Create a Winter Retreat With Tartan Bedding

So, apparently landscaping the front yard wasn’t a big enough project to take on this fall. Somehow I’ve also embarked on a little makeover in the master bedroom.

Here’s how my bedroom has looked for the last 10 years. I still love this bedding but I’ve always dreamed of having both a “winter” look and a “summer” look for my bedroom. These colors are great for spring and summer but they have always seemed out-of-place during the winter months.

Moire Plaid Bed Skirt and matelasse

 

Before I could really get going on creating a winter look, I had another little issue that needed to be dealt with first…it was time for a new mattress. I need to share a little back story first though, which will help the rest of this post make sense.

Years ago when I fell in love with this bedding, I knew the day I purchased it I would need to have a custom bedskirt made. Ready-made bedding always comes with a standard size dust ruffle and the drop for my bed is around 24-25 inches. I didn’t really mind that it would need a custom bedskirt because that’s one of my favorite sneaky decorating tips….use something ready-made then make it special by adding a custom touch, in this case, the bedskirt. I also loved that the longer bedskirt would make the moiré fabric that much more of a focal point.

This post was a lot longer but I just deleted a big chunk of it to save you a long story. In a nutshell, when I had my bedskirt made, I used a professional seamstress recommended by the fabric store where I purchased the fabric. Besides taking weeks longer than promised, she made the bedskirt the wrong length despite coming to my home and taking measurements.

I had shown her a picture of a bed in a magazine where the bedskirt sloped outward from the bed so she had a picture to guide her. The bedskirt she made didn’t even come close to touching the floor, much less slope outward. I don’t know how she did it but somehow she managed to fix it. It never did quite slope out as much as the one in the picture, but it was close enough.

If you guys ever want to hear the whole bedskirt debacle story, let me know and I’ll share it. I learned a good lesson from it so it may be worth sharing some day. I hate to sound negative on zay blog, but sometimes things go wrong, ya know?

Years later when I had hardwood flooring installed in this room, it wasn’t quite as tall as the carpet had been so it was even harder to get the bedskirt to slope out from the bed, but it still did somewhat as shown below.

4 Poster Bed with Slightly shorter mattress and boxsprings

 

Fast forward to today and I’m itching for a fall/winter look for the bedroom. First things first, though…I needed a new mattress. My current mattress is at least 15 years old (gasp) and had started to kind of slope toward the center. It wasn’t horrible but enough that I knew I needed to deal with that first.

Today, I was puzzling over how I hate shopping for a mattress. I think most of us probably dread having to buy a new mattress. For one thing, they can be expensive and truthfully, they are not a whole lot of fun. You can’t drive a mattress, you can’t watch a movie on it or play music on it, you can’t go dining or dancing in it and no one ever sees it. Yet, it may be one of the most important purchases we ever make considering we spend 1/3 of each day in close contact with it. Plus, it can fully make or break how the other 16 hours of our day turns out.

After doing a bit of research, I came across a mattress online at Macy’s that is on sale and has rave reviews. Have you shopped for mattresses lately? I have not but this turned out to be one of the easiest things I’ve ever had to buy. I was pretty sure which one I wanted but I made a trip over to Macy’s to check them all out.

After trying the ones I had chosen online, the one I thought I’d want turned out to be the one I did want. It’s a “Beautyrest” and if from the Vanderbilt Collection. I don’t like a soft mattress so that ruled out the pillow-top versions. I went with what’s called a “tight-top” in the “firm” (not plush) style. Tonight will be my first night sleeping on it so the jury is still out. If  you want to know how it sleeps, I’ll report back in a couple of days. I’ll link to it at the end of this post, as well.

This morning I stripped everything off the old mattress in preparation for the delivery. I also stuck a piece of masking tape on the headboard marking the current height of the mattress. I wanted a clear way of seeing how much higher the new mattress set was once it was in place.

Bed with older mattress

 

In this picture below, the new box spring and mattress are in place and as you can see, the masking tape I had placed on the headboard is now hidden behind the new mattress. If you scroll back and forth between the picture above and the one below, you can see how much higher the new mattress/boxspring set is based on how high it comes up on the headboard.

Bed with new mattress

 

Also, notice how the bedskirt is now completely off the floor. I hadn’t tucked the end of the bedskirt behind the footboard yet when I took the picture below. I can tuck the bedskirt behind the footboard but I can’t tuck the sides of the bedskirt behind the side rails due to the slats getting in the way. I like how the fabric looks over those anyway so it works out okay.

Before I purchased the new set, I measured and compared the height of my old boxspring with the listed height of the new boxspring and the height of the old mattress with the listed height of the new one. Here’s what I knew would happen: the dust ruffle would now fall straight and just touch the floor AND the bed was going to be about 3 inches taller overall than it had been. I could live with that.

Bed with new mattress

 

There are so many variables when buying a new mattress/boxspring. The boxspring for the set I was looking at came in two different heights: standard which is 9 inches and low-profile which is 5 inches. My old boxspring was 8 inches in height so I went with the 9 inch boxspring.

