The Laboratory’s latest design dilemma: how to hide the underpinnings of my makeshift bed and all the art materials stored under it? A bed skirt was clearly the solution, but the traditional route posed a number of problems. Classic bed skirts come in set sizes and lengths, none of which really fit my rigged bed. And since I envisioned a whole other bed in the future, it was very possible that it wouldn’t work for the new one. Not to mention, they are designed with only one purpose— to be a bed skirt — a box with a cotton top and linen sides that would be difficult to repurpose down the line. I was loathe to invest in something that would neither be great to start, nor stay great.
Stumbling on the Rough Linen website got me thinking about using a sheet as a bed skirt, and just folding it to fit my bed. I could change the size as needed, and a linen sheet could come in handy down the line for other uses: a table cloth perhaps, or a throw for the sofa (which is why they are such a great investment).
But then I decided it would be nice if the hem was finished uniformly all the way around, generally not the case with a sheet, which makes for a rougher, drapier look. On Rough Linen’s site, I found something called a Summer Cover, which was a large swath of fine linen, with a neat 3-inxh hem on all four sides.
I called Trisha of Rough Linen to discuss and found a philosopher at heart, who believed greatly in the multi-use possibilities of her linen products, that it is essential “to do what pleases you”, not just follow what is in fashion. To try the idea out, I ordered her lightest weight, and least expensive, Summer Cover in Queen size, which measures 105″ x 100″, ample for many purposes and bigger than the width needed to go across the bed and down to the floor.
The trick was to fold the excess fabric into a neat center crease. A friend helped me lift the mattress off its platform and I quickly made the crease, so that the hem exactly touched the floor on all sides.
The result was pretty swell, although if I had it to do over, I might have bought heavier weight linen. (Live and LEARN!)
But THE APPROACH WORKS well. It diseappeared my ugly trove of foamcore and other useful materials stored under the bed, and gives a sweet, crisp look to the room.
The bed skirt is endlessly resizable. It is, in itself, a beautiful piece of hemmed linen for whatever use I devise down the line, as life is always changing.
Related posts: rough linen’s clever ideas for tabletop + home decor
chic, draped + wrapped sofa = instant slipcovers
diy or buy: stylish frayed-edge linen pillows
reminder: you don’t have to iron or hem linen cloths
i love the photo!
And the result looked lovely. It really hide all the unwanted materials and looked good.
Great solution.
For years I use sheets in all kinds of materials and colors as bedspreads, bedskirts and curtains. Works great!
Thanks for your inspiring blog.
Thanks for the inspiration. I finally know what to do with the excess of my grandmothers lovely linen tablecloths. The stains won’t be seen, only the best parts. I can sew together smaller ones to make duvet covers as well. This really got me thinking.
Great repurposing idea but just you wait. We’ve got a post coming on a novel way to deal with stains.
Your bedroom is so surreal. I absolutely love the idea of using a piece of fabric for a makeshift bed skirt and being able to use it for something else later on. I also adore your bed cover, where did you find it? I would love to add it to my collection of linens.
Surreal? Hmmm. What’s surreal about a pink wall, a yellow mantle with no fireplace, tree trunks and branches…. (:
The bedskirt came from Rough Linen. It is their Summer Cover, which was a large swath of fine linen they were offering at the time, with a neat 3-inch hem on all four sides.
If I had to do it over again, I would go with a slightly heavier guage linen. But it is a lovely piece…would make a fine tablecloth or curtain…