They say that every style comes full circle, and skirted furniture is once again having its day in the sun. Skirted furniture is making a stylish comeback, adding a touch of softness and sophistication to interior spaces. This elegant detail was once thought to be a relic of outdated design styles, but it is now resurfacing as an alternative to exposed legs.
The modern iterations have diverse styles, from flowing lines to a slim tailored look, which allows anyone to incorporate skirting into a variety of design styles. As home trends continue to embrace comfort, warmth, and laid-back style, skirted pieces are proving their value in modern spaces.
Why Skirted Furniture is Back
Over the last decade, interior design trends have quietly shifted in favor of incorporating more comfort and personality into the home. While some people still prefer sleek, minimal spaces, the current trend toward individuality and maximalism cannot be ignored.
In contrast to the minimal, leggy silhouettes that have dominated furniture styles in recent years, skirted furniture adds a welcoming element that aligns with the current preference for lived-in, organic spaces. This is a classic design element that can add character and historical appeal to your home while also giving it an air of originality. Aside from its aesthetic appeal, skirted furniture has the added benefit of increasing storage capacity and concealing less appealing furniture bases and legs.
How to Incorporate Skirted Furniture in Modern Homes
Although not everyone wants to embrace the trend of skirted furniture, if you are interested in giving it a try, consider adding a skirt to your bedframe or use a pair of skirted slipcovers for a set of chairs in your living room. This will allow you to try out what you like and dislike without making any long-term commitments.
Using Skirted Furniture with a Range of Home Styles
Skirted furniture is amazingly versatile and can complement diverse interior styles, from traditional to contemporary. Wherever you use these pieces, skirted furniture mixed with other pieces brings a dynamic, layered style that feels organic rather than overly coordinated.
In classic or vintage-inspired spaces, skirted furniture can enhance the elegance or whimsy of the overall look, depending on the choice of fabrics and skirting. Tailored skirting in contemporary spaces provides a valuable softness and contrast to the sleek straight lines of the other pieces, adding a touch of warmth to the overall design.
Choosing the Right Skirt
When selecting furniture with a skirt or choosing the fabric and style for the skirt, the silhouette plays a key role in achieving the desired look. The choice of material should align with the overall aesthetic you want to create. Materials like cotton and linen work well for a cottage or coastal design, while brocades, satins, velvets, and other heavy weaves work well to create a formal look.
Color and pattern also help to set the tone. Neutrals are always versatile and timeless, whereas bold colors make a dramatic statement. Cheerful florals, stripes, and checks create an English cottage vibe, while playful geometrics work well in modern and contemporary settings.
The type of skirt further enhances the look. There are four main types of skirts: gathered skirts offer a soft, relaxed feel; straight skirts look tailored and clean; box pleats introduce structure and elegance; and fringe skirts have maximialist and vintage charm.
Best Places to Use Skirted Furniture
Skirted furniture can be used in any room of your home. In living rooms, skirted sofas, chairs, and ottomans create a refined yet elegant look, particularly in rooms that you want to feel welcoming and warm.
Dining rooms benefit from skirted chairs, which introduce both texture and potential color and pattern. Bedrooms are the ideal location for skirted furniture to add a soft, romantic style. Use skirts to hide the bottom of bedframes, to cover a bench at the foot of the bed, or dress up a pair of slipper chairs. Skirts can also provide valuable coverage opportunities for side tables and vanities to enhance storage and hide ugly frames.
Practical Considerations for Skirted Furniture
Before purchasing skirted furniture, you should consider the benefits and drawbacks, as well as the maintenance requirements.
Benefits of Skirted Furniture
Skirted furniture offers both aesthetic and practical benefits in home design. First, from a design perspective, skirts offer a softing appeal that can work well with any style. Functionally, skirts hide less than attractive legs, so this is a good option when reupholstering a thrifted find that you don’t want to modify in a big way. Skirts are also useful to create and hide more storage, particularly under beds. Finally, a skirt can keep dust, which is a constant companion in the home, from accumulating beneath the furniture.
Drawback of Skirted Furniture
One of the main concerns with skirted furniture is the maintenance. While skirts keep dust from gathering under furniture, they can trap dust, pet hair, and debris in their folds. If you have pets or the skirted furniture is in a room with heavy foot traffic, this might require more frequent cleaning. Depending on the fabric choice, the skirt may also sag and look less crisp over time.
Skirted furniture appears heavier than furniture with open legs, which can make a room feel weighty and stuffy, especially in small rooms or when skirted furniture is overused.
Maintenance of Skirted Furniture
Proper maintenance ensures that skirted furniture remains in good condition. Regular vacuuming of the upholstery and skirt with an upholstery attachment reduces the accumulation of hair, dust, and debris in the fabric folds. For a deeper cleaning, use a lint roller and specialty fabric brush.
If the skirt or cover is removable, wash or dry clean it occasionally to get rid of residual odors. To prevent the pleats or ruffles from sagging, steam or iron them to get them to restore their shape. In homes with high traffic or pets, choose fabrics that are washable, like cotton or linen.
Ways That Designers Use Skirted Furniture
Before you decide whether or not to incorporate skirted pieces into your space, consider how professional designers have used skirted furniture to create a distinct style.
Skirting to Add Variety
Designers will use skirts on furniture to add a pop of color, pattern, or texture to their designs. A bed with a contrasting skirt adds an unexpected element to the design mix. This allows for a fun combination of elements without overwhelming the design.
Skirted Chair in the Dining Room
Skirted dining chairs add an element of softness in a room that often favors hard surfaces and straight lines. Placing them at the table ends and contrasting them with different side chairs gives the dining room a layered and dynamic look.
A Skirted Bedside Table
Bedside tables with skirts add softness and elegance to a bedroom while offering ample practical benefits. It can conceal storage in the vital space while maintaining a tidy look. Consider a pattern or color that can add interest and texture while complementing the overall design. The glass on top of the fabric skirt allows for easier use and maintenance.
Skirted Bathroom Vanity
Just as skirted bedside tables are a way to conceal storage, so are skirted vanities in bathrooms or bedrooms. The skirt adds a textural element to bathrooms, making the style more romantic and whimsical. They are useful for conveniently storing toiletries, cleaning supplies, and other necessities while remaining neat and uncluttered.
Short Chair Skirt
If you aren’t ready for a full ruffled skirted look, consider a short skirted piece. These offer a relaxed, refined style while still allowing the legs exposure. These create a more open and airy look than full skirts and require much less maintenance.
Romantic Ruffled Chair Skirt
The ultimate element in a dreamy cottage style is a gathered chair skirt. They are especially fitting when you use washed cotton or linen fabric in light neutrals or small florals.