I knew that extra inch would raise the bedskirt up an inch but that was okay because if I hated how it looked, my bed’s side rails are adjustable to a lower setting. The bed was designed with two different height settings. I have always had the side rails in the slightly higher slots. For now, I’m leaving them in the higher position since I kind of like the bedskirt just hanging down for now…it’s a nice change.

The new mattress is around 2 inches taller than my old mattress…so overall my bed grew about 3 inches in height.

New Mattress

 

So here’s how the bed looks now.

Tall Bed with Steps

 

Here’s the view from the other side. I asked the guys who delivered the bed if I was the only crazy person who liked a bed being way up high. They said, “Oh no…we see lots of high beds, some much higher.” One of the delivery guys said they have seen them as high as “up to here”…holding his hand up around breast level. He said folks even have to use stairs to get in them. (Cough, cough.) My steps were tucked out-of-the-way in the dressing room at the time. 😉 I don’t actually need the steps, but I do love how they look!

4 Poster Bed with Plaid Moire Bedskirt

 

Now that the bones are in place, it’s time for the fun part. My inspiration for my new winter look comes from Mr. Lauren. I’ve always loved his tartan bedding. Unfortunately, this is an older picture or I’d be trying to track down that red duvet!

Ralph Lauren Tartan

 

So here’s the trouble I’ve been stirring up so far: I’ve found a couple of tartan sets that I like online. I ordered two last week to try, with plans to return the one I don’t like. I had a $111.00 gift certificate that I was able to apply toward the bedding below and shipping was free, so that helped a lot. What prompted me to order it wasn’t the picture below; in fact I’m afraid the tartan design may be a bit bigger in scale than I want.

Tartan Duvet and Shams

 

It was when I realized three stockings I bought on clearance in Williams-Sonoma last year are the exact same fabric as the bedding! I love the way those stockings look and feel! They are 55% linen and 45% cotton. I really don’t like polyester bedding so once I realized this bedding was the same fabric as the stockings, I knew I had to see it on my bed.

If I stay with this option, I will have to come up with a fabric for the bedskirt, purchase the fabric and have the bedskirt made, so I have to really LOVE this bedding to do all that. We’ll see how I feel once it arrives.

Tartan Christmas Stocking

 

Here’s a big ol swatch of the fabric from the WS Home website. If you’ve been reading BNOTP for very long, you know I love red and green together. One look at my living room and dining room and there’s no denying it.

Tartan Bedding

 

The other bedding I’ve ordered is this one. It was a lot less than the WS bedding. It’s made of 100% cotton flannel…Yay, no polyesters had to die to create this bedding!

So, here’s what I did. I ordered the duvet cover and the shams in the flannel bedding below. AND, I ordered a sheet set in California King size (even though I have a Queen size bed) because based on the measurements, there should be enough fabric to have a bedskirt made for my bed from the sheets.

I also ordered a Queen set of the sheets but I may not open/keep those since I don’t think I want the sheets to be the same pattern. If I just keep the shams, duvet and king size sheet set (which will ultimately be the bedskirt) I will only be spending $143 (before tax) for everything! Then, I’ll just have the labor cost of having the bedskirt made. I know I could make one but I’m going to turn it over to a professional, if I do keep this bedding.

The Williams-Sonoma set is a good bit more so I’ll have to absolutely be ga-ga over it, to keep it. Whatever I go with, I’ll be using it from October through March of every year…so for about 6 months of each year. That will definitely soften the blow of seeing summer come to an end each year…knowing it’s time to bring on the tartan!

Plaid Tartan Bedding

 

Here’s a link to the mattress I purchased from Macy’s. I went with the Tight-top/firm set, not the pillow top and/or plush sets. The Pillowtop Plush seems to be the most popular…I don’t like a soft mattress so I didn’t go with that one. The one I chose had four, 5-star reviews so that sounded pretty promising. Plus, they let you return/exchange within 30 days so that’s good.

Once the bedding(s) arrives, I’ll let you know which one I’m going with or if I return them both! Keeping my fingers crossed that one will give the room the look and feel I want for fall and winter.

Update: You’ll find the finished bedding in this post: Master Bedroom With Tartan Bedding

Love tartan fabric and decorating with tartan? Check out Julio’s gorgeous living room for lots of wonderful ideas for decorating with tartan fabrics: Decorating With Tartan Fabrics

Decorating in Tartan, Tartan Drapes

 

Tartan or plaid ribbon is great for Christmas gift wrapping. I lucked out and found some for a bargain one year…read more about that in this post: Plaid Ribbon For Christmas Gift Wrapping

Wrapping Present with Craft Paper and Bright Ribbon

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Comments

  1. I love both of the tartans you picked. Don’t know if it’s the Catholic upbringing and plaid uniforms or what, but I love tartans. Blue/green/black is probably my fave. When I was working, both short and long tartan kilts and wrap skirts were staples in my career wardrobe. Still have them, thinking I’ll craft out of them (like Christmas tree skirts or something), but doubt I ever will, lol. Can’t wait to see which combo you settle into.

