· First and foremost, everything is professionally ironed. "There is an art to being a good ironer," says Haithcock. Some fabrics, such as cotton, can be steamed, but others, such as silk, cannot. At Viewpoint, they starch all cotton bedding and then iron it on big, 9-by-5-foot tables covered with foam padding and fabric, using basic Rowenta steam irons. Every item, from the pillow shams to the bedskirts, is pressed or steamed.

· To make pillows and duvets look very full and firm, they may add additional fiber, such as quilt batting, to fill out the corners and make the pillows stand up. You may want to try this with pillows like European squares that you don't sleep on or rarely need to remove the shams. Some bedding companies, however, prefer their pillows and comforters to look more natural. Bed stylists may also pin and tuck cases to make them fit tautly, or use props to keep pillows upright -- tricks you won't want to try on your bed at home.

· "We usually put the duvet at the foot of the bed. It looks prettier that way," says Haithcock. "We only use down-filled, pure white pillows and duvets, so nothing will show through the bed linens." Fine Egyptian cotton sheets show everything, she says.

· They cover the mattress with a down comforter to conceal the hard edge, or welt, at the edge of the mattress. You may prefer to use a featherbed or down mattress cover at home.

· Some bed skirts come in individual panels, rather than attached to fabric fillers. The panel type needs to be attached with T-pins to the box spring, or you could add Velcro strips to both bed skirt and box spring. The bed skirt should just reach the floor.

· After nineteen years in the business, Haithcock prefers simplicity for her personal bedding. "Dust ruffles are dust-gatherers. Extra pillows just end up stacked in the corner. The less you have to launder and press, the better," she says.