I need a nice modern bedspread that isn't a comforter.

October 9, 2012 9:48 PM

We have a California King bed and live in a warm-most-of-the-year climate. The bed is the focal point of the master bedroom. I want the bed to look nice and "made", but all I come up with when I search for "bedspreads" are comforters, which are too warm and bulky for year round use. Do pretty, thin/lightweight bedspreads exist? I know about quilts, but that style (anything country or old fashioned) won't work in our house. What's the magic search term I should be using?
posted by fingersandtoes to home & garden (17 answers total)

You could use a duvet cover (intended to be a decorative casing for a comforter) with a very thin blanket inside (or perhaps nothing at all inside.) A lot of the lines of fancy linens seem to offer duvet covers either instead of or in addition to a comforter.
posted by needs more cowbell at 9:53 PM on October 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

You might be looking for a "coverlet."
posted by easy, lucky, free at 9:56 PM on October 9, 2012 [5 favorites]

Keyword: coverlet! At Macy's and Garnet Hill for example.
posted by barnone at 9:58 PM on October 9, 2012

Look for a matlesse cover. Thin but lovely, French bedspread. Easy to match to any decor.
posted by pearlybob at 10:00 PM on October 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Nthing duvet covers. I use them alone as a coverlet or put a thin blanket inside as it gets cooler.
posted by cairnoflore at 10:11 PM on October 9, 2012

Fancy or stylish duvet with a cheap but soft quilt inside. It's what I have on my bed. My duvet is from the "Hotel Collection" at Macy's and the quilt inside is an old comfortable quilt that my mom gave me. It's really hot here most of the year and this works great, when it gets cold we just add a fleece blanket over the sheets.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 10:15 PM on October 9, 2012

This may be way off-base, but what about a high quality thermal blanket? They generally come in a great number of fashion colours, are great for year-round use, let the lines of the furniture shine, are easy care, and can be found in several quality levels.
posted by batmonkey at 10:17 PM on October 9, 2012

Batmonkey, although the look isn't what I'm going for with this purchase, I love those blankets and never knew what they were called in this country - my German grandma called them by a word like "pique" and I didn't know how to buy them here, so thanks!

I think we'll give the duvet thing a try since there are so many nice options out there; and if that doesn't work, "coverlets" are clearly the answer! Thanks all!
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:30 PM on October 9, 2012

Couple of nice sources are Cuddledown and Eddie Bauer.
posted by vignettist at 11:25 PM on October 9, 2012

Why not use a quilt with a more contemporary design? Some examples of what people are doing 1 2 3 4 but you can get any style of quilt you like. I do not like 'old country patchwork' style stuff myself so I feel your pain.
I also use a waffle weave cotton blanket in Summer in a warm climate.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 11:49 PM on October 9, 2012

Barefoot Sri Lanka sell amazing cotton bedspreads that would work well with warm Californian colors. You might have to hunt about for distributors in the US, but they are very nice and are not comforters. They are designed for warmer climes.
posted by MuffinMan at 12:03 AM on October 10, 2012

Ikea sells quilts by weight numbers, and their very lightest (warmth rate 1) is just right for the tropics without air conditioning. They call it a summer-weight quilt. The bigger size might not fold over the sides of a California King though.
posted by viggorlijah at 3:37 AM on October 10, 2012

Actual bedspreads available here.
posted by JanetLand at 4:58 AM on October 10, 2012

Do you like Indian style spreads? Indian bedspreads are made of very thin cotton. They come in many color schemes (I have a queen size in earth tones) but the patterns favored in India have a "hippie" kind of look to Westerners. Here are some in king size.
posted by RRgal at 5:44 AM on October 10, 2012 [2 favorites]

I have found that a nice duvet usually works as a light blanket. It looks nice, you can find things like pillows and shams to match if you like that sort of thing. I usually get the egyptian cotton so that it is cool in the warmer evenings.
posted by Yellow at 5:47 AM on October 10, 2012

Nthing duvets. We use our West Elm duvet year round, we just leave it empty in the summer and put the comforter back in it when it gets cold in the Fall.
posted by Sayuri. at 6:43 AM on October 10, 2012

I live in Austin TX and I use a white blanket/throw over the top sheet 9 months out of the year, just like the ones batmonkey suggested. Maybe it's too informal but I like it, and it is sure fast to make the bed that way.
posted by slow graffiti at 7:18 AM on October 10, 2012