Rita Konig, interior designer
I love silk duvets; they are lovely to sleep in once you get used to how light they are. They make up like blankets so you can achieve that lovely old-fashioned bed look without the bother of three blankets.
I always like to have at least two pillows. It's nice to have a square one because it's nice to sit up in bed with a big pillow behind you. The square pillow can be slightly firmer than others, but the standard pillow that you sleep on should be the best you can afford. I think that Siberian goose down is the best.
Nina Campbell, interior designer
I like to sleep on a relatively hard mattress, with a silk filled mattress topper on top. It feels like you're sleeping on a cloud, and you sink into it but are still held. I know you don't see it, but it is the comfort that counts.
I used to really dislike duvets and was the eiderdown and blankets sort. But they are now light as a feather. So many people don't know about hospital corners, and fitted sheets are a good, safe option. They keep everything in place. There is nothing nicer than pure high thread count cotton. I like white linen, but it can be nice to have a little coloured embroidery, which ties in with the palette of the room.
I like to put a lavender bag on top of the pillows when guests stay. It encourages sleep and is soothing.
Emma Burns, interior designer at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
When it comes to mattresses, buy the best you can possibly afford. A firm mattress, with a feather bed topper works well.
I'm a sheets and blankets person. I really hate duvets and think you should only use them on bunkbeds when you cannot possibly make the bed up with sheets and blankets. A nice cashmere blanket is lovely.
For sheets, I like white linen, but colourful linen can work well. For crisp organic cotton percale sheets, I like Gayle Warwick.
In terms of pillows, people tend to all have very different views. Personally, I like to use a soft, full down top pillow and a firm latex under pillow.
Sarah Stewart-Smith, interior designer
I like to use good quality, pure cotton sheets with a high thread count.
It may seem obvious, but when you wash your sheets, don't ever mix colours. Always wash white with white. Otherwise, sheets can become a tired grey colour.
Antique linen is absolutely wonderful - try and find some. I always buy a piece of antique linen whenever I can and make it into the top of a bedspread.
I like to put slightly quilted bedspread on my bed. It should be big enough to fall down over the edge. I love the combination of natural linen sheets with a silk or velvet bedspread.
The idea of my bed not having a good airflow horrifies me; I always fold the bedspread and duvet back in half so that the mattress has air at all times.
