Bed skirts are decorative covers that are used to hide a bed frame and the bottom parts of a bed, including the legs and the underneath storage. They may also be paired with other bedding with matching or complementary colors to add style and an individual aspect to your bedroom. However, the frills and ruffles of bed skirts are considered outdated as minimalism is now trendy. Fortunately, you can find an alternative to bed skirts that will give your bedroom a streamlined and modern aesthetic.
We have put together several ideas that are fun and creative so you can use them as a substitute for bed skirts. Some of these suggestions, such as rugs or curtains, can be implemented at a low cost to hide a box spring without a bed skirt.
A bed skirt is also referred to as a valance or a dust ruffle. This is because the fabric usually has a ruffled appearance, and it covers a box spring to prevent dust and allergens from accumulating on the underside of the bed.
Bed skirts are also used to hide storage space under the bed and unattractive bed frames. Besides that, they serve as decorative drapery that blends in with your other bedding Trusted Source The well-made bed: an unappreciated public health risk The medical specialty of public health deals with making recommendations and creating legislation that benefit entire populations. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and your room’s décor.
To understand the different types of bed skirts in terms of design, we will briefly state the three main parts that you will usually find in a bed skirt. There is a platform which refers to the portion that covers the top of the bed, two sides for the two box spring sides, and the foot which is the part that covers the footboard.
You can find bed skirts in various types of style, fabric, color, and size that will fit your bed perfectly while flowing downwards to approximately ¼ inch to ½ inch from the floor. It is important that the bed skirt does not come into contact with the floor to avoid it collecting dusty or getting damaged.
Keep in mind that bed skirts vary in the way they are installed because they come in different types. The following are the most popular variations of bed skirts.
This type features a flat fabric that is fitted around a box spring and falls to the floor. You must lift the mattress to install a traditional bed skirt, and it can be difficult to fit it around the legs and corners of the bed. This is why it might bunch up and look messy.
This kind of bed skirt is similar to the wrap-around bed skirt, with the only difference being that it uses Velcro or hook and loop mechanism, instead of elastic bands, to attach a fitted sheet to the sides of a box spring. There are three separate panels for the footboard and the sides of a box spring. As the name suggests, a detachable bed skirt can be removed quickly.
The sides of this bed skirt have inverted pleats formed by two folds of fabric that are folded inwards, as opposed to in opposite directions. The bed skirts made of heavy fabric like duck cloth or wool tweed typically have a straight or pleated look instead.
Instead of a flat fabric that is placed over a box spring, you wrap this type of bed skirt around the mattress and bed frame and secure it with an elastic band for a proper and snug fit. Some of them may come with a convenient adjustable belt. There are three panels for that are stitched together as one piece to fit the sides of the bed, but there is no platform. Since you don’t lift the mattress to install a wrap-around bed skirt, it is among the bed skirts that are easy to remove for cleaning.
This version of bed skirt has the sides that are bunched up into ruffles or puckers. The ruffled bed skirts and the ones with gathered borders are made of soft and light fabric such as linen, viscose or poly-cotton.
This is an adaptation of the traditional bed skirt, but the difference is that it has split corners with slits to easily fit around the bedposts of a box spring and to tuck the foot panel behind the footboard. The legs are exposed so the bed skirt does not bunch up around them. Similarly to the traditional version, you have to lift the mattress to place the bed skirt over the bed.
This is a bed skirt that often features knowitted fabric that can stretch to cover a box spring but there is no drop skirt to cover the space under the bed. It is specifically designed for box springs, and it is an ideal choice for displaying beautiful bed frames and bed posts.
Now we get to the fun part of revamping your bedroom in a modern, cost-effective and stylish way with the following creative bed skirt ideas.