  2. I love them both, have a very high bed myself and would love to hear the entire saga of the bed-skirt, and everything else!

    I have an old December issue of Victoria magazine that has a lovely bedroom with buffalo check plaid accents. Part of my Christmas ritual is getting it out every year and looking at it again!

    • Tammy, I would love to see that issue. Can you tell me the year? Sometimes I can find old issues on eBay so maybe I can find it there, but having the month/year helps a lot. Will have to share that story…it was a real mess. LOL Funny now…not so funny then! 🙂

    • Jill Nordin says

      I love the tartan as well! However, this reply was really for Tammy. I am sort of being ‘funny’ and sort of not. Tammy how do you get your “Mr.” if you have one to NOT throw away your magazines. I get really irritated. I hide my Country Sampler and some others that I could look at and re-read again and again. (We’ve been married 40 years, so you will probably say “It is too late for training now!” lol
      I love Victoria magazine too!!

  3. I love tartan too, Susan and the ones you,ve chosen are both beautiful. Kim, from Savvy Southern Style just got a new bed and has a post up about it today. Anxious to see what you choose for the bedding!

  4. Love the tartans! We got a new mattress this year and went with a temperpedic type mattress. I have to admit it was quite expensive but I have bad arthritis and was not sleeping much at all. The new mattress has truly helped me be able to sleep through the night since we got it.

    I have thought about seasonal bedding too. What I’ve done is gotten a white mattelasse comforter that I use in the summer and a blue and white duvet cover that I used at the foot of the bed. In the winter I use the blue and white duvet and I think I will look for a tartan with reds and blues in it for the foot of the bed and some shams and use red in the pillows.

    Have you ever thought about not having a bedskirt? When we replaced our flooring with all hardwood a few years ago, I gave up the bedskirts (and rugs) and love the look now. My previous skirts just seemed to be dust magnets (but then again I just hate to dust so maybe that is why). 🙂

    • I though about it but I do love the look of a bedskirt. Also as high up as my bed is, I think it would look a little odd without one. Also, I love using that space for extra storage…it holds a lot! I don’t think I could do that without a bedskirt. Carol, I love your idea for a winter look! That sounds perfect!

      • And I meant to tell you that I found the deer salad plates from Walmart today for my mother so they are out for sale here just south of Birmingham if anyone is looking for them.

        I do love the look of a bedskirt too, especially on your bed. I have just been going through a period of trying to eliminate some of the things in the house that cause my asthma to flair up and decided that things that hold onto dust had to go. But I didn’t eliminate any dishes! I can’t wait to see your new bedding on display and I hope the new mattress works for you.

        • Yay! I need to go see if the owl ones are in my Wally World…I want some of those to go with the other pattern I bought last year. I hope that helps your asthma, Carol. That’s one reason I got rid of so much carpet, my son suffered with asthma. I think his was caused more from being around cats, but he loves cats. He just adopted two more recently. That boy! He takes after his mom in his love for cats. lol

    • Regality (aka The Quing) says

      We bought a Tempur-pedic about 3 years ago and it has been miraculous for my tetchy back. No more morning pain!

  5. Your bed will be so cozy and welcoming! So many items are prompting a response…I am a seamstress and am so sympathetic about the length issues. I’m glad you were able to salvage the project. Tartan has always been a favorite of mine, and I have had the fabric put away for a bed set waiting for the time to get sewing for myself. You have inspired me to get this done for this year, thank you! I also just got a new mattress and box spring and my bed is “up to here”. I am 5’1″, though, and can just barely hoist myself up. I do have steps, but am unwilling to throw in the towel. Thank you for the inspiration!

    • Linda, you made me smile about not throwing in the towel. That is too cute and I love it! We will not be defeated…us shortys have to stick together! 🙂 I’m a little taller at 5’4″. With those extra three inches I just added to my bed, I may have to get a running start to get in it tonight. lol
      Don’t you absolutely love a high bed, though! I just love them so much! I would like mine even more if I could add a canopy and bed drapes all around…Mario Buatta style! I can’t really do that due to the chandelier and the way the ceiling is in my bedroom but I do love that look.

  6. I love the red/green tartan, but for some reason I thought you were going blue and white.

  7. Bonnie Schulte says

    Oh, be still my heart!!! When I saw the first photo,Williams-Sonoma Home, I fell hard and fast…It just looks so elegant and rich. Love, Love it!!! I, more likely than not, will buy what I really like, because I will be unhappy with the one I don’t like as much, and then will end up buying my favorite choice, which didn’t save me money in the long run. But then again, I have no idea what the Williams-Sonoma cost, so don’t know if I could afford it, anyway. but again, it is beautiful!

    • Bonnie, it isn’t as bad as say Horchow. The Queen duvet is $299. I bet it will go on sale. I asked if they have do a credit adjustment if it goes on sale…they said yes, if it’s within the first 30 days. So I’ll be watching it like a hawk for the next 30 days. lol I totally agree with you…I’m the exact same way. I’d rather pay more if I truly love it, because I know I’ll love it for a very long time. I was pretty crazy about the Ralph Lauren bedding set…too bad that isn’t still being made. I like the scale of the plaid on the duvet. Amazing how he can mix all those tartans/plaids and it works!

