by The comfort of your mattress is the most important factor to consider in a bedroom. However, you should also think about the overall look and aesthetics of your bed to make your bedroom more ‘homey’. A bed skirt is a decorative fabric that can be added to a bed to give it a stylish look without exposing the sides of a box spring or any space underneath the bed. While some people consider bed skirts to be outdated, modern bed skirt designs add a little extra flourish to your bedroom.
The most popular bed skirt designs include box pleated bed skirts, wrap-around bed skirts, tailored bed skirts, split corner bed skirts, detachable bed skirts, macrame bed skirts, and gathered bed skirts.
Bed Skirts: What Are They & Why Do You Need Them?
Bed skirts are available in various colors and materials. They hide the construction of the bed and items that are stored under the bed to give the room a neat and tidy look. They also limit the accumulation of dust particles underneath the bed. Read this article on the “Prevention of House dust Mites” published by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, to find out how to reduce allergens in a household.
A bed skirt is a piece of decorative fabric that helps create a cohesive bed design, upgrade the aesthetics of a bed, conceal the construction of the bed, hide the box spring, provide protection against dust, and hide items stored under the bed.
Bed skirts are made in smooth and tailored styles to offer a wide variety of modern options for people who follow trends. Read our article on bed skirt styles and ideas for interesting variations on dust ruffles and bed skirts. Also, you might find useful information in the different types of bed skirt materials and their benefits as well.
1. Box Pleated Bed Skirt Design
This bed skirt design is created by folding two lengths of fabric in the opposite directions so that the creases meet each other right in the middle. It features pleats, which makes the fabric voluminous. Box pleated bed skirts help promote proper airflow and go well on any bed with footboards or bed posts.
You can get a great box pleated bed skirt from amazon for ~$40 like this one.
A box pleated bed skirt design. Image from Amazon.2. Wrap Around Bed Skirt
This type of bed skirt is tightly wrapped around the box spring or the lower part of the bed without having to lift or remove the mattress. It features a variety of designs, including pleats, ruffles, and split corners. Elastic bands ensure that the corners of the bed skirt stay in place and do not sag or shift over time.
You can get a great wrap-around bed skirt that has a drop length of 14 inches for ~$20 like this one.
Here’s a tailored wrap around bed skirt design. Yes! You can combine two different design styles. Image from Amazon.3. Tailored Bed Skirt
This design is ideal for those looking for a neat and modern bed skirt alternative. It is plain and doesn’t include any ruffles or decorative designs.
Today’s home has a classic tailored bed skirt that you can purchase for $25.
This classic tailored bed skirt design has clean lines and makes your bed look modern. Image from Amazon.4. Split Corner Bed Skirt
This design features slits in the middle of each corner. It offers a sleek and modern bed appearance. The split corners ensure that the bed skirt fits well on any bed with footboards, or bed posts.
A microfiber split corner bed skirt like this one adds a sense of class to your bed for $20.
A microfiber split corner bed can easily wrap around bed posts and legs. Image from Amazon.5. Detachable Bed Skirt
Detachable bed skirts are suitable on most types of beds. They are easy to install and don’t require the removal of a bulky mattress. They typically feature hook-and-loop tape, which allows you to change your bed skirt with minimal effort so that it’s really easy to keep clean. Detachable bed skirts also come in a variety of designs, including ruffles, pleats, and split corners.
Here’s a detachable ruffled bed skirt which fits most beds, and costs ~$15.
A detachable bed skirt may use velcro to attach to a bed frame or box spring. The goal with this bed skirt type is to make it easy to add/remove the bed skirt so you can clean it. Image from Amazon.6. Macrame Bed Skirt
Macrame bed skirts feature a Bohemian style, which incorporates a variety of colors, patterns, and textures. Some designs feature pom-pom fringes attached to the lower part of the fabric to add a little bit of interest.
Here’s a really nice easy-fit fringe wrap-around bed skirt.
This beautiful bed skirt can be installed easily and fit to a bed frame. It also has a variety of design elements included. Image from Amazon.7. Gathered Bed Skirt
Gathered bed skirts are traditional bed skirts that come with tightly rumpled puckers (ruffles). They make the lower part of the bed look voluminous.
Laura Ashley makes an anti-wrinkle gathered ruffled bed skirt that you can get at Amazon for ~$35.
Here’s a gathered and ruffled bed skirt design from Laura Ashley. Image from Amazon.Make sure to also take a look at how to keep a bed skirt in place to make sure your bed skirt doesn’t slip and slide around once it’s installed. Also, what bed skirt hardware do you need to install bed skirts is an interesting read to help keep any bed skirt in place. And you might find usefulness in our step-by-step guide on how to use bed skirt pins.
Alternative Bed Skirt Designs
Because traditional bed skirts do not meet everybody’s tastes and preferences, different bed skirt alternatives make it possible to find one that suits any bedroom design. Read our other article on bed skirt alternatives to find a bed skirt style that suits your unique needs.