If you are wondering how to hide box spring without bed skirts, then a bed wrap might be just what you need. This is a fabric that resembles the conventional bed skirt. The main difference is that it is designed to fit snugly around a box spring and the frame of your bed without needing to be adjusted regularly to prevent it from snugly. Although it costs more than a wrap-around bed skirt, it is still within most people’s budget. Bed wraps come in various colors and you’re bound to find one like Circa Bed Wrap that will suit your budget and style. The advantage of this bed skirt idea is that it’s affordable and also low maintenance since it is made to tuck neatly around box springs.
Holiday decorations can provide creative bed skirt ideas that add fun to your bedroom when you wrap your box spring with them. The bed looks like a wrapped gift. You can buy them online in various colors and designs at a reasonable cost. However, they don’t cover the space under the bed, and their price will be higher for larger beds. You might also find them slightly complicated to fit, partly because you have limited options to customize them to your preference.
Did you know that you can use wood panels as dust ruffle alternatives? You build a wooden bed frame that covers the legs of your bed, and is tall enough to match the height of your box spring. If your bed’s frame is made of metal, its head is likely to have slots to attach the headboard and the foot of the bed. You use the bolts and washers to secure the wooden panels. What we like about this bed skirt idea is that the bolt heads and the wooden panels can be painted with your favorite colors and images for a unique style, and such panels will cost you much less than the wooden bed frames with great headboards that are available on the market. Although this bed skirt alternative is mostly used for beds with metal frames, you can also implement it on bed frames made of wood by attaching the wooden panels to the frame using bed rail brackets.
Many metal frames for beds have slots on the head (meant to attach to a headboard) and foot, too. Taking advantage of these with bolts and washers will help keep your wood bed skirt in place. You can then paint the bolt heads if you like.
Fitted sheets are another option that cover a box spring and creates an understated look that more people prefer nowadays. Identify the right size that will cover your box spring and fit tightly on the mattress to prevent it from bunching up. Also, look for sheets with dark colors that will not reveal the box spring print. You could choose a color that matches your bedding set. Fitted sheets work in a way similar to a bed wrap.
What makes this alternative ideal is that it is an affordable way to cover a box spring print in a tidy way, and you can buy the fitted sheets in almost any color that will match your curtains. You can also buy a couple of them in various colors to switch styles when one gets dirty. Additionally, you can wash the sheets in a washing machine. The drawback of using fitted sheets as an alternative idea for a bed skirt is that it might be tough to determine the right size for your low-profile box spring, and brighter colors might show the box spring print. You might also struggle to lift your box spring to fit the corners of the sheets under it. Lastly, unlike a bed skirt, fitted sheets will not cover the bed frame or the space under the box spring. To cover the frame of your bed, consider a flat sheet that cascades down the bed.
Some of these alternative ideas for bed skirts do not hide the bed frame and the space underneath. You can get around this by lining up stylish storage boxes and baskets like the hand-woven KOUBOO Wicker Under Bed Basket that would look good displayed under your bed. It comes with a cover, a protective liner in the interior and handles to pull the basket easily. Storing items under the bed is common, anyway. So, you might as well use a wicker storage box that you can place under the bed to keep dust away from your valuables and also as a décor element that will resonate with your personal style and complement your room in a unique way.
Storage beds come with drawers integrated underneath the mattress, are a great choice if you have limited space. This way there is no clutter that you would worry about showing when using a bed skirt that only covers the box spring frame, but not the space under the bed and the bed frame.
6. Custom sewA unique way to hide box spring without bed skirts is to sew your own. This DIY method will grant you more control over the fabric material, design, length, pattern, and color. You can repurpose existing fabric in your house such as curtains, linens or sheets to save costs, or buy new fabric that complements the color scheme of your bedroom.
There are several online tutorials that will guide you on how to stitch your own bed skirt. This is a creative and cost effective bed skirt idea where you are flexible to choose solid, print, simple, or ruffled style because you have total control over the final design. What you have to contend with is finding the right information and sewing tools, taking accurate measurements and the actual stitching which is time-consuming.
