Other Bedding Accessories

Designed to slide between your mattress and box spring, bed skirts are composed of panels of fabric sewn together around three sides of a fabric platform, with openings at the corners to accommodate the legs of your bed frame. They conceal under-bed storage, as well as your box spring and bed frame, and they help provide a cohesive look to your bedding. Also known as dust ruffles, bed skirts serve a practical function by preventing dust from accumulating beneath your bed and helping keep your room clean. Bed skirts come in several basic styles, including pleated, ruffled, gathered, or tailored. They may also be constructed of two layers of overlapping fabric, such as a sheer over an opaque material, for added dimension.

Pillow shams are decorative coverings that go over your pillows. Unlike pillowcases, which protect your pillow while you sleep, shams are typically used for decorative purposes. They come in assorted sizes. Some of the largest pillow shams are designed for Euro pillows, which are square pillows that usually measure 26 inches by 26 inches. Pillow shams for bed pillows include sizes for standard, queen, and king pillows, as well as versions designed to pull over throw pillow inserts. Shams usually feature an open back comprised of two sections of overlapping fabric. This opening allows you to remove the pillow insert to fluff it or replace when necessary. Some shams include a zippered closure along one side instead, allowing you to display either side of the sham.

Bed scarves are narrow lengths of fabric with tailored edges. They are intended to be draped across the foot of your bed. If you have a neutral bed covering in a solid color, adding a patterned bed scarf offers a quick and economical way to update and invigorate your decor. On a practical level, placing a bed scarf over your comforter or quilt helps protect your bed cover from soil in the event that someone lounges on the bed while wearing shoes.

Inspired by time-honored design motifs, Vintage bedding accessories can span the style spectrum from rustic Americana to Shabby Chic. The on-trend Farmhouse style hearkens back to a simple, rural lifestyle with quilted pillow shams, bed skirts made from burlap, cotton ticking, and accessories featuring homespun detailing such as embroidery. On the other end of the Vintage design scale, bedding accessories that feature French Cottage styling may include pretty features such as ruffles or shirring that add an aura of femininity and elegance to your bedding. Vintage bedding accessories allow you to break away from perfectly matched sets and lend the illusion that they have been collected over time or handed down through the generations of your family.

Classic patterns, symmetrical compositions, and visual unity define Traditional style. Traditional bedrooms are more likely to include pairs of matching pillow shams with scalloped edges or cording rather than an eclectic assortment of throw pillows in mismatched patterns. Bedding accessories in this popular style might feature luxurious fabrics, such as brocade, fine cottons or silky materials, classic floral or nautical designs, and carefully coordinated patterns.

Clean lines, restrained patterns, and muted colors are hallmarks of minimalist style. Bed skirts with tailored edges and pillow shams with simple flanged edges suit this decorating style. Minimalist bedrooms are defined by an uncluttered look with basic, utilitarian bedroom accessories.