Living Well

Bed Coverings 101 – Quilts, Coverlets, Duvets: What’s the Difference?

A well-dressed bed can be as simple as fine quality sheets topped with a fluffy duvet and duvet cover, or composed of various layers, such as a flat sheet, blanket, quilt, and a throw. Or perhaps it’s all hidden under a bedspread.

How you choose to outfit your bed is personal preference, but are you well-schooled in distinguishing one layer from the next? What is the difference between a duvet and a quilt? What is a coverlet? Should you choose a bedspread or a blanket cover? And what is a bed scarf?

Scroll down for our informative bed coverings glossary. And once you’ve mastered the bed coverings, click over to our pillow formations chart, which provides ten different style schemes.

1. Euro Sham

A decorative pillow covering that fits a 27" x 27" European Square pillow. Euro Shams are typically placed behind the standard size pillow shams or cases as a background, but can also be placed in front of the cases and shams. They often coordinate with either the Duvet Cover or the Coverlet.

2. Standard Sham

A decorative pillow covering which fits a standard pillow. Standard Shams may either be placed behind or in front of the pillows used to sleep on. They are placed behind the cases in our bed illustration.

3. Standard Case

A slipcover for your standard pillow, and most often the item you place your head on to sleep.

4. Boudoir Sham

A small rectangular decorative pillow covering that fits a 12" x 16" boudoir pillow.

5. Neckroll Sham

A cylindrical decorative covering for a neckroll or bolster pillow.

6. Flat Sheet

This is also referred to as the top sheet. In most cases, this is the item closest to you and the fitted sheet. It is typically placed between the coverlet or blanket and the fitted sheet, then folded back over the coverlet or blanket.

7. Coverlet

A bed cover that drapes over the sides and foot of the bed. Coverlets are typically made in pique or matelassé fabric and go over the top of the flat sheet or over your blanket.

8. Duvet Cover

A decorative and protective covering for a duvet.

9. Fitted Sheet

This is the sheet used to fit tightly over a mattress. Our Fitted Sheets are always stocked with 17" deep pockets best suited for mattresses up to 15". We also stock Low Profile 14" fitted sheets in select sheeting qualities which are best suited for mattresses up to 12". Should your mattress have an extra depth we can also make custom sizes to fit any mattress.

10. Bed Skirt

A decorative piece used to cover the box spring and legs of the bed. Bed Skirts fit between the mattress and boxspring. They may be finished with either decking or panels.

Matouk white bedding with layered shams, pillows and duvet in an elegant bedroom

Our Ansonia bedding.

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Flat Sheet

The flat sheet is the first covering over the fitted sheet. It’s the layer that touches the body, providing a hygienic, easy-to-wash barrier between you and other bed coverings used for warmth and/or decoration. Luxury sheets can hang down the side of the mattress, though traditionally they are tucked in all the way around for a more polished presentation.

Duvet Cover

Made from sheeting, the duvet cover is a decorative and protective covering for an insert—the duvet—that comes in various weights and fillings. The Matouk Down Collection offers a variety of options, from down-alternative to goose, duck, and Eiderdown.

The duvet can be used with a flat sheet or on its own. When used without intermediary layers, a duvet cover reduces the complexity of making a bed. In this case, a luxury duvet cover with decorative trim, such as Matouk’s Ansonia, provides a finished look.

A duvet cover may also be layered over a quilt or blanket, folded at the foot of the bed, or pulled all the way up as an extra layer of warmth. A duvet cover hangs down the sides of the bed to cover the box spring; it is never tucked in.

White bedding layered with a textured gray blanket and cream knit throws

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Blanket

A blanket is a generic term that refers to almost any bed covering thicker than a sheet, including quilts, duvets, and comforters. It can also refer to a more utilitarian woven covering that is sandwiched between a flat sheet and another layer, primarily for warmth. A blanket drapes over the sides of the bed. Our Chatham blanket is a versatile favorite.

Blanket Cover

A blanket cover is a very lightweight decorative covering that is layered over a blanket, almost like a decorative top sheet. A blanket cover is often used on hotel beds as the outermost layer over a blanket, protecting the blanket so it won’t need frequent laundering.

The fitted sheet, flat sheet, and blanket cover can be pulled off the bed and washed in a single load. Blanket covers are usually poly/cotton blends, requiring very little attention and no ironing.

Comforter

A comforter is an easy-to-use layer that sits on top of the mattress. It functions similarly to a duvet and duvet cover but is instead constructed in one piece, with widely spaced functional stitching that ensures its filling remains evenly distributed.

Matouk does not manufacture this category of bed covering.

Light blue textured bedding with layered white and blue pillows on a contemporary upholstered bed

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Quilt

A quilt is composed of three layers—two layers of fabric with batting in between—stitched together, often with a decorative design.

Matouk quilts are constructed from the same fabric as the fitted and top sheets, making them soft enough to sleep under. A quilt is thinner than the more voluminous duvet cover or comforter but denser, resulting in a heavier feel atop the body.

Luxury quilts can be used solo over a flat sheet or layered over a blanket or under a duvet cover. Netto is a light, silky-smooth quilt made from our Nocturne fabric.

Stacked textured bedding in white, blush pink, light blue, and deep blue with flowering branches

Our Giorgio coverlets.

Coverlet

A coverlet is a bed covering with sides that hang down a few inches past the box spring but don’t touch the floor. A coverlet can be tucked in or left untucked if edged with decorative trim.

Luxury coverlets can be layered directly over a flat sheet or over a blanket. Matouk coverlets come in different fabrications, such as piqué and matelassé woven on a jacquard loom, resulting in an allover texture.

A coverlet may sometimes resemble a quilt, but unlike a quilt, which is composed of several layers, a coverlet is just one layer of fabric woven in a way that mimics the quilting technique. Coverlets that are soft and drapey, like Matouk’s Malibu or Petra, among other styles, are comfortable to sleep under and provide an added layer of warmth.

Bedspread

A bedspread is lightweight, decorative, and covers the entire bed, coming up over the pillows and kissing the floor. Although currently out of vogue, bedspreads were once adored as an easy way to make a bed, allowing one to hide everything on the bed in one fell swoop.

Chenille bedspreads were especially popular in the 1950s. Today, Matouk matelassé bedspreads can be custom ordered through Matouk retailers.

Stacks of colorful fringed throw blankets in pink, yellow, blue, green and neutral tones

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Throw

Luxury throw blankets are small decorative blankets, often with trim or fringe, that are used for extra warmth, decoration, or as a covering when lounging on top of the bed. A throw is normally folded at the foot of the bed, on top of any other bedding.

Paley is our premier style, while the Pezzo throw adds a great pop of color.

Bed Scarf

A bed scarf, or bed runner, is a decorative layer that spans the entire width of the foot of the bed to protect the bedding from dirty shoes or suitcases in a hotel, or from a pet at home.

Most of Matouk’s matelassé fabrics can be custom made in this dimension through Matouk retailers.