A Guide to Bed Skirt Styles and 10 Interesting Ideas
A bed skirt is a decorative fabric placed under the sleeping mattress and on top of the box spring, which hides the box spring and the area underneath it to give your bed a more luxurious style. Bed Skirts are available as a one-piece construction that requires moving the whole mattress to position the bed skirt, much like a flat sheet, or as a 3-panel construction, which you can install without removing the mattress. You just have to pin each piece on the sides and foot of the box spring.
Different bed skirt styles include gathered, pleated, layered, and tailored styles. Gathered bed skirts are more traditional, tailored bed skirts are more modern, and layered bed skirts provide more of a fantasy feeling.
A bed skirt can be tailored and styled in different ways to suit the decor of your bedroom. It can be pleated, gathered into ruffles, or multi-faceted. The choice depends on your taste, whether you like the style to be sleek, ornate, or sophisticated. This article from the University of Nebraska offers some useful guidelines for choosing the correct bedding combinations for your specific needs.
You may need to choose a bed skirt that fits the needs of your specific bed foundation as well. Make sure to take a look at our mattress foundation thickness and size guide for some useful information. Additionally, take a look at our bed skirt height and length guide for more useful information.
Also, if you've ever wondered what the difference is between a dust ruffle and a bed skirt, make sure to take a look at our article comparing bed skirts vs dust ruffles to see if there truly is any difference.
Style 1. Gathered Bed Skirt
The fabric is gathered together as a one-piece, which gives the bed skirt a slight frilly look. This bed skirt fits perfectly with its name because it looks like you are dressing your bed in an actual skirt.
Style 2. Tailored Bed Skirt
This bed skirt style is mostly found in hotel rooms because it adds an elegant touch and a finished effect to the bed ensemble. The crisp pleats and seams are a perfect look for people who love tidiness in a room.
Style 3. Layered Bed Skirt
This style consists of solid fabric on the underside and a sheer layered on the outer side of the skirt. It can be made of two or three layers depending on how much volume you want.
You may also find our related article 10 bed skirt alternatives and their pros and cons interesting as well.
Are Bed Skirts Out of Style?
Nowadays, you can find different bed skirt alternatives, like wrap-around bed skirts, box spring wraps, and fitted sheets to meet the tastes and preferences of different people.
Bed skirts are not out of style because people still need to cover the space under the bed to keep the bedroom neat and tidy. Different styles of bed skirts make it possible to find one that suits any bedroom’s design.
Fashionable bed skirts with stylish designs are a good complement to modern interior design trends, because they are sleek and tidy, which adds elegance and warmth to modern decor. Ruffled or layered bed skirts are not as fashionable as tailored bed skirts but can help create an aesthetic that is more country-house-chic.
How To Choose a Bed Skirt Color To Match Your Bed
A bed skirt’s color is important because it affects the whole look of your bedroom. If you want to draw the eye away from the bed skirt then choose one that matches the carpet or existing bedding’s colors and designs. If you want the bed skirt to be a focal point then choose one that contrasts well against the bedding, or has obvious patterns in the fabric.
To choose a bed skirt color that matches your bed, choose a dark solid color, a light solid color, or a patterned bed skirt that compliments your bedding and surrounding decor items.
For a truly sophisticated look choose a bed skirt in a color that matches the color of the headboard, the curtains, or other bedding items in the bedroom, because matching colors will unify your room and will give it a harmonious feel. You may also be interested in learning how to choose a mattress topper for a lumpy mattress and that you can buy a pillow top for your mattress. Make sure to check out our related articles to find out how.
Tip 1. Use Dark Solid Colors to Compliment Grays
If your box spring or bed frame is already a dark color, select dark solid colored bed skirts because they tend to conceal the box spring completely without any transparency. Dark-colored bed skirts are a great choice if you have kids or pets, as they are not as prone to staining as other lighter bed skirts.
Tip 2. Light Solid Colors Compliment Browns
If your bedroom lacks natural light or has a predominantly light color scheme, then choose a bed skirt in a light solid color, because they match better with muted tones. Look for heavy fabrics instead of sheer fabric to ensure that your box spring and the space under your bed won’t show through your light-colored bed skirt.