Bed skirt design alternatives include box spring covers, fitted sheets, DIY bed skirts, and wooden bed skirts. Bed skirt alternatives also improve the aesthetics of a bedroom, cover the box spring, and hide the storage area under a bed.
1. Box Spring Covers
Wrap-around box spring covers allow you to cover up your bulky box spring and make the bed more aesthetically pleasing. Images from Amazon.Box spring covers are designed specifically to cover box springs. They include a stretchy fabric with elastic bands to keep it in place. The fabric simply spreads on the box spring and doesn’t need to be readjusted. What makes a box spring cover so handy is that the elasticized material can fit a variety of box springs with a depth from 4 to 10 inches. Another huge benefit of box spring covers is that they are extremely easy to install and remove with no hassle, which allows you to wash them regularly.
You should consider getting a box spring cover if you want your box spring to look more polished. Prices vary depending on the material, size, and quality of the product. This stretchy box spring cover from Amazon snuggly encloses the box spring to stylishly hide it.
2. Fitted Sheet
Fitted sheets are an affordable way to quickly cover a box spring. Image from Mattress Insider.Fitted sheets are typically used to cover mattresses. However, you can place a fitted sheet around the box spring to make your own bed skirt. Wrap your box spring with a fitted sheet or use a flat sheet to drape down your bed and cover your bed construction.
Find the proper size to avoid puckering, as not all box springs can fit into fitted sheets. These fitted sheets from Amazon fit most mattresses and box springs and ensure a neat and tidy bed appearance.
3. Make Your Own Using Fabric
Use any of your old fabrics and place it between your mattress and your box spring to create your own bed skirt. Image from Boston Textile Co.You can easily make your own bed skirt out of literally any fabric. If you are not good at sewing, consider making a no-sew bed skirt. For detailed instructions, you can check this article by Marty Walden.
If you are comfortable with sewing, then select a particular fabric such as old sheets, curtains, duvet covers, or other linens and cut it according to the measurements that you wish to have. Use bed skirt hardware to hold the bed skirt in place. Read our article on bed skirt tips and hacks for useful ideas on the different types of bed skirts and how to secure them to your bed.
4. Use Curtains
Curtains with ruffles (on the left) or tailored with box pleats (on the right) help create a unique look. Images from Amazon and Orchids Lux Home, respectively.Curtains are available in any fabric type and in a wide range of styles, colors, and patterns. You can adjust the length to be as short or as long as you would like. Curtains are especially useful for making gathered, box pleated, and split corner bed skirts. This window valance from Amazon makes the perfect bed skirt.
5. Wood Bed Skirts
This wooden bed frame serves as an extra bed frame that covers the box spring in a polished way. Image from Big Mickey.Wooden bed skirts give your bedroom a luxurious look. They aim to cover the legs of the bed up until the height of your box spring. They are attached to the bed frame via bed rail brackets. You can even install storage shelves right under the bed. Check out this video to learn more about how to build a wood bed frame with storage.
How to Keep a Bed Skirt in Place
Some people don’t like bed skirts for covering box springs since it can be a bit challenging to keep them in place. In order to secure a bed skirt in place, there are a few quick and easy hacks that you can use.
To keep a bed skirt in place, use non-slip grip pads, bed skirt pins, Velcro strips, or cotton sheets.
1. Use Non-Slip Grip Pads
One of the best ways to prevent your bed skirt from slipping off the bed is to use any type of non-slip grip pad. You don’t really need a full-sized pad that covers the entire box spring surface. You can simply put a small non-slip pad on top of the middle of your box spring before spreading your bed skirt on top of it. Make sure the pad does not rip the fabric of your bed skirt. This non-slip grip pad from Amazon reduces wrinkles and prevents slipping.
2. Bed Skirt Pins
Bed skirt pins are designed to hold the bed skirt safely in place, but damage can occur if you use the pins incorrectly. Be careful not to puncture or rip the fabric when inserting the pins. These twist pins are a convenient way to fix the bed skirt in place.
3. Tape it Down with Velcro Strips
If non-slip grip pads or bed skirt pins don’t work for you, then use a couple of Velcro strips to secure your bed skirt to your box spring. These can be used for any type of bed skirt including full-style and wrap-around ones. These Velcro strips provide a secure and long-lasting hold.
4. Put a Cotton Sheet On the Box Spring
Putting a cotton sheet on the box spring can also help keep the bed skirt in place. This option is affordable, as you don’t really need to purchase a brand-new sheet. Instead, use an old cotton sheet and place it on your box spring before positioning the bed skirt on top of it. Keep in mind that cotton sheets only work for full-style bed skirts and cannot really hold wrap-around designs in place. This deep-pocket cotton sheet set on Amazon can prevent your bed skirt from pulling loose or slipping off.
In a Nutshell
The modern styles of bed skirts make them a more appealing way to add decorative elements to a bedroom, whilst also preventing dust accumulation under the bed and hiding unsightly storage items. If you want to read about how long to make a bed skirt then check out our guide on bed skirt height and length. And if you already have a bed skirt that’s too long, make sure to take a look at our article explaining what to do if a bed skirt is too long for additional tips and tricks.