As H&G's resident sleep writer, I get to take a lot of duvet days. I'm always looking for ways to make my bed look and feel even better, which is how I stumbled across the 'Cloud Bed Recipe' on Instagram reels. The brainchild of lifestyle blogger and professional shopper Anni Vanderbeek, the 'Cloud Bed Recipe' promises fluffier sheets and comfier sleep.
Anni dreamt up a social media series, 'Unnecessary Necessities', to document the finer things in life she just can't go without. The 'Cloud Bed Recipe' is one such installment that proves the odd elevation, here and there, can instantly upgrade your bed. Featuring just six 'ingredients', the 'Cloud Bed Recipe' is easy to follow at home, and each item is far more affordable than you might think.
I've sampled some of the best bed sheets, curled up under the best comforter, and laid my bones upon the best mattress topper, and I'm seriously impressed with Anni's selections. To get the luxury look and feel for less, you can purchase each 'ingredient' from Anni's storefront on Amazon, which is one of the best places to buy affordable bedding.
'Cloud Bed Recipe' − how to recreate at home
If you didn't know, Anni is in the midst of remodeling her Miami home. Faced with a blank slate of a bedroom, she chose to remake it in the image of a luxury hotel. 'I wanted it to have resort vibes, I wanted it to have spa vibes, I wanted it to be peaceful,' she said. So, she tracked down the softest sheets and the coziest comforter, and the 'Cloud Bed Recipe' was born.
'In order to create a cloud bed, you have to have fluff coming from every direction,' says Anni. That's why the first ingredient of the 'Cloud Bed Recipe' is also the most important: a super-plush pillow-top mattress topper. This thick and fluffy layer could totally transform the feel of your bed for the fraction of the price of a new mattress. I suggest you steer clear of foam, which feels sticky and squishy, and opt for down or fiberfill. Anni likes to take her mattress topper out of its packaging and throw it straight in the dryer to unlock its 'full fluff potential'.
Now, it's time to spruce up your sheets. Anni swears by Feather & Stitch sheets, which are as pretty as they are practical. 'The top of these sheets are finished on both sides, so it doesn't matter in which direction you layer the top sheet,' she explains. Anni likes to tuck in her top sheet super tight, the way they do it in high-end hotels, for that snug-as-a-bug feeling in bed.
Next, Anni takes a lightweight blanket and layers it over her top sheet. This step is optional, and you might choose to skip it in the summer, but the waffle knit adds a nice touch of texture to your super-smooth bedspread.
'Here's the other crucial part – you're going to want to size up on your duvet insert,' advises Anni. That way, you get a dramatic drape over the sides of your bed, without any lumps, bumps, or cold patches. Anni opts for the DWR Luxury Down King Comforter and wraps it in a luxe jersey knit cover, but I suggest you choose your duvet insert depending on your sleep style. The best warm comforter should keep you warm in winter, but the best cooling comforter is more suitable for hot sleepers.
Anni tops it all off with two adjustable pillows from Coop Home Goods. She keeps hers thick and fluffy, stuffed with extra fiberfill for that Cloud Bed finish, but you might prefer yours a little thinner and flatter to avoid neck strain.
Anni is an interior design maven and lifestyle blogger with more than 490,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, where she shares home design tips and travel content.
Anni has linked everything you need to follow the 'Cloud Bed Recipe' in her Amazon storefront, Anni's Amazon Favorites. To save you scrolling, I headed straight to her 'Miami Bedroom' mood board and picked out the only six ingredients you need – you're welcome.
Was $99.99, now $74.91 at Amazon
This plush pillowtop mattress topper isn't just Anni Vanderbeek-approved – it's one of the best-rated mattress toppers on Amazon, boasting more than 20,000 five-star reviews. According to customers, the COONP Mattress Topper strikes the perfect balance between comfort and support. Unlike memory foam mattress toppers, which tend to trap heat, the snow down alternative fill is designed to keep you cool in your cloud.
For luxurious loft, there's nothing like real down. Instead of individual feathers, which could poke through the cotton case and scratch your skin, the DWR Luxury King Down Comforter is filled with down clusters for softness and securely corner-stitched for a neat finish. Unless you suffer from a feather allergy, I see no reason not to invest.
Made from long-staple cotton, then woven into sateen, these damask sheets are super soft, yet strong enough to withstand countless cycles in the washing machine. This sheet set comes in all sorts of colors, including cute pastels and bolder hues. For what it's worth, Anni prefers White Stripe, and so do I: it's so versatile, designed to complement every color palette.
'This is my all-time favorite duvet cover,' enthuses Anni, and I can see why. You know that feeling you get from a freshly washed T-shirt − how soft it feels against your skin, how fine between your fingers? That's the feeling you get from jersey knit fabric. The PURE ERA Jersey Knit Duvet Cover Set doesn't feel good: it looks good, too, with elegant box-stitching and neat envelope closures to keep each sham in place.
Was $49.99, now $39.99 at Amazon
If you're keen to follow the Cloud Bed Recipe, but you're worried about overheating, fear not: this waffle knit blanket is ultra-light and naturally cooling. It's just the sort of lightweight layer that a hot sleeper might favor in summer, and it should look just as good spread over your sofa as it would wrapped around the end of your bed.
This is the sort of pillow that would go perfectly in your guest room: it's designed to support every sleep position. All you need to do is remove or replace fill from your pillow until it meets your exact sleep specifications. The ultimate Cloud Bed would have thick, fluffy pillows, though I recommend a lower-profile look for stomach sleepers to maintain proper spinal alignment.
Final thoughts
If you love the look of the 'Cloud Bed Recipe', and you're keen to commit, you should consider investing in the best cloud bed. That's an industry term that refers to any low-slung, upholstered bed frame (you know, like the one from Restoration Hardware).
If you're keen to upgrade your sleep experience, but you're not sure where to start, I recommend you shop from my shortlist of the best luxury bedding. We're talking silk comforters, sateen sheets, and plush pillows for cloud-like comfort, every night of the week.
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