Does your bedroom still look like it did in college? I don’t mean the piles of dirty clothes. How does it look when it’s picture perfect? Don’t like that picture? Well, neither will she. Time to suck it up and commit a few bucks to making your bedroom look more inviting.

First, the bed itself. Choose a piece of furniture that is solid and won’t creak when used properly. Sleigh beds are a good choice – all curves, no sharp angles…like her.

Soften it up with lots of pillows. Pillows just make a bedroom look fuller, richer, cozier, softer…better. You need big ones in the back row and little ones in front. The big ones are called shams and the smaller ones are standard. Since you’re spending at least a third of your life in bed, invest in a padded mattress cover – it’s guaranteed to get an “mmmmmmmm…ahhhhhhhh” every time you hit the sack.

For sheets, you can’t go wrong with white cotton, and remember that the higher the thread count – like 300-400 – the softer and higher quality the material. And remember, the more you wash them, the softer they get!

Comforters are next. Down-filled duvets are warmer in winter but not too warm to use in summer when you remove your top sheet. Make sure it’s quilted (i.e. sewn into small square sections to keep the down evenly distributed). The duvet cover is your first foray into the world of color and patterns and “artistic choices”. Look at magazines for what suits your style and talk to someone you trust about what looks good…embossed stripes are a pretty safe bet.

Now, toss those piles of clothes in a hamper and you’re ready to entertain.