Decorative yet functional, bed skirts are often considered the remit of luxury hotels and opulent mansions – the kind with four poster beds that remain untouched yet perfectly made for more than half the year.
This is likely since they’re considered a rather high-maintenance accessory. While designed to prevent hard-to-reach dust from gathering in troves underneath the bed, a bedskirt (otherwise known as a valance or dust ruffle) has come to represent a certain calibre of luxury interior know-how.
For a short time during the 1980s, not having your entire home decorated with salmon pink ruffles hanging everywhere from thick organza curtains to sofa skirtings and sky-high bedframes was considered a deep societal faux pas. By the time children of the 80s were able to make their own interior design decisions in the 90s and 00s, sleek and futuristic millennial minimalism naturally reigned supreme.
We’re here to argue that the classic, high-brow bedding accessory isn’t solely for high-maintenance households and militantly run bed and breakfasts but has a place in the everyman’s humble abode – even those still reeling from ruffled dusters adorning every inch of an all-too maximalist childhood home.
The trend is being leveraged by celebrated interior designers and Scandinavian style experts across the board, demonstrating to us and all those who keep their finger on the pulse in the world of interiors that bedskirts are quickly becoming the unsung bedroom hero of the 2020s.
If you’ve made it this far, we’re going to go ahead and consider you to be on our side. Now what? How does one choose between ruffles, pleats or clean and unobtrusive lines?
Gathered ruffles remain the most ubiquitous, offering a coquettish and romantic vintage aesthetic. Pleats are ruffles’ slightly more refined sister and are often embellished with delicate embroidered borders. Tailored bedskirts are less common but highly refined. They tend to come as a straight piece of fabric without pleats or a single pleat on each side.
We’ve curated a varied selection of the best bedskirts for opulent dustproofing below.
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Coco & Wolf Bedskirt Valance made with Liberty Fabric
A busy yet beautiful Liberty print which isn’t for the minimalists among us, Coco & Wolf’s signature bedding is hand-crafted using Liberty’s beloved cotton. Though you could go all the way and adorn your entire bed with the glorious print, we also think the bedskirt would look wonderful with simple, block-colour bedding in a similar primary shade – or even just plain white.
Buy now £175.00, Coco & Wolf
Ballard Designs Emma Scalloped Bedskirt
In case you haven’t heard, scallops are well and truly in. We love the subtle pastel blue piping at the bottom of this tailored bedskirt, which incidentally evokes a rather Grecian feel. Crafted from 100 per cent cotton with a 15-inch drop, the understated yet luxurious option is sure to tie your bedroom together.
Buy now £70.91, Ballard Designs
Schweitzer Linen French Pleat Dust Ruffles
Recreate the feeling of an opulent boutique hotel in Paris from the comfort of your own home with this 100 per cent Italian linen bedskirt, tailored with a French box pleat and split in each corner. Offered in pristine white with immaculate hemstitching and a 14-inch drop, the imported bedding accessory will immediately elevate your interior.
Buy now £93.77, Schweitzer Linen
LovelyHomeIdea Gingham Linen Bedskirt
Offered in an array of sizes and chic, neutral colourways, this box pleated gingham bedskirt from a small business in Lithuania is the height of contemporary interior fashion. Each item is handcrafted from Oeko-TEX Standard 100 certified European linen fabric in small quantities, which means each and every bedskirt purchased is unique.
Buy now £138.36, Etsy
SuperiorCustomLinens Red and White Striped Bedskirt
For instant urban farmhouse charm, look no further than this pleated red and white striped bedskirt from SuperiorCustomLinens on Etsy. Beautifully and simply tailored with a three-panel split corner design, it easily tucks beneath any mattress. Should red stripes not be your thing, the business also offers over 40 different colour choices and patterns which can be browsed here.
Buy now £166.20, Etsy
Laura Ashley Home - Cotton Ruffled Bedskirt
The epitome of English Countryside style, Laura Ashley has long been a go-to destination for vintage-inspired interior fanatics. This 100 per cent cotton ruffled bedskirt is no exception to the rule, and is offered in queen, full and king sizes. It’s also available in a pleated gingham option.
Buy now £27.84, Amazon
EtnoKazashka Linen Bedskirt
Featuring adorable and chic tie detailing at each corner, this high-quality pleated linen bedskirt comes in just about every colour in the rainbow. Go neutral to complement an already kaleidoscopic bedroom aesthetic or opt for a bright block colour to bring some depth and texture to your interior.
Buy now £63.97, Etsy