  8. I bought a mattress 1 1/2 yrs ago and have hated it. Ended up putting two pillows on my side under the sheet & have FINALLY managed to get some decent sleep. But what a nightmare it’s been. I did return the first one I got but couldn’t return the second one. Sure hope you like yours!

    • Charlotte, I do too. Nothing worse than a bad night’s sleep. The one I purchased has a 20 year warranty but I’ll be happy if it lasts 10.

  9. Regality (aka The Quing) says

    Personally, I love the W-S plaid–just the right happy warmness. When we purchased our Tempur-pedic about 3 years ago, the box spring turned out to be shorter than our previous one, though the mattress itself was taller. This meant that the bed skirt now hits the floor and I’m constantly stepping on it, which then pulls it down and away from the bed. Isn’t this a problem for you with the outward slope? If not, how do you avoid it?

    • Thanks for letting me know because I’m really having a tough time choosing. I love blackwatch tartans, too…so many tartan, I love them all! I would love to mix them on a bed like Ralph Lauren has but that has to be tricky!
      I never had any trouble stepping on it…not sure why but that was never really an issue. Hey Quing…they have those corkscrew looking pins that you can buy to keep “stuff” in place. I wonder if you could use those to hold it in place. Not sure if it’s safe to use them on a Tempur-pedic, though. Here’s some at Bed, Bath & Beyond: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/bed-skirt-pins-set-of-12/1010995680 They have them on Amazon, too.

      • Regality (aka The Quing) says

        Glad that’s not a problem for you.

        I’ve tried those pins, but they just pull out when I step on the bed skirt. Hmmmm…I wonder if I could hot glue it in place? *L*

        • Or, can you hand sew it to the top of it? Or, maybe you could use that fabric glue, Fabri-tac, that dries almost immediately and is super strong. You can see it in this post where I crafted a banner: https://betweennapsontheporch.net/make-a-patriotic-party-banner-pottery-barn-inspired/

          • Regality (aka The Quing) says

            I did try sewing it to the box springs, but it was such an awkward angle for my old shoulders that I gave up. But that glue sounds like something to try. Thanks.

            I know that the best solution would simply be to buy a new skirt of the proper length, but that would entail lifting the top mattress to put the skirt in place and the Tempur-pedic is probably twice as heavy as a regular mattress and mine is a Cal King, which makes it even heavier. It took two giant strongmen to install it and I don’t have any such handy.

  10. Love both tartans; think it will be a hard call but also think once you try
    them on new mattress you will easily decide.
    Regarding buying a new mattress? What an exercise in frustration, at least for me. I have put off buying a new one ( mine is older than yours) because I have been waiting for the mattress industry to bring back a “flappable” mattress. It certainly increases the longevity and looks. I would flip mine
    at least every six weeks. No can do with today’s models. You can rotate but not flip and it is NOT the same results. Boohoo! Became desperate and finally purchased a Sterns-Foster firm expensive model which also raised
    the height of my bed about 3 inches. I love the height ( easy on back when
    making bed up) and mattress comfy but know I could increase its life if only I could routinely flip it over. Shame on the mattress industry! If you
    hear of a flippable mattress please! shout it from your rooftop!

    • Alyce, I didn’t even think to ask about that, but I bet this one isn’t flippable. My old one was…guess that’s why it lasted as long as it did.
      Another reader left a comment on this post saying that she bought a Shifman because they can be flipped…so you may want to look for that brand.

  11. Hi Susan! Tartan plaid is my all time favorite and I am lusting after everything you have shown us … I have a navy/dark green plaid duvet cover now and would love to layer a few more plaids. Thanks for sharing .. we are having great Fall weather in Bend!

  12. Susan, I can’t wait to see your finished bedroom. I have always wanted to have winter/holiday bedding.

    As to mattresses, I think they are one of the hardest items to buy. It seems ridiculous to think that a few minutes of a test rest in a store is enough to make a decision. Another reader asked about a mattress that can be flipped. I don’t know if they still make them, but we have purchased two Shiffman mattresses that can be flipped. They are expensive, and quite heavy, but we like ours very much and flip ours a couple times a year.

    And, one last note. Trips to two Walmarts have yielded no sight of the Better Homes and Gardens holiday dishes. Last year I searched for weeks to get the plates with the tree and the bunny. Looking forward to hopefully finding the new owl plates. Thanks to everyone for updates. MM

    • MM, don’t give up hope! Every single day I’m hearing from another person who just found them. I think it’s still early and that’s why they aren’t out everywhere. One reader in AL just found some today in her Walmart. I don’t know why they don’t all get them in at the same time. I agree about the mattresses. One thing I liked about Macy’s was if I don’t like it, I can return it in the first thirty days so that’s long enough to see how I feel about it. I can sleep on anything though. And when I fall asleep, I’m out for 7-8 hours…no waking up in the middle of the night. You know, I wonder if I can flip mine…I never asked that question. I could flip my old one, but even that didn’t help after a while.