As we mentioned earlier, flat sheet have an edge over fitted sheets because you can choose a size that is larger than your bed so it flows down to cover the bed frame as well as the box spring and the storage space under the bed. You can purchase them in different colors and designs such as pleated or ruffled, or use the flat sheets that you have. It is also easy to identify the right size. For those that have a bland pattern that might make them look like a plain sheet, we suggest decorating them with creative and fun embroidery, or a monogram of your name to add a personal touch. Since flat sheets that would serve as a bed skirt are oversized, you will have to adjust them regularly by tucking and folding them. This is because they constantly shift and slide off the mattress, and they might get dirty if they come into contact with the floor.
8. Velcro dust rufflesA simple dust ruffle alternative is using a Velcro bed skirt which you can create on your own and you won’t have to lift the mattress to install it. You could buy a low-cost muslin fabric and decorate it with ruffles, tassels or lace. As long as you place the Velcro dust ruffle evenly on each side, it will hang down the edges of the bed and remain in place. The plus side of using this method to hide box spring without bed skirts is that it is easy to install on the three sides of the bed, you can use it together with another bed skirt, and the Velcro prevents the fabric from shifting and sagging so the dust ruffle does not require frequent adjustment. However, the Velcro may wear out and stop sticking after a while, and has to be replaced. You also must ensure that you install the Velcro dust ruffle evenly and be cautious when removing it. The other downside to this bed skirt idea is that it does not hide the whole bed structure. Otherwise, Velcro dust ruffle is easy to clean because most are machine washable.
9. CurtainsCurtains can also be an alternative idea for bed skirts for users who prefer a thicker bed skirt. You can install them easily using inexpensive box spring pins. To create a bed skirt using this kind of upholstery, you use two curtains of the same length to cover the sides of the bed, and a shorter curtain to cover the end. You can find a window valance in a variety of fabrics, patterns, colors, and designs that will blend in with any décor, and also adjust their length to your liking. The main issue with this type of bed skirt is that the pins may come loose and cause sagging. Besides that, you might find it challenging to get the right height, and might have to alter the length of the curtains. Lastly, some curtains might be expensive, or too heavy to make a good bed skirt.
Another example of creative bed skirt ideas is using rugs with the same pattern as the one you have placed on the floor. This method works well to cover the edges of a box spring that is placed on top of a rug on the floor. Cut the rug to match the box spring and then use a staple gun to attach the rug to the box spring. Covering the sides of a box spring with rug straps is particularly a great option for people with babies.
For a readily available alternative idea for bed skirts that will not cost you a lot, consider a wrap-around bed skirt. It hides the box spring, bed frame and the space underneath the bed, and it can be customized to the size and style of your bed. It is available in varied colors and patterns for different looks, and you can install it without lifting your mattress. The drawback to this dust ruffle alternative is that because they do not have split corners, they are prone to tearing over time. Secondly, their elasticity wears out and makes them stretch out after a while, and they start to shift and slide off the mattress. This is why you must choose the right size that will fit your box spring, and be careful not to overstretch the wrap-around bed skirt during installation.
A canopy: One of the reasons that people seek creative bed skirt ideas is to hide cluttered items stored under the bed. If your bed skirt is not covering these areas, place an intriguing item in your bedroom that will draw eyes so your guests can focus on that instead.
Bed bugs often hide in the crevices of box springs, especially the ones without a cover Trusted Source Mattress Encasements for Bed Bugs Mattress Encasements to Prevent Bed Bug dec.alaska.gov . A bed skirt can help to prevent them from accumulating underneath your bed, protect your mattress and bed from dust and dirt and hide any items you may be keeping under the bed from prying eyes. Bed skirts come in multiple styles, fabrics, colors, and sizes to meet custom needs. Some will only cover the box spring frame but the best bed skirts will also cover the bed frame and the space underneath. With our creative alternatives to bed skirt ideas which range from repurposing a window valance, rugs and existing bedding sets to buying inexpensive sheets, stickers and holiday decorations, we have provided you with plenty of options to easily choose or create a bed skirt of your choice.
