Gone are the days of simplicity where a plain duvet cover and two pillow slips sufficed, as luxury loving Brits now see their beds as a blank canvass on which to create a work of art, according to a recent poll by Silentnight Beds.

Research reveals that Brits love to layer with fabulous fabrics and textures, with the average person having 17 different types of bed dressing on their bed at any one time, costing them a whopping ?500.

The long list of all important furnishings includes, one valance, one mattress protector, one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, one duvet with cover, four pillows with cases, two Oxford pillows with covers, one blanket, one throw and four decorative pillows.

And the bed linen isn't simple either. It seems our love for luxury means we now indulge in the finest Egyptian cotton sheets, chenille throws and a variety of textured cushions, from silk to Jersey, velvet to cord.

Silentnight Beds surveyed 2,187 people online to find out about their beds furnishing habits to reveal that:

54% of Brits have two sets of Egyptian cotton sheets in their households

And 91% have a change of three duvet sets per bed

Brits will pay on average ?80 for a duvet cover and ?40 for a pair of pillow cases

72% now have at least four decorative pillows or cushions on their bed in addition to the pillows they actually sleep on

88% of Brits now have a throw for each of the beds in their home

72% will hunt down co-ordinated bedding items, researching it for at least two months before purchasing the right ones

And the expense spared in creating the perfect look doesn't last long as four out of five Brits discard it after 2 years, replacing it with a new one. The theme is then changed, on average, 20 times throughout their lifetime ? meaning the average Brit spends over ?10K on their beloved beds.

Steven Simpson, Brand Manager at Silentnight Beds, comments: ? Brits really do love their beds. It seems that as we are working more hours and have less time, when we do finally relax we want to do it in luxurious surroundings to really indulge ourselves?.