Is there anything better than sinking into new bedding, especially when it feels luxurious? I have a couple of sets of bed linen I’ve invested in to recreate that boutique hotel vibe, and while some premium sets can be expensive, you can track down some deals on the high street, and I’ve recently spotted some gems in the bedding range at Very.co.uk.
As an interior stylist, it’s my job to track down homeware that looks expensive but is within a budget. The trick to finding where to buy bedding that looks expensive on the high street is to look at the details of each set. You want texture, pattern and a quality material (the best sheet material is usually cotton); all these factors will instantly make your bedroom look more expensive.
With that in mind, Very.co.uk has a great selection. From florals and stripes to seersucker and paisley, there’s lots to choose from, but these are the 6 sets I’d recommend to transform a bedroom.
Supersoft Gingham Seersucker Duvet Cover Set in Sage
I remember staying in a country hotel where they had gingham bedding and this pretty set would have fit right in. I love the seersucker texture to it, and the ruffled edges add extra charm. This set is made from polyester, which is not ideal if you overheat at night. But it is easy care, so it still looks good even without ironing.
Very X Wylder Wallflower Duvet Cover Set
Inspired by vintage botanical illustrations, the hand-drawn design of this set instantly gives it a premium edge. Note the darker shade of green on the reverse too – just right for folding over. I’d pick out cushions and a sheet in one of the colours from the design – maybe that soft oyster pink – to pair it with.
Very X Catherine Lansfield Seersucker Frill Duvet Cover Set in Pink
Another seersucker set, but this time in a delicate pink with indulgent frilled edging, which makes this a great choice for anyone who likes their bedding to feel fabulously feminine. Team this with a silk sheet for the ultimate luxe bedding combo.
Very X Dreams & Drapes Spring Glade Floral Duvet Cover Set
Hand-painted designs are always going to look more expensive and that’s certainly true of this pretty floral meadow set. The fact it’s also reversible (with contrasting green stripes on the reverse) means you get two looks for the price of one!
Very Home Apollo Luxe Border Duvet Cover Set
If you love Kelly Hoppen’s sleek monochrome designs then you’ll probably be drawn to this hotel-inspired set, with it’s graphic black border set in a frame-like pattern around the edge. The price is significantly lower than an equivalent designer set, and it’s also made from 100% cotton, so snap it up while you can.
Very X William Morris at Home Sunflower Ink Duvet Cover Set
While this set is a little more costly than the others, it doesn’t let the side down when it comes to looks. You’ll be dressing your bed with a William Morris design – the Sunflower motif – that dates back to the late 19th Century, which is striking and elegant. Plus, it has a 220 thread count for that extra comfort.
Which is your favourite set?
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If you’re looking for affordable bedding, Amazon may well be your first port of call. It’s one of the cheapest options for fitted sheets, duvet covers, and bedding essentials.
But, we all know buying ‘blind’ can be hit and miss, so if you’re considering where to buy bedding that won’t break the bank, is the brand’s budget-friendly bed linen worth parting with your cash for?
I put Amazon’s bestselling duvet set to the test to find out. The Utopia Duvet Cover Set consistently tops Amazon’s bestseller charts, and with prices starting from just £10.99 for a double duvet cover and two pillowcases, it’s easy to see why.
Amazon
Utopia Duvet Cover Set
The Utopia bedding set is available in single, double, or king size, with prices for a double starting from just £10.99.
What’s more, this bedding set has over 50,000 reviews, and of those roughly 72% of owners give the bedding a 5-star rating. On paper, this duvet set sounds very impressive, so I was eager to get my hands on it to see if the rave reviews lived up to my expectations.
The set comes in over 30 different colours, including a funky design with navy arrows, which I ordered in a double. The set arrived super fast, of course; it’s Amazon, and on unboxing, I was pleasantly surprised. The print was fun, and I thought it would look great on the bed.
(Image credit: Future / Amy Lockwood)
However, when I removed the packaging, things unfortunately went downhill fast. In person, the fabric is very thin – I could almost see my hand through the duvet cover when I picked it up to put it on the bed. I guess it’s a bit much to expect £10.99 bed linen to feel expensive, but this still felt lower quality than I’d expected.
Plus, unlike most duvets, which feature buttons or poppers to fasten them up, this set has a zip at the base to secure the duvet inside, and, sadly, it’s one of those zips that feels like it’s going to break at any moment. If (or when) it does, you’re going to be left with a duvet cover that won’t close properly and can’t easily be repaired. Not ideal.
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Because the fabric is so thin, I was also worried that if I snagged it in the zip, it might rip the duvet cover, something a couple of the 1-star Amazon reviews do mention when I did some research.
(Image credit: Future / Amy Lockwood)
Altogether not a great start, but bedtime was coming, and it was time to get testing.
