If there's one way to finish off a bedroom or nursery with a designer's touch, it's with great bedding.  Just as we are against a matching set of furniture, so too are we against the good ol' "bed in a bag."  I know that these are made in an attempt to have you believe that by using the pieces provided, you'll achieve custom-looking bedding but I assure you, the opposite is true.  

Mixing and matching bedding pieces is the way to go--and it's so fun!  Mixing and matching colors, textures and patterns will instantly give your bedding a beautiful layered look that was thoughtfully put together.  

Below I've outlined a few of my favorite online bedding resources for adults and children/babies for easy shopping.  Don't be afraid to mix and match items from different retailers to finish your look!

CRATE & BARREL
They have a lot of great foundation pieces (linen duvet covers, solid quilts) on which to build the rest of your bedding.  I also love their patterned sheets to add a little fun to any room.  And furthermore, they have great sales!

CRANE & CANOPY
Bedding is what they do so naturally they are going to have a lot of great options.  Beautiful, subtle patterned sheets and shams, soft duvets outlined in every color of the rainbow and gorgeous scalloped sheets that I mentioned here.  They also usually run a lot great sales.

POTTERY BARN
This retailer is not new to anyone.  My favorite pieces from them are the embroidered duvets and pick-stitch quilts.  They also have a new line of greek key throws that are amazing.

For kids and babies in your life, here are my favorites sources:

SERENA & LILY
They have well-designed crib sheet patterns (that are also super soft), a bedding basics collection with bumpers/crib skirts in every color and an assortment of unique pieces like this macramé crib skirt.  

LAND OF NOD
Home to whimsical and playful bedding options from crib sizes up to a queen (something that's usually hard to find in kid-friendly prints).  They also have an assortment of duvets and unique crib bedding.  And when they run a sale, it's usually a great one!

RESTORATION HARDWARE BABY & CHILD
If you're looking for soft tones, comfortable fabrics and subtle patterns, RHBC is your guy.  I'm particularly fond of their washed linen and matelasse crib bedding collections.  They also have a ton of great sheet options and will send you swatch samples for free!

So the next time you're looking to update your bedding, give these sources a look first and say "good bye!" to the bed in the bag!