Bedroom Decor - Get a Whole New Look, Just by Changing the Bedding

While bedroom makeovers often focus on changing paint colors, flooring or carpet, wall art, lighting and window treatments, you can make a drastic change just with bedding. Your main concern when choosing bedding is the color of the walls and flooring. Unless you have a very thematic wall mural painted on a wall, you will be able to bring in almost any style of bedding that appeals to you with success as long as the colors blend or accent harmoniously. This is one of the biggest advantages of using neutrals or light pastels for wall colors; you can change the accents to suit your mood or the season without having to paint or make major changes to the decor.

As an example, if your walls are painted in a light taupe and your floors are neutral as well, you can bring in drama to the bedroom with bedding in shades of red, cream and khaki. With this color scheme, you could go very modern, with a bedspread of modern geometrics, graphic flowers or bold color blocks. Take the same color scheme and make it English country with a block print quilt of flowers in shades of red and rose against cream and khaki with pillows, shams and bed skirt accenting the same colors but in a mix of pattern, including gingham checks, ticking stripes, a contrasting floral pattern and plaids. Or make this color scheme eclectic with a paisley comforter in the same color scheme with bold stripes and accent colors in deep jewel tones.

Then take the same taupe walls and neutral floor colors and go a totally different direction. How about combining sophisticated shimmering crystal blue and deep espresso or chocolate? You could even go with shades of pale blue and green with accents of cream and brown to work against the same wall and floor colors.

Now that you see how you can use the same color scheme to get many different looks, we'll talk a little about bedding components.

Bedding Basics

• A true bedspread will go all the way to the floor, blocking your view of the area beneath the bed. A quilt or comforter only drapes over three sides of the bed and does not reach to the bottom of the bed; when using a comforter, the box spring below the mattress is visible. Therefore, when choosing a comforter, you should choose a coordinating bed skirt as well. If your bed has side rails and you'd rather not use a skirt, you can use a coordinating fitted sheet to cover the box spring.

• A bed skirt doesn't have to be an exact match to the comforter. Many bedding companies sell coordinating pieces in the same line: A striped skirt may be coordinated to go with a floral comforter. You can add a little designer flair if you mix up patterns in coordinating colors: solids, stripes, checks, florals, etc. all work together when united by color. You can also coordinate a square pleat bed skirt in a solid color or choose a lacy or embroidered skirt. Lay fabrics and options against each other in the store to mix and match and get a signature look, instead of one that looks pre-packaged.

• Mix and match sheets with your outer pieces. The pillows you sleep on will be hidden under the comforter or bedspread, so purchase a set of pillow shams that fit over an extra set of pillows and brings another coordinating layer to the mix. Make sure that your pillow sizes match your mattress size: king size pillow with a king size bed and queen pillows with a queen size mattress.

• Throw pillows are the icing on the cake. You'll find them in every shape and size, from round or square, to bolsters, ovals, rectangles and themed shapes. Satin, corduroy, crochet or lace, cotton ticking, needlepoint and unlimited theme designs allow you to top of your new bedroom decor with a luxurious pile of finishing touches.