I’d clocked that this bedding was 100% polyester before I ordered it, but I hadn’t expected it to feel quite so synthetic to the touch. The weather has been hot, and touching this bedding instantly made me feel hotter. I could tell I was probably going to be in for a hot and sticky sleep, and I was right.
Polyester bedding is often dubbed the ‘hidden sleep thief‘ because its synthetic fibres lack breathability and reflect body heat back towards the sleeper, and I found exactly that. Despite the fabric being so thin, after 15 minutes or so, I soon began overheating.
The rest of the night was a restless balance between kicking the covers off because they made me too hot, and then pulling them back on when I got chilly. Needless to say, I didn’t wake up feeling very well rested.
(Image credit: Utopia)
What’s more, if you do get hot and sticky under these covers, you can only wash the bedding on a cold wash. That’s not ideal for bed linen, in my opinion.
The main benefit of polyester bedding – in addition to its affordability – is that it’s usually easy care, and although this set dried in super fast time once I pulled it out of the washer – and requires virtually no ironing (always a plus point!) – I feel like a cold wash just isn’t going to get it as clean as I would like.
So, do I think the Utopia Duvet Cover Set is a good value buy? By this point, it’s probably no surprise that, no, despite its price, I wouldn’t recommend this bedding. Yes, it’s cheap, but that’s going to be a false economy if it only lasts a few months or gives you a hot and sweaty night’s sleep. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that even that low £10.99 investment is going to be a waste of money for most people. Sorry, Amazon.
However, if you’re after budget-friendly bedding, all is not lost. These are three affordable alternatives I recommend instead.
The Linen Yard
The Hebden Duvet Set
If you want to benefit from Amazon’s super-fast delivery, then The Linen Yard has an Amazon storefront, and this reversible bedding set is often discounted, so you may be able to snap it up during Amazon Prime Day for less than its normal retail price. It’s 100% cotton, and although its 140 thread count is lower than DUSK’s option, its striped design looks great on the bed.
DUSK is a great alternative to Amazon for affordable bedding, with frequent bedding deals that see price tags slashed to very affordable price points. Thanks to a 50% off sale, this 200 thread count pure cotton bedding set is one of my top alternatives to investing in Amazon’s Utopia bedding.
Habitat
Stockholm Stripe Grey Bedding Set
A mix of 52% polyester and 48% cotton, Habitat’s polycotton bed linen also makes a very affordable option. Plus, this easy care bedding is machine washable at 40°C and can be tumble dried, unlike the Utopia bedding set’s cold-wash-only instructions. There are also plenty of prints and patterns to choose from in Habitat’s bedding range.
Color Combination: Charcoal gray, warm taupe, cognac leather, natural wood
Who is it for: For the clients who crave hotel-suite tranquillity but need their space to feel authentically theirs. The busy professionals who understand that good sleep is non-negotiable, and parents who finally want a bedroom that’s purely about them – no toy bins in sight.
Budget: $
Deep Rest Bedroom – Shopping List
Below, we present a curated list of products presented on the board:
Tips and suggestions
Colors that Work Together: Gray is the new beige, but smarter. Here, soft gray grasscloth wallpaper creates texture without busy patterns, while the charcoal bed frame adds definition. Crisp white linens keep it fresh, and those walnut accents bring just enough warmth to prevent that cold, hotel-chain feel.
Wall details: That grasscloth wallpaper is doing serious heavy lifting, by adding texture and visual interest while staying completely neutral. The black-framed mirrors create symmetry without feeling too matchy. It’s a smart approach when you want impact but don’t want to commit to bold art.
Furniture Foundation: The iron bed frame offers something substantial but not overwhelming. Those cane-front nightstands hit the perfect blend of storage and style—the rattan detail keeps things from feeling too industrial.
Bedding Design: White bedding is never boring when you layer it right. This mixes textures beautifully—smooth cotton, nubby throw, and those olive velvet pillows that ground the whole palette. The casually draped throw is intentional; nobody wants a bedroom that looks like it can’t be lived in.
Lighting: That drum pendant is what you’d call a “statement whisper” because it commands attention without shouting. The cube sconces provide task lighting for reading, and warm LED bulbs are essential. Nothing kills bedroom ambiance like harsh, cool lighting.
Finishing Touches: Those woven baskets aren’t just pretty—they’re functional storage that keeps clutter at bay. The small floral arrangement adds life without maintenance stress. Real flowers weekly, or invest in a really good fake one.
The Final Note: This bedroom works because it doesn’t try too hard. The best bedrooms feel effortless, even when every choice was deliberate. It’s sophisticated enough for grown-ups but relaxed enough to actually sleep in, which is the whole point.
You probably don’t need me to tell you it’s been hot recently. Parts of London saw temperatures reach over 34°C this week, and although some of us may be happy to bask in the daytime sun, hot and humid nights are another story.
