Picture your favorite place to unwind. Does the breeze caress your face? Can you hear the soothing fall of water? Maybe, it’s the silence of trees you crave.
Does your bedroom give you this same restful vibe?
Let me let you in on a secret — your bedspread is pivotal in creating a welcoming bedroom. It’s not just the tchotchkes on your styled bedside.
Lightweight bedspreads take your neutral-palette luxe bedding and add that dash of personality that claims your space as your own.
That’s if you choose well.
Tips for choosing lightweight bedspreads
Big box store vs handmade textiles
We get it. The big box stores have made home decor more accessible for very tight budgets.
While that might pass muster for the odd cushion or towel, the mass-produced feel just doesn’t cut it for such a focal decor item as a bedspread.
The magic of handmade
Handmade textiles are amazing for lightweight bedspreads not only because of their sumptuous, one-of-a-kind prints but the living story behind them.
From the master crafter who hand-carves the design outline into a block of wood to the artisans who painstakingly bring it to life six inches at a time, each handmade textile tells a rich story.
While block printing took the back burner for a while in favor of machine-printed items, the heritage craft is coming back thanks to enthusiasts and niche fabric boutiques.
Hand-printed fabric is how you let your personality fill the room.
The balance between price and value
Your home and the things you choose to bring into it should skew towards legacy pieces.
A hand-printed cotton bedspread might seem expensive but if you look at the cost across the years of use, it’s the better choice.
Instead of waiting to shop a mass-produced bedding collection, consider spending your hard-earned money on a legacy piece.
A legacy piece has value beyond the dollars and cents. It tells a story, goes beyond trends, and builds up the community that made it.
How to choose the best bedspread fabric
Lightweight bedspreads are a Spring and Summer basic. In warmer areas, they have year-long use.
While fabric choice is entirely personal, you need to choose a fabric that:
- Keeps you cool by wicking moisture away (breathable)
- Is easy to clean and care for according to your lifestyle
- Lasts a long time since you will have spent a pretty penny on it
Natural fibers such as fine cotton and linen tick all three boxes. While silk is also breathable and luxurious, it is usually high maintenance requiring dry cleaning.
Saffron Marigold lightweight bedspreads are made from 100% preshrunk, superior-grade cotton. The care is a breeze, but we’ll talk about that later.
This is what Ginny had to say about the Saffron Marigold bedspreads:
Ginny, Lehigh Acres, FL
Each one is more beautiful than the last! They are the perfect weight for Florida year-round, and/or summer in other places. I love that they are easy to care for and that such a high quality of cotton is used. That means that the wrinkle factor is almost nonexistent. It is obvious that great care is taken in the manufacture and shipping of these items. I would order more, but a person can only have (and store) so many bedspreads!
Choose colors that inspire your desired mood
There is no universal decor guideline because we each gravitate towards different things.
Remember that getaway we were talking about earlier?
Picture it and the mood it gives you. That is the direction you want to go with for your bedspread.
Are you looking for a sultry feel similar to what this kilim-inspired Saffron Marigold bedspread gives?
Maybe, you are more of a farmhouse homebody with a love for cottage decor. In which case, you’re looking for a lighter feel:
And if you’ve been bitten by the wanderlust bug, you’re probably longing to be transported far away, every time you cross your threshold.
Find your muse and don’t get tied up in decor jargon or categorizing your aesthetic. It’s not unusual to be attracted to a combination of aesthetics.
A rule of thumb with printed bedspreads is to balance out the pattern with solid colors across the bedroom that echo the printed colors.
The most important thing is that you love the bedspread that you choose since you’ll be spending a third of your day with it anyway!
Bonus Tip: If you’re stepping far out of your comfort zone with your bedding choice, ask your boutique for a swatch. You’ll get an idea of what the bedroom will look like at a fraction of the cost.
Saffron Marigold offers 10-inch square swatches for all their products at a highly discounted $2.99.
How to care for your lightweight bedspread
Now that you have an idea of the bedspread you want, how do you make sure it looks great for longer?
Follow the care instructions
At the risk of stating the obvious, care labels are your friend and will give your bedspread the longevity you want.
While cotton tends to be quite resilient and can withstand a lot of manipulation, certain fabric treatments require careful cleaning.
Some of the factors that can make your bedspread more sensitive are:
- Type of dye used for example natural dyes
- Fabric finishes such as gold overlay and calendering (smoothing and compressing)
Let’s look at some care tips that apply across the board:
- Gentle detergents will protect the dyes in your bedspread for longer. Avoid any that have bleach additives or brighteners which may distort colors. No bleach!
- Gentle wash cycles will also keep colors intact for longer.
- Cold water is the best option. Hot water strips everything over time.
- Iron on the wrong side or under a cloth. Cotton can take high temperatures but you don’t want to risk scorch marks on your beautiful hand-printed bedding.
Pay attention to the care instructions so you can be as satisfied as David:
David, Lakeland, TN
We are thrilled with our order. The colors are true and the quality exceeded our expectations! We laundered according to your instructions and all pieces held the dye and shapes perfectly! Thank you for your excellent descriptions and service. We hope to find some other things from your artisans to enhance our home!
Why you should avoid sunlight exposure on your bedspreads
Sunlight is a key ingredient in making the dyes of handmade textiles clear and vibrant. Once the bedspread is finished, it needs to be protected from sun damage.
Did you know that dyes work by forming chemical bonds with the fabric?
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can break down these chemical bonds and cause fading.
How do you work around this?
- Hang your bedspread to dry in a shaded area or tumble dry low (warm)
- Look out for concentrated sunbeams falling on the bed and angle your furniture away from direct sunlight
How to safely store your lightweight bedspreads
When you’re alternating between bedspreads or changing to something heavier for winter, you’ll need to put your bedspread in storage. Here are some great tips for all-season storage of your bedspreads.
What you want to avoid is dust, moisture, bugs, and rodents. Dust and moisture will stain your bedding while the bugs and rodents will chew right through.
- Store in cotton packing bags which allow moisture to escape and prevent mildew
- Avoid plastic bags which are not airtight and therefore let moisture in and trap it
- For weekly storage, a linen shelf or quilt hanger works perfectly
- Vacuum or compression pack your bedspread for long storage
Here’s a quick how-to on compression packing.
Why you should choose Saffron Marigold
The world needs sustainable consumption, fair practices, and more conscientious buyers.
Our unique designs inspired by nature’s havens are created in Petaluma, California, and then carefully developed and block printed by hand in Rajasthan, India.
We practice fair trade ensuring our artisans are well paid and that our final prices are fair, not inflated by too many middlemen.
Our slow textiles ensure that you know who made your bedding and what went into it. It is better for the environment as well as the communities that continue this craft.
Read up on our selection of handmade bedspreads to find a uniquely colorful and beautiful addition to your home.
