Comparative Bedding Styles

Color

• Color choices for bedding must respect individual preferences and keep in mind the colors on the walls and floors. When the carpet and wall colors will be new also, the bedding color choice is completely open. Otherwise, these large color areas must blend with or complement the new bedding. In either case, it is important that the bedroom color is pleasing to the person or persons occupying the room. Everyone has a unique response to color, and what is restful to one person may be distracting or disturbing to another.

Design Themes

• Bedding options include design themes such as nautical or French, country or African. A bedroom theme may express fantasies such as cowboy or surfer or reflect style preferences such as traditional, Victorian or contemporary.

Fabrics

• Fabric choices begin with the fiber content. For sheets and pillowcases, selection ranges from cotton, organic cotton, cotton and polyester blend, flannel and knit to linen, silk or satin. Blankets are available in the natural fibers of cotton, wool and down and in fabricated fibers such as fleece, acrylic and vellum (a fabric created by bonding nylon fibers to foam.) The top layer on the bed may be a coverlet, a comforter, a quilt, a bedspread or a duvet. Each is available in a range of natural and fabricated fibers. The fiber content of the bedding dictates its maintenance, determining whether it can be home-laundered or requires professional cleaning.

Types of Bedding and Maintenance

• The type of bedding refers to the selection of the top layers and pillows on the bed. All beds require sheets and pillowcases. However, after that, there may be just one layer or several layers plus pillow shams and decorative throw pillows. The simplicity of a fluffy comforter tossed over the sheets and pillows makes a bed that is easy to maintain each day. Adding layers such as a blanket, a quilt or spread or a decorative throw increase the richness of the effect but require more daily maintenance. A multitude of pillows adds the feeling of luxury but involves extra time to collect and arrange.

Budget

• Bedding is sold in bags, in sets and by the individual piece. A complete and attractive bed is available for a reasonable price. The upgrades are endless, so it is left to the buyer to decide what is possible within an established budget.