Farmhouse bedding ideas – 10 rustic ways to dress a bed

Comfort and coziness are key to great farmhouse bedding ideas, contributing to making the bed an oh-so appealing centerpiece of the room.

Neutrals predominate in farmhouse bedrooms and for their bedding, but the look is far from flat with layers of color drawn from a sophisticated palette as well as different textures creating interest and contrast. And if you like a pop of color or a hit of pattern on the bed, this can also work beautifully. 

Farmhouse bedding ideas – inspiration for primary bedrooms, kids’ rooms and guest spaces

The delight of modern farmhouse ideas is that they combine the warmth of rustic style with sleeker touches and modern liveability and the bedding ideas we’ve selected will deliver just that. 

1. Use pops of color

Neutrals predominate in farmhouse style, including when it comes to farmhouse bedroom ideas but that doesn’t mean bolder shades are a no-no.

‘We love white bedding and often use white as our foundation,’ explains Mary Maloney of Bee’s Knees Interior Design Studio. ‘White is actually easy to clean and maintain! White also quietly accompanies all the fun focal points, such as pillows and draperies, all of which pop against the white bedding.’

Of the two sleep spaces shown above and below, she adds, ‘Both rooms feel warm and cozy, due to the combo of simple elements, combined with rural and rustic accents, all of which make you want to linger and relax.’

2. Bring in pattern

While the rest of the room may be plain, there’s no reason to forgo farmhouse bedding ideas that introduce pattern. The bed is the ideal place to introduce it over small areas, adding individuality to the room while maintaining the relaxing nature of the scheme overall.

Here, a paisley pattern is combined with a floral with a geometric used for the curtains. Repeating colors ensures they work together. 

3. Decide if bedding should draw the eye

Bedding can be an eye-catching feature or an understated part of a farmhouse bedroom, and either direction is available to you. Elizabeth Krueger of Elizabeth Krueger Design chose monotone bedding that’s soothing in its effect for this room, which ‘can keep the eye and the focus on the architecture and art’, she says. 

‘I always start by asking myself what statement I want the bedding to make and then work on a direction from there,’ she adds.

4. Fall for pure white bedding

With rustic and distressed textures elsewhere in a farmhouse bedroom, consider farmhouse bedding ideas that can provide a contrast that emphasizes the qualities of the different materials. Here, smooth pure white bedding contrasts with the chevron wall paneling and the rustic wood nightstand.

Follow this room’s example by layering a throw blanket in a neutral shade on top of white bedding for a look that says coziness rather than five star hotel crispness.

5. Opt for a custom design

For a primary bedroom, consider upping the grandeur of both bed and bedding with a bespoke choice for the room, as Sarah Eilers of Lucas Eilers Design Associates specified in this home. 

‘Custom bedding using Fortuny fabric gives this primary bedroom an elegant old world feel while an antique, hand-gilded bed crown with drapes and a sunburst mirror create intimacy under the soaring plaster and hand-hewn beam ceiling,’ she explains.

6. Mix linen and velvet on the bed

Linen and velvet are a pleasing combination in modern farmhouse style interiors, with the looser weave and relaxed appearance of the former a counterpoint to the dense soft pile of the latter. And where better to incorporate the wonderfully tactile pair than as part of your farmhouse bedding ideas?

Choose linen for bedding such as duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases and more, then opt for velvet for pillow shams. Both fabrics are super soft to touch, and the beauty of linen bedding is that it gets softer with age.

7. Pick farmhouse bedding for a kid’s room

Need farmhouse bedding ideas for a kid’s room? Take note of the guidelines from Nancy Charbonneau of Charbonneau Interiors.

‘With farmhouse bedding, I believe it needs to be three things: approachable, have a mixture of pattern and color, and evoke a feeling of comfort and coziness,‘ she says. ‘In one of the kid’s rooms in our Meadow Brook project, we opted for a set like this for those reasons.’

8. Keep the bedroom bright

One of the very many benefits of choosing farmhouse style decor is a typical color palette that keeps rooms light and airy. Both the farmhouse bedding ideas you adopt and features such as the headboard and even furniture and decorative accessories can contribute to this atmosphere. Atlanta-based interior designer Beth Halpern Brown suggests thinking off-white, light beiges, and creams, all of which can be layered together as bedding. 

You might like to choose Egyptian cotton for bedding, as shown here, for ultimate comfort. The cotton is prized for its long fibers that make fine yarns and ultimately bedding that is durable and strong as well as soft.

9. Consider the individual qualities of bedding materials

Consider the qualities of different bedding choices as well as their appearance. ‘We would always choose cotton or linen bedding in white for ultimate relaxation and comfort,’ says Louise Wicksteed, design director at London and Gloucestershire, UK-based Sims Hilditch.

‘Linens are a more breathable fabric for warmer months and aesthetically look more relaxed than crisp cotton. For winter, we would pair a minimum of 300 thread count white cotton with layered throws. Layering throws and adding scatter cushions (pillows) is a great way to introduce subtle color if the bedding is plain or pale.’

10. Indulge in natural luxury

Colder months need warm farmhouse bedding, and that’s where wool comes in. Pile on the wool throw blankets in different weaves while you sleep under cotton. Layers of premium natural fabrics on the bed will feel sumptuous and inviting, and wool throw blankets can simply be swapped for lighter choices when the seasons change. 

Make sure you clean wool before storing it and keep it in a breathable storage bag somewhere dark and dry. Keep pests off precious pieces with natural moth repellent.

What makes a farmhouse bedroom?

A farmhouse bedroom doesn’t require a farmhouse. Instead, it’s all about creating the rustic vibe in your sleep space. Watchwords for a farmhouse room are cozy, comfortable and relaxed – perfect for a bedroom. 

Stick to a neutral color palette overall for a farmhouse bedroom for walls, floors, ceilings, furniture and accessories. Make it work by combining shades and textures. Walls might be in traditional shiplap or other paneling, but painted walls can also help create the light and airy farmhouse bedroom feel. 

When it comes to furniture and accessories for a farmhouse bedroom, choose a mix of the modern and the older and more rustic, and opt for a largely natural palette of materials and fabrics perhaps contrasted with more industrial metals. 

What is a modern farmhouse style bedroom?

A modern farmhouse style bedroom takes a contemporary approach to traditional rustic style. As interior designer Anna Beeber says: ‘Today, the modern farmhouse is a celebration of the historic form, updated with interiors that embrace a contemporary design perspective.’

In the bedroom this means stepping away from the more cluttered and eclectic feel of country style and embracing a more pared-back and curated look. Crucially, though, coziness, warmth and personality are still key in modern farmhouse bedrooms with natural fabrics and materials important as well as pieces with the patina of age and use.