Comments on: the thrifty updated bed

By: ashley @ the handmade home

ashley @ the handmade home

In reply to Melissa. great idea, Melissa!

By: Melissa

Melissa

I love this post! If you don’t have euro pillow inserts, buy the shams anyway and stuff them with the off season comforters. Usually Euro pillows are decorative or for leaning on to read in bed. Storage, beauty and comfort all in one!

By: Calia Yang

Calia Yang

I’m just now starting to “spruce” up my house. It’s been a long awaited 10 years. When we first bought our home we were in our early 20’s and didn’t give a hoot about making the home a home, it was just a place to sleep and play video games. Now 10 years and three kids later, I’ve become so ashamed at how UGLY I let my house be and lived in it that way. I painted most of my house over the summer and now my goal this year is to slowly furnish and add some of our personality to our home (at a minimal cost).
I love what you did with your bedroom and it’s inspiring me to get my bedroom organized and dolled up! I’m sure i’ll get to it by the end of the year, but this is definitely inspirational with some great tips! Thank you for sharing!

By: Erin @ House Envy

Erin @ House Envy

great ideas and I think that the bed in a bag concept is almost paralyzing. Mix and match makes a bed feel so much cozier!

By: Tennille Mykula

Tennille Mykula

Ok, so here’s a few tips I’ve actually used myself: keep your eyes out at thrift stores for white duvet covers and or white sheets. You can even use a duvet that has a small print if you’re okay with that just keep the color of the print in mind. Get yourself a couple of boxes of RIT dye in your preferred color. Follow the manufacturers instructions and whatever you do, DO NOT FORGET to run the empty, hot load after you’re done. Trust me, acid wash pink everything is not a good look. When you’re done you have an instant and bold pop of color on your bed. If your duvet or sheet has a pattern just remember your color theory. If your design is yellow, and you dye your duvet blue, the design will more than likely come out green. Also, you want to make sure your fabric is 100% cotton as the dye won’t take if it isn’t. If you don’t want an all over color consider an ombre effect or just dip dying one end of the cover. Secondly, look for XL shirts, skirts or anything else that has a fun, cotton fabric that you like. Sometimes you can get a man’s shirt for a couple dollars, much less than you’d pay for the same yardage at a fabric store. Buy a couple of pieces that have coordinating colors and prints and whip yourself up a couple of standard pillow cases. There are some super easy video tutorials on Youtube. Lastly, if dye scares you but you’re pretty good with a ruler and a sewing machine you can have a custom duvet in just an afternoon. Pick up two flat white sheets, thirft store, discount store, or Walmart sells them for pretty cheap. Lay one out flat on the floor. I’d recommend ironing it first. With a fabric marker/pencil draw a rectangle, greek key shape, series of squares, whatever works for you. Now, take a roll or two of grosgrain ribbon and pin it along your design line. Sew it to the top or use fabric glue. Sew both sheets together, make ties, snaps or sew in a zipper and you have a duvet you can be proud of. Tada!! New bedding, bank account in tact. I hope this helps!

By: Nancy

Nancy

I my spare guest room, I was tired of my whitish comforter on the bed. I went to Marshall’s looking for anything RED. I found a sheet set perfect color ($10 clearance). Now I’m a really good shopper, so I knew their was some reason that this great sheet set was only $10 and it had to be a flaw in the fabric. Sure enough big flaw. I took the best part of the fabric and covered the white comforter on the top only. So now I have my high quality comforter covered with a beautiful red that makes the entire room pop. It took me about 3 hours. I gently washed and dried the fabric before I started cutting just in case of shrinkage. That much quality fabric would have cost me a fortune to buy at the fabric store. I knew that if the flaw was in the wrong place that I could have returned the sheet set and gotten my $10 back. Discounted sheet sets are a great buy for if you are looking for quality fabric to bring spice and pop to any living area. 🙂

By: Erin

Erin

Hi! I buy just two colourful pillowcases at a time when I find them on sale. For under $15 I get a new “layer” of colour & pattern in our bedding. I mix & match my all-white bedding with printed bedding for a cheery, eclectic look that doesn’t break the bank. Finally, I also shop our home & swap throws& vintage blankets from room to room.

Great post– hopefully you can inspire a few more people to give the wretched bed-in-a-bag a miss!

By: Shirley Smith

Shirley Smith

I like change but also cannot afford to do it often. I have a summer set and winter set. I have base bedding and change out shams and curtains and make bed sacks for my comforters. I also do a lot with paint tarps ! I like the homespun look, cottage, etc. Paint tarps come in four different sizes and are very cheap ! I also make my winter curtains with them. I made curtains, shams and comforter sack for less than $50 !!

By: Angela

Angela

I love your ideas and the faux fur. I have a white duvet too, and my favorite thing about it is a new cover is fast and cheap to sew. It’s easy to switch up bedding that way–in theory. Though right now I just have one cover, lol. But I’m dreaming of what I will do when the weather warms up to brighten the look of our room.

By: Carla Stanley

Carla Stanley

I have used vintage tablecloths for bedding (and have been known to use bedding for tablecloths). I like white/off white in bedding. Crochet tablecloths lazily thrown over the foot of the bed give the texture I love. Also when I feel the need for new bedding, sometimes just purchasing new pillowcases works for me.