Tip 3. Choose Patterned Bed Skirts to Accentuate a Bed
Bed skirts aim to cover the box spring and the space under the bed and deflect attention elsewhere. However, if you wish to make your bed skirt an accent piece, then select a patterned bed skirt. Keep in mind that patterned decor items tend to look best in small minimalist bedrooms, otherwise they can become overwhelming.
Make sure to also take a look at our article on choosing bed skirts for adjustable beds for more ideas too.
10 Bed Skirt Style Ideas
1. Ruffles with Eyelets
There are different shapes of eyelets in bed skirts and most of them are placed at the end of them. Eyelets are normally pretty small and you can’t see through them, so you don’t need to worry that it wouldn’t cover what’s underneath the box spring.
This eyelet bed skirt from Amazon comes in a variety of sizes and colors to suit any bedroom decor.
2. Layered Tulle
Use tulle to make a bed skirt that’s very popular among girls. You can never run out of ideas on how to style it. It makes you feel like you are sleeping on a princess bed.
This tulle bed skirt from Amazon creates a wispy romantic look in the bedroom.
3. Lace Bed Skirt
Lace always offers an elegant and delicate look to a bedroom. The shapes and patterns used are classy and charming. Although it is transparent and a bit easy to see through, you can still place a few things under the bed and push them away from the edge of the bed.
This lace bed skirt from Amazon creates a light and airy feel in the bedroom.
4. A Bed Skirt With an Overlay
This is a perfect mix to create a beautiful delicate bed skirt with visual interest and texture. The storage area under the bed won’t show through this bed skirt because the underneath layer is sufficiently thick and heavy to completely cover the space under the bed. Note that overlays like this tend to collect dust and hair so you need to wash them more often.
This bed skirt with an overlay from Amazon has a pretty delicate look that creates a soft feminine feel in the bedroom.
5. Long Drop bed Skirt
Long drop bed skirts are often used in luxurious hotels in Europe because they look glamorous. This 30-inch long drop bed skirt from Amazon is the perfect under-bed-cover-up for beds that are elevated higher off the floor.
6. Woven bed skirt
Woven bed skirts are hard to find as they are hand-made. They go perfectly in a bohemian-style bedroom. Be careful not to store a lot of things under the bed, as some items can snag the fabric and rip it.
7. Fringe Bed Skirt
Fringes are used in curtains, rugs and scarfs, so why not bed skirts as well? They actually offer a unique and custom look, which adds to the overall style of the bedroom. Fringes can easily be added to any soft furnishings, especially bed skirts, for a pop of interest. This fringe trimming from Amazon can be easily machine-stitched or glued to an existing bed skirt. This option may be great for a dorm room too. If you're interested, make sure to also take a look at our article about how to make a dorm bed more comfortable too.
8. Split Corner Bed Skirt
This style is mostly used in hotels. They provide a neat and finished touch to the bed because they look like perfectly fitting fabric panels that surround the bed frame.
This Valencia split corner bed skirt from Amazon looks luxurious and is made from 100% Cotton.
9. Pinch Pleated Bed Skirt
This style is perfect to add vibrancy and intrigue to the bed because the pinched pleats create texture and pizazz that immediately draws your eye.
This pinched pleat bed skirt from Amazon comes in many colors and is wrinkle and shrink resistant.
10. Patterned Bed Skirt
Use patterned bed skirts to complement another color that is already present in the room. This gives the room a balanced look, while also creating a visual focal point. This Moroccan patterned bed skirt from Amazon is just one of the many patterned bed skirts to choose from.
If you're still looking for more ideas, take a look at our quick and easy bed skirt hacks and our bed skirt uses, tips, and tricks for more information too.
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In a Nutshell
Adding a bed skirt to your bed can elevate the look of the bedroom because it covers up any clutter that may be under the bed. A bed skirt also serves as a way to reduce the collection of dust under the bed. For more information about bed skirts read our article on platform bed skirts, and how to choose the best one for you.