I recently upgraded to a king size bed and had to leave behind a queen comforter set that I loved for 10 years. At the time, I was a single guy and was looking for something classy and elegant yet slightly masculine in the color palette. This is a perfect combination of those ideas. The paisley pattern is subtle and the blue lining really pops. When the light hits it at different angles, it shimmers, which speaks to the elegant side. The included 3 pillows are great for decoration and saved me the headache of trying to find matching pillows at a department store. The thing I like most about the duvet cover is the softness. While the outward-facing, paisley side of the cover is a standard print with some texture, the inner-facing, non-paisley side of the cover is very soft to the touch. I might even say it is more comfortable than my sheets. Unlike the photo, I decided to go with an antique white sheet set that matches the white on the throw pillows. I wasn't too keen on having blue sheets, and the combination looks great. Would have paid 50% more for this and was surprised at the quality for the price. Highly recommended!