  13. I can’t wait to see what you end up with! I have the exact same set you have now. It’s called ” Summerton Bedding” and coincidentally have the same lamps! But my lamps are in the living room. I bought all of this before seeing your room. Crazy! My furniture is similar…Crescent Cherry. You may inspire me to go with something for the winter! Can’t wait!

    • Lauren, that’s so neat we have the same bedding and the same lamps. I still love those lamps…don’t you? I can’t remember where I bought them, now I’ve had them so long. Stay tuned…I’m on a mission now! 🙂

  14. Hi Susan, I hear you about the whole mattress-buying thing. 🙂 We bought a new mattress and springs about five years ago, and I did have to get some steps to get into the bed afterwards. Like you though, I don’t mind because they are pretty to look at.

    I do love your tartan plaid beddings; I look forward to seeing which one you choose to keep. I have been “mad for plaid” for several years now. 🙂 I just ordered a tartan plaid blanket or car rug in the Buchanan plaid for our den chair. It’s coming straight from Scotland, so I hope I get it sometime this year (kind of joking — kind of serious) You’ll definitely enjoy winter more with pretty new tartan plaid bed linens!

    Have a great week!

    Hugs,

    Denise

  15. Susan, your current bedroom is beautiful, but I’ve always loved the thought of cozy, winter bedding for a change. We bought a new mattress set this summer, and it’s so high I have to use the side rails as a step to get into the bed! Of course, my dustruffle was way too short, so I took it apart. I cut the ruffle from the white sheeting, leaving about an inch all the way around. I attached adhesive velcro to the inside of the rails, and to the inch of sheeting. It was always a little short for my taste anyway, so I was able to adjust the length to land exactly where I wanted it. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to do this to something custom like yours, but for less expensive bedding it works! Also, I added netting in the same way under my daughter’s bedskirt to make it poof out more, like a petticoat. I can’t wait to see your new, wintery bedroom!

    • Michelle, that was brilliant! Man, I wish I thought about the netting idea when I was trying to poof mine out more. One thing I didn’t mention in the post was a decorator friend I met online via blogging told me the seamstress should have used some kind of interlining (or whatever it’s called) to make the bedskirt stand out the way I wanted. So the netting you used was a brilliant solution, as was the velcro! Great ideas!

  16. I love tartan and checks and red and green! I don’t have any right now but am working to change that! We left our slip covered plaid tartan chairs in China when we moved back. I loved that material!

  17. I also love tartan. The new Pottery Barn catalogue has some sheet sets that would be so nice to have. I am ready to chuck some of our “decor” for plaids and tartan in the reds and green I so love!

  18. Love all the plaids and tartans. The last one with the white blanket thrown over the end of the bed is my favorite. I have a tablecloth in that plaid and love it!! PB catalog has a great red tartan and a red paisley that I am considering for winter……..can’t wait to see your new room…..

    • They do! Doesn’t it seem like there’s more tartan out there this year than ever. Maybe that’s what has me all fired up this year to finally get this done after thinking about it for so long. Thanks, Cleo!

  19. Susan I know you didn’t ask for opinions but I think the vibrant red plaid is much better the other one is way to masculine looking and if you don’t use the stockings you can always get a dark green for pillows on the bed. Either way I know you will make them look fabulous.Susie

    • You could be right Susie, I might have to work a bit harder to make it feel less masculine if I get that one. Wish they would all arrive so I can see what’s going to work. Per Amazon, they haven’t even shipped the flannel bedding though I ordered it about 5-6 days ago. Grrr

  20. I’ve never understood the advice to ‘try the mattress in the shop’. How on earth can you compare 5 self-conscious minutes in a shop to a whole night? Mattresses are a gamble as (in the UK at least) the shop won’t accept returns once the wrapper’s off.
    I love tartan and I love how your bed looks. I have a high bed, but it did make me laugh to see your step ladders!

    • lol That is so true, Andi! I had the best salesperson…an older gentleman who politely walked away when I tried it out. I jokingly asked him if I could take a nap for a couple of hours, just to make sure it was the one for me. lol He said, “Sure!” ha, ha. I would have felt very uncomfortable buying it based on that 30 second (if that long) try I gave it but the 30 day return saves me. It slept well last night, so I think it’s a keeper.
      Ha! I had to use those steps last night! Normally, I just hop up but those extra three inches do make it a challenge! 🙂

    • Oh, and meant to say…that’s awful they won’t let you return it doesn’t work out. I would seriously be taking a nap on that mattress in the store before buying it…what a gamble!

  21. Nan, Odessa, DE says

    Bedskirt cheap trick – buy the length of fabric you need in 45-54″ to go around your 3 sides of the bed, hem one edge and tuck this fabric between your box and mattress. Never moves, easy to clean and adjust and you can have many!

    Thanks for sharing the tartans! I have been looking for the fabric to make napkins since I can’t find them ready made to purchase. Sheets will work.