I don’t know about you, but I think there’s nothing worse than tossing and turning all night, getting hot and sticky, and being unable to sleep in a heatwave. Little wonder sales of the best cooling mattress toppers soar during this time of year.
But how much would you pay to sleep cooler? According to Google, the answer could be well over £2,000. I know, crazy, right? Here’s why.
How much does it cost? A hefty £2,549. If you opt for the entry-level ‘Pod 4’ model, that is. If you choose the brand’s top-of-the-range ‘Pod 5 Ultra’, then a cool night’s sleep will set you back £4,449. Ouch.
Eight Sleep
Pod 4 Mattress Cover
Prices for the Eight Sleep Pod range from £2549 to £4449.
So what on earth do you get for that money, and do you really need to spend that much to sleep cooler at night? Personally, I think not.
There may not be anything else on the market quite like the Eight Sleep mattress cover, but if your budget doesn’t stretch to dropping a small fortune like this, I do have some alternative suggestions for a cooler sleep. And one of them is only £22. But more on those in a minute.
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What is the Eight Sleep mattress cover?
First, what exactly is the Eight Sleep mattress cover, and why on earth would you spend a few thousand pounds on it?
Well, Eight Sleep describes this as an ‘intelligent, hydro-powered cover that wraps around your mattress, tracking your health and dynamically optimizing your temperature to improve your sleep’.
That means that you keep your existing mattress, but add this cover on top. The cover is then connected to a freestanding ‘hub’ which sends water into the cover to warm, or, most importantly, cool the sleeper.
(Image credit: Eight Sleep)
Eight Sleep says that this means you can adjust the temperature of your sleep surface anywhere between 12°C to 43°C. Why you’d want to be a roasting 43°C in bed, I can’t imagine, but the cooler temperatures certainly sound pleasant to this hot sleeper.
What’s more, you can adjust the temperature of each side of the bed independently, and as different internal thermostats are one of the most common issues couples have to consider when buying a mattress, the reduction in bedtime arguments alone could, perhaps, be worth that two grand investment.
But that isn’t all the Eight Sleep mattress cover does. It’s also smart, so it can adapt to your sleep needs whilst you rest making, as Eight Sleep puts it, ‘real-time adjustments based on your sleep stages, heart rate, and more’.
Plus, it can act as a very expensive alarm clock, offering ‘natural wake-ups on each side of the bed with gentle vibrations, gradual temperature changes, and soothing sounds for a multi-sensory morning experience’.
(Image credit: Eight Sleep)
Admittedly, if you’re a night owl who paired up with a dawn riser, then the idea of one partner being woken up silently whilst the other snoozes does sound very appealing.
But, sadly, however much we might crave a better night’s sleep, that price tag is going to be prohibitive for most of us. So what are the alternatives?
Well, in my four years as Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve encountered all kinds of weird and wonderful sleep aids, and most of them are far cheaper than Eight Sleep’s offering. If you’re looking to recreate the Eight Sleep mattress cover on a budget, this is what I’d suggest.
Affordable alternatives for a cooler sleep
Silentnight Restore Cooling Gel Body Pad
This is the best cooling sleep aid I’ve tested. The gel pad feels cool to the touch as it is, but pop it into the fridge just before bed and then place it under your bedsheet, and it will cool you down fast. As it’s only 60 x 90cm, it only cools a single sleeper. Technically, that means you can imitate the Eight Sleep mattress cover and have a different climate on each side of the bed.
Silentnight Restore Cooling Gel Pillow Pad
And don’t forget about your head. One of the best cooling pillows can help, but if you want an extra blast of cool during a heatwave, this smaller 40 x 60cm version of the Silentnight cooling gel pad is designed to fit under your pillowcase. I also liked using it under a sheet to keep my top half cool without chilling my legs. Plus, it’s on sale at Amazon right now for a very reasonable price.
Lumie Sunrise Alarm in White
Sadly, what neither of those Silentnight cooling gel pads will do is wake you up. However, if you want an alternative to your partner’s phone playing the Macarena at full volume in the morning, I recommend investing in a sunrise alarm instead. This is Lumie’s most budget-friendly model, and its gradual morning glow will provide a much gentler transition from sleeping to waking.
All in all, these three alternatives will set you back £73.99 if you can snap them up whilst they’re currently on sale at Amazon. In fact, they might even be cheaper during Amazon Prime Day next week.
If my maths is correct, then compared to Eight Sleep’s £2,549 mattress cover, that means you can score a cooler sleep, *and* a saving of £2,475.01.
In fact, I’d say you really only need to invest in one of the cooling gel pads to get a cooler sleep, which means you could bypass that £2549 investment and spend just £22. You’re welcome.
Now, please excuse me whilst I go rearrange my fridge to chill my gel cooling pad.
