headboard would be visible.

Duvet and Sheet Tips

Top sheets should be put in finished side down so that the sleeper can enjoy the soft texture. This way, the finished side will also be visible when you fold the banding back.

When you fold your duvet, I recommend folding it in half, and then pulling it back towards you into thirds, past the rows of pillows. Pulling it back gives the pillows more “breathing room” and creates more depth. Regardless of bed size, any blanket or quilt you put on the bed needs to be long enough that both ends could drape off the sides.

Here, the grey quilted coverlet is folded back to expose white sheets, giving more depth to the bed in this Dallas bedroom.

Choose Bedding Materials Wisely

Since the bed is the main attraction in any bedroom, it makes sense to prioritize it in your budget. Look for the highest quality bedding you can afford. That said, there is no need to break the bank on your next mattress; a good mattress topper can make even the most uncomfortable mattresses feel great. Make sure to get a mattress cover too. It helps you get the most longevity out of your mattress.

Many people change their bedding with the seasons. Percale sheets are nice and cool in the summer, flannels will keep you warm in the winter, and linen is a good in-between material for both spring and fall. Its hollow fibers trap the optimal amount of body heat to keep you warm at night while also being soft and supple.

Color and Pattern Combinations You Can’t Go Wrong With

All-white bedding is popular because it promotes a feeling of relaxation. Even when your duvet and pillows are colorful, it’s strongly recommended to choose white sheets and sleeping pillows. The white pillows and folded-down top sheet (if visible) will help break up the areas of color and give the eye a place to rest. Blue is probably the next most popular color scheme for bedding. While white is elegant and refined, blue has more of a casual and coastal feel.

White and blue is a classic color combination. It can instantly give bedding a refreshing and uplifting feel.

Love patterns? Make sure to break up the patterns in your bedding with some solid colors too so that the bedding is not too “busy.” To unite different patterns, make sure both patterns share at least one color. If you’re using a subtle tone-on-tone look for your colors and patterns, you’ll need to go in the opposite direction and introduce contrast with a variety of textures.

The busy patterns on the curtains and decorative pillow in this bedroom are balanced out by the neutral bedding.

A beautifully made bed makes a world of difference for the bedroom. Regardless of whether you want an upscale or a casual look, combining the right patterns, fabrics and colors will help you create a look that makes you (or your guest) want to dive right in.

In this master bedroom, you can see an example of a heavily-patterned, tone-on-tone bedding set.

Could the bedding sets in your home use a refresh this year? Consider bringing in an interior designer to give your bedrooms that extra ‘wow’ factor. To schedule a free consultation with Chambers Interiors, call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665 or send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

Picking the Perfect Mattress / June 3, 2025 by Margaret Chambers