    Looking forward to seeing your finished room.

    • Oh my gosh…love that! I guess if the fabric is long enough, you can really tuck it under there well so it won’t move…genius idea, Nan!

      • Nan, Odessa, DE says

        You could gather, or just finger pleat.
        I have a tan drop cloth from Lowe’s as a bed skirt going on currently.
        STOP wasting your money, the ideas are endless!

  22. Mary johnston says

    Susan, would love to hear the whole story of the bed skirt ordeal! These are my favorite posts that you do. Love a tall bed, have one, need a new mattress–will check out your links to Macy’s. Love bed skirts, don’t have one on my bed because of dogs. Love, love, love tartan , plaid and buffalo check and my favorite color of all time is red. Love to change my bed out for winter and I have a christmas bedding bed. Cannot wait to see how your new bedding looks!
    Will look forward to the “rest of the story!”
    Have enjoyed all your posts about updating your landscaping.
    MaryJ

  23. I love that RL room! Of course, I love all things Ralph!:-) I’ve been toying with the idea of a Tartan room. Perhaps in one of the guest rooms. It would be great for the room with the dark cherry furniture/sleigh bed. Something to think about.

    I like your plan, can’t wait to see your “new” room!

  24. Awww Susan,
    both of those tartans are gorgeous and I love both of them but I think if I were you, I’d have a touch of hesitation in choosing that W-S set… there’s no doubt, it is beautiful and for my taste perfect for Christmas, but since you said you’ll be using it from October through March, aren’t you afraid, its color saturation would make your bedroom look also “Christmas-ish”, before and after Christmas? The second one looks (more) suitable throughout the whole year, if you like… and because of its brighter colors (much more white and even pink stripes ♥) 🙂 it would be also perfect for your Easter decoration 😉
    O gosh, I am thinking pretty long-term, am I not? LOL
    Ha, Susan, I love everything you do and choose anyway, so what? 🙂
    ~Hugs to you~
    Cecilia

  25. LOVE both your choices Susan, so will be curious which one you will settle on.

    Regarding the bed skirt as I often end up making my own, I found adding a sufficient tuck-in border (about 12″ to 14″) and securing it with Upholstery T-Pins (not cork screws) works marvellously well not only for securing it but for the options of maintenance and adjustment in length. -Brenda-
    P.S: From my personal experience, the use of ‘cork screw’ pins upon removal can damage some fabrics, whereas the T-pins do not.

  26. Always enjoy your post, you’re the best! What ever you decided to use in the bedroom I know will look great. However I will have to say I like the first one you showed us because I LOVE the color red. Like you, I use a lot of red in my home. Looking forward to seeing the one you decide to use.

  27. Oh seeing that picture of the tartan set with the horse picture over the bed reminds me of a similar set I had years ago and now I want it back. LOL

    You will love it I’m sure for your bedroom , we want pictures of course when you get your bed all dressed up

  28. Susan, I love the Williams Sonoma set. The color is so vibrant! I think whatever you choose, you will make beautiful so I can’t wait to see the results. Of course my husband thinks I always choose the most expensive items. After my first knee replacement and just before my second we decided to buy a new king size bed. The day it and our new mattress arrived my best friend, Susan and I stood at my bedroom door way and laughed. It was so tall! You can probably imagine the spectacle that I was each night getting into bed with two replaced knees!

  29. I love tartan. I have an older red tartan comforter and shams from Ralph Lauren that I bought by piece from eBay. I put them on the bed in November and leave them through March.

    I hate buying mattresses, too. My mattress is 25 years old…gasp. However, I added a memory foam topper to it which totally revitalized it. With the topper and the raised bed frame, I use a small step stool to give my short legs the needed boost to get into bed.

    I can’t wait to see your final choice!

  30. Susan, Sorry if I am repeating advise from previous contents. I just saw your post and quickly am throwing in my 2 cents worth. Get the WS – you sound as if you really love the red tartan and you love the fabric. I love my flannel sheets and try to buy heavier weights that are well made but they do pill over time. You don’t want to have to replace the bedding in a couple of years because they start to look shabby. My dream is a rich dark green velvet duvet cover – I haven’t gotten as far as dreaming the rest of the bed.

  31. Oh Susan … you must make a trip to Dillards. They have a lot of Tartan right now or I should say my Dillards in Greensboro does, can’t wait to see what you come up with!

  32. Seems like we are all doing the mattress wars. We just went through it, too.

    I am going to send you an email later (I am about to have breakfast) about how to insure that your bedskirt is never too short.

    Ellen

  33. Every year I pray for a visit from the Tartan Fairy to come and grace our home from head to toe with the pattern! I love it so much! It completely evokes that feeling of Christmas for me!!! This is a terrific post…and I LOVE your bedskirt!!!

  34. Susan, I love your taste and the idea of the winter bedroom is one I just might steal! I did find a Ralph Lauren green and red plaid fabric that you can purchase and have a duvet made from it. It is from Ralph Lauren Apartment No. One collection. It is listed under fabrics on his site. I think you could make a duvet… they are very easy and you can just hire out the button holes (much more affordable).

