What Is a Bed Skirt, and Do I Need One?
Some bedding essentials are meant to dress up the bed, some are for function rather than fashion—and others, like bed skirts, pull double duty and offer both performance and style. Explore this quick guide to learn how to measure for, choose, and use a bed skirt.
What Is a Bed Skirt?
A bed skirt is a decorative and functional bedding item used to cover the space below the mattress. It is placed beneath the mattress and drapes to cover the foot and sides of the frame, reaching—or nearly reaching—the floor. This creates a streamlined look while hiding the box spring, bed frame, and any under-bed storage.
Types of Bed Skirts
There are a few bed skirt styles to choose from, depending on your preferences and bed type.
- A split or split-corner bed skirt features two vertical slits that align with the corners at the foot of the bed. This construction allows the material to fit around the legs of a bed post, making it easier to put on a bed skirt.
- A regular bed skirt wraps around the sides and foot of the bed but does not have split corners—a perfect option for a bed without a footboard.
- Pleated bed skirts—available in split and non-split styles—feature pleated, folded, or gathered corners and pressed edges, which are often stitched into place to maintain a pristine appearance.
- Ruffled bed skirts feature flowy gathers for a casual ripple effect.
- A detachable bed skirt can be placed without lifting the mattress. Some styles feature a short panel that tucks beneath the mattress edge to hold the bed skirt in place; others have a hook-and-loop backed strip that attaches to a panel placed between the mattress and box spring.
What is a Dust Ruffle?
A bed skirt helps to prevent dust from gathering beneath the bed, which is why it is also called a “dust ruffle.” There is no difference between a bed skirt and a dust ruffle—the terms are interchangeable. Other common names for this bedding essential include bed ruffle or bed valance.
Bed Skirt Versus Box Spring Covers
A bed skirt drapes to cover the space beneath the bed, while a box spring cover stretches over the box spring only—similar to how a fitted sheet covers a mattress. A box spring cover is a good alternative if you want to disguise the box spring without the length of a bed skirt.
Do I Need a Bed Skirt?
A bed skirt is a decorative extra—it’s not required, but many people prefer using one to hide the bed frame and anything stored under the bed. Because there are so many styles available, it’s easy to coordinate the bed skirt with your favorite sheet set or comforter.
How to Choose a Bed Skirt
When choosing a bed skirt, the two main things to consider are your decor style and bed size. A bed skirt doesn’t have to match your sheets exactly. Use these quick tips and ideas to find the right bed skirt for your space.
- Choose a solid color bed skirt in a hue that coordinates with a prominent color from your bedding print.
- Go for a monochrome look using the same solid color for all of your bedding, from the duvet cover and sheets to the bed skirt. Crisp all-white bedding, soothing blue hues, or springy greens—the choice is yours.
- Create a trendy ombre look with varying solid hues—darker top bedding layers can fade to a lighter bed skirt shade.
- For a subtle option, choose a textured bed skirt with matelassé or jacquard details to create a clean look that doesn't draw attention.
- When in doubt, choose a neutral hue for something that will coordinate with multiple bedding sets.
How to Measure Bed Skirt Drop
Bed skirt drop refers to the height of the bed skirt. To figure out what drop length you need, measure from the top of your box spring to the floor; if you don't have a box spring, measure from the top of the bed frame. This number, in inches, indicates drop length. Some people prefer their bed skirt to reach the floor, while others choose a skirt that ends one-half to one inch above the ground.
A standard bed skirt drop is 14 inches, but longer or shorter options are available. For example, if your mattress height is 16 inches, choose a 16-inch drop length—or, if you prefer a shorter bed skirt, choose a 15-inch drop.
For a box spring cover, simply choose your mattress size—no drop measurement required.
Bed skirts and box spring covers are optional pieces to create a streamlined look below the mattress. After you’ve chosen your bed skirt, explore more bedding and decor tips in our other Guides.