How will you sleep tonight?
DAVID MINK GateHouse Plus

The appearance of your bed dominates the appearance of your bedroom. Keep your bed nicely-made and you'll have a well-kept bedroom; leave your bed disheveled, though, and your entire room is going to feel cluttered.

The simple reason for this is your bed is quite literally the largest piece of furniture in your bedroom (and more than likely your whole house). As such, it sets the tone for the rest of the room in a way that nothing else can.

Picking the right set of bedding, then, is absolutely essential for completing the look and feel of your bedroom. A well-dressed room won't do at all with a set of mismatched sheets and pillows covering your bed. Before you run out and buy a matching set at your nearest retailer, though, here are some items you'll want and some things you should consider before throwing down your cash.

+ Your mattress size - Your mattress is probably one of four typical sizes: twin/single (39 inches by 75 inches), double/full (54 inches by 74 inches), queen (60 inches by 80 inches) or king (76 inches by 80 inches). Mattresses come in a number of alternative sizes, as well, but if you have an off-size it might be hard to find bedding to fit it. Large-scale retailers probably won't carry anything beyond these four, so short of going online you may end up piecing your bed set together. Time to get out the measuring tape.

+ Your bed skirt - Bed skirts are designed to hide the frame and box springs of your bed. They come in a number of styles and materials, from tailored plaid to ruffled upholstery. Make sure to pick out a design and style before you go shopping, but don't forget to take a few measurements too. Aside from just taking length and width measurements of your mattress, make sure to get your drop measurement too - i.e., measure the distance from the top of your box spring to the floor. Most bedskirts have a standard length of 15 inches, but if you have a raised frame or an off-size set of box springs you may need a custom bed skirt. Check online for bed skirts with longer drops.

+ Your comforter - The blanket that finishes off your design should be a single, solid color. If you're interested in the quilt look, feel free, but simpler is almost always more appealing to the eye. If you have an off-size mattress, just pick the next largest size comforter (provided it's not twice the size). Keep thread count in mind, too - the higher the thread count (above 250), the softer the feel and the more durable the comforter.