    Oh yes, put me in the group who wants to hear the story of bedskirt.

  35. Oooh, I do love me some Ralphie! Seriously, that man! Everything he designs, me likee! I’m crazy about his plaid~~that would be the one I’d choose. I don’t much care for that other one, just my opinion. I’ve still got a denim comforter from RL, it weighs a ton! I use it on my front porch bench with some seasonal accents. Yeah. Heehee! That way it airs out.

  36. I hope you love your new mattress tonight! We just bought new ones for our king-sized bed. My husband likes a firm mattress and I like it soft, so we decided to get our own XL twin mattresses and put them on the king frame. It has worked out quite well. We still use our king sheets and it was much less expensive than what we were finding when looking at traditional mattresses.

    I have to say that I love Christmas plaid, too! …and cats!

  37. A good bed skirt makes the room, it just stands out if it’s wrong! OK, I love Ralph Lauren, and every time I watch the Santa Clause, I pause and check out the bedroom in the Santa Castle in the North Pole. I loooovvvee that! It’s so warm and comforting!

  38. I have a summer bedspread and a few years ago bought a deep red floral bedspread at Kohl’s which I put out from November through Valentine’s Day. I love how it cozies up the bedroom for the winter months. I believe both the summer and winter spreads are the Chaps brand.
    For 15 years we had a mattress set made by Jamison Bedding. It was flippable and firm. When we moved into our new home 4 years ago, we gave our old mattress to our son, and bought a new Jamison mattress set. This one however, even though it is only 4 years old, has not held up as well. It is already sagging in the middle. I will need to check and see what kind of warranty they offer, as we never had a problem with our first set, we were delighted to buy another one from the same company.

  39. Susan, I am sure your bed will look stunning, whichever you choose.
    When we first ordered the present bed, I could not get into it, only being 5.1″, so I had to order a lower box spring.
    I was trying the original one out when my friend arrived and she burst out laughing, saying I looked like the Princess and the pea, sitting in the middle.
    I changed it to the lower base, as I had to take a running jump to get in.

  40. i love your new bedroom idea! i’ve been having a tartan crush myself. i just blogged about it. {http://maryjomaterazo.typepad.com/its_all_good/2014/11/tartan-plaid-fascination.html}
    good luck with the bedroom. can’t wait to see it all done. mj

  41. Count me in your tartan-plaid corner!! And, the “mile-high” bed…we added an “extender to our bed to “hike it up” and I “almost” have to jump into bed…I HAVE to sleep up high (so the monster underneath can’t get me…) Since our cabin is “golden oak” I did all my plaids to coordinate with those shades and do a summer (florals and plaids) and winter (flannel plaids and floral quilt.) LOOKING FORWARD to your choice selection!! Luck! franki

  42. Oh Susan….the room is going to look fabulous in whatever pattern you go with…I so love the RL look…always so classic, warm and inviting…Just love your bedroom!

  43. bobbi duncan says

    Love, love, love tartan plaid! After I return from visiting with my adorable , going on one this Sunday Grandson, Dylan, I need to go into Philadelphia to scan the fabric district for plaids for two rooms. I wanted red and green in the familyroom/dining area but our kitchen cabinets are more of a nutmeg/cinnamon color which kind of clashes, so I’ll probably have to go with a deep green and blue instead for those areas. It has been hard finding plaids in the last five years so I’m hoping that is not the case now. I love your new higher mattress look, and your spring/summer bedding is beautiful as well. BTW, the whimsical compound I mentioned is named Doe Run Farm and was owned by Sir John and Lady Thouron when I came upon it. It is now owned by Dick Hayne, founder of Urban Outfitters. Sadly (I think) he has completely removed any trace of the old world charm, except for the brick and stone portions of the 14 buildings, and has turned it into a very modern looking artisan cheese making and local produce farm. I read that many of the locals are not pleased with this new version of Doe Run Farm…but it stated that their cheeses and such are fabulous so I’ll have to check it out. The facility encompasses 700 acres. In addition, Hayne also purchased the adjoining 57 acre estate of infamous Ponzi scheme operator, Tony Young, who admitted to bilking a group of local investors, many from the local horse community, out of $23 million! Interesting story all in all. Wish I had my camera the day I found the farm because I can’t find any online from the days of the Thourons, but will post them to you if I ever do.

  44. Love love love the red tartan. I would love to know how the bed works out. We have needed a new mattress and have been agonizing over the process. I see that the Macy’s sale ends on the 19th. Your choice looks like it may be the answer for us. I’ll be anxious to know how you like it.

    • Barbara, so far I like it…it slept great last night. Email or leave a comment in a couple of days and by then I will have slept on it several nights and can give you a better indication. But I slept awesome last night! Very pleased, so far. 🙂

  45. I love tartan too….But…..if it were my room, I would keep the bedskirt for the “winter” look, and search for a large scale paisley in deeper colors to go with, and for the “summer” look, I would remove the bedskirt altogether and keep your other bedding.

  46. Susan, I love the plaid Lauren look. I am thinking that you will probably like the Williams-Sonoma set better, just because that is how it usually happens…..the more expensive one wins. I have a very high bed too, and the other night I woke my husband when I “launched” myself into the bed, and somehow missed and crashed into the night table. All because I had pulled a muscle in my leg, and was trying not to use it! We both had a good laugh about it.

    • lol, Dotti that is so true, seems like the expensive option is always the one that wins. I love the feel of WS tartan fabric. If you didn’t know better, you would think it had some wool in it. I googled to see what exactly linen is and it comes from the Flax plant…same place flax seed comes from. And linen is made from the stalk of the plant. I had no idea!
      Oh my gosh, that is too funny about your crash landing. I’ve wonked my knee on the side table more than once when climbing into bed when the light was already off. I sympathize with your leg. I have a hurt toe right now and it makes it tricky to climb into bed. I think I’m going to start actually using my steps, at least until my toe is better. Isn’t it great that we can laugh at ourselves! 🙂

  47. Linda S. in NE says

    Just yesterday I was catching up on another blog I read. The woman was raving about the new plaid, tartan, and buffalo check styles showcased at Target and/or Target online. I remember the first picture of her post had plaid shoes for her daughter and/or her, and a buffalo check jacket for their new puppy, a miniature Schnauzer. I don’t know that you would want this selection as your ten-year bedding choice, but you might find just the right accessory from their collection. I have always loved these patterns, and agree that RL can do no wrong. I can’t wait to see what you choose.

  48. Hi Susan,

    When I was working in decorating, all my cohorts used to tease me about my love of plaid and, when possible, I used to work one into every decorating scheme. I happened to check out the PB website and they have a Blake plaid which IS large, but on the plus side has a bit of mustard (or camel – couldn’t tell which) which would pick up the color of the walls and would run about $250 for the duvet and shams. The one from WS doesn’t seem to have the mustard. I also checked out ebay and Macy’s and Ralph Lauren (Macy’s) has a wonderful navy, blue (with a bit of mustard) plaid duvet which may or may not work for the look you’re going for. It may be too dark or you might think it too masculine.

    Another thought would be to purchase plaid fabric from Calico Corners or your local fabric store and have it all custom made. CC carries Ralph Lauren fabrics and sometimes have sales.

    I would also do what Linda S. suggested and check out Target. You never know what gems you may find.

    Just some thoughts. Anxious to know how you fared.

    Blessings,
    Trish

    • Thanks Trish…I’ll check out PB’s plaids…I need about 15 bedrooms to do all have all the tartans I’ve seen out there and love. lol Now I know why Ralph Lauren did his bed with so many tartans…he could make up his mind, either. 🙂
      I stopped by CC today to see if they had the red tartan plaid fabric that like the Williams Sonoma tartan…they did not. They have some beautiful fabrics in there, though…I saw so many that I liked. It wouldn’t do for me to work in a fabric store, I would stay in a state of angst wanting to constantly redo the rooms in my home with every great fabric that came in!

  49. What an ordeal!!! No wonder you end up with such gorgeous rooms 🙂 BTW, I have not liked our pillow top mattress which ends up with indentations where we sleep. I miss being able to flip it over, too.

    • lol I didn’t mean to make it sound like an ordeal but reading back through the post, it does kind of sound like it. Ha! Mattress sets are just such big expenditures so just trying to get it right the first time. I wish this one was flipable but alas, it’s not. 🙁 I think the mattress companies are all in cahoots to make them that way so we have to buy them more often. Seems like everything is being more cheaply made these days and probably for that reason. Thanks for sharing that about the pillowtop…I never thought about that. I love this mattress so far…it is definitely firm but I sleep so well on it!

  50. Thinking of ordering the mattress. How do you like it after several nights?

  51. Hi there! I know this is a very old post, but I just came across it and I am in LOVE with the second bedding set – the one with the gray walls, dark brown headboard, and winter white/red/green plaid. I read and re-read your post, but I don’t see any indication as to the brand of this set. Do you happen to know? It is so lovely and is exactly what I want for my bedroom. Thank you!

    • Hi Bethany,
      You’re talking about the bedding in the photo of the plaid bedding with the small white lamp on the beside table and a white throw across the foot of the bed, right? I found that bedding on Amazon back when that post was written in November 2014. I did have a link in the post to the bedding, but the link quick working when the bedding was no longer available. If you use Chrome as your browser, you can do a “search google for this image” search. I just did that and it’s not showing available anywhere right now. You may be able to find it again in the fall when flannel bedding is more available. I think that pattern may be a “Stewart Tartan” so you may want to Google for Stewart Tartan Bedding or something like that. Williams-Sonoma used to carry bedding in that pattern, too…I think. I hope you’re able to find it. I think you’ll have better luck in the fall when flannel bedding is more readily available again.

      • Thank you so much for your quick reply! Yes, that was the photo I was referencing. I’ll definitely keep an eye out in the fall. I think it’s the Dress Stewart tartan plaid.

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