Room scene adapted from our product photograph. The detail photographs below show the original fabric.
A footboard does not change your bed's size, but it changes what happens at the foot of the bed. Start by deciding how you want the foot finished: tucked in, folded on top, or draped over the board. Then test the duvet you already own against that choice, with people in the bed, before buying anything.
Look at the footboard and how the mattress sits
Note whether the top of the footboard sits above, level with or below the mattress top, including any topper. Check whether it is a solid panel or open rails, how much gap there is between the end of the mattress and the board, and whether the board curves. Footboards vary widely, so your own measurements matter more than any general chart.
Measure what you have
- The gap from the end of the mattress to the inside face of the footboard.
- The height from the mattress top to the top of the footboard.
- The duvet, laid flat, measured edge to edge in length and width. Measuring from the head of the mattress to where the duvet hangs mixes its size with how it happens to be placed.
Write every number in the same unit.
Choose how the foot is finished
Tucked in. The sheet, and sometimes the duvet, goes down into the gap. You need enough fabric to travel down the gap and a gap wide enough to get your hand in. If the gap is tight, tucking may be a daily struggle.
Folded on top. The duvet ends near the end of the mattress, or is folded back, so it stays inside the board. When the board stands well above the mattress, this is often the simplest option, because nothing has to pass the board.
Draped over. The duvet goes over the board. Over a low board the fabric travels a short distance. Over a high board draping is still possible, but the fabric has to climb the board before it falls, so it needs more length and will rest against the board's face. Whether that looks right depends on the board and your taste.
Test with people in the bed
Put the duvet on the bed the way you plan to finish it, then get in and lie the way you normally sleep. If you share the bed, both of you should get in. Check that your feet are covered, that the duvet is not caught on the board and dragged down from the top, and that it is not bunching against the board.
If the length is wrong, change the insert or the finish, not the cover alone
A duvet cover has to match its insert. A cover that is too small can compress the filling; one that is too large can leave empty fabric at the end. If the test shows the length does not work, change how the foot is finished, for example folding back instead of tucking. Or choose an insert that suits the bed and the board, then a cover that matches that insert's flat edge-to-edge measurements. Our linen duvet covers have size options to compare. Check the measurements on the product page against your insert.
If you reposition the duvet on the bed, repeat the test. A change that looks better at the foot can leave feet uncovered.
Check the sheets too
With the board in place, reaching the foot corners of a fitted sheet can be awkward, especially on a deep mattress in a snug frame. Try fitting the sheet you have before assuming you need a different depth. If you do need one, compare your mattress depth, measured with all layers on, against our linen fitted sheets.
For a flat sheet tucked at the foot, the length you need includes the drop down the gap, not only the tuck under the mattress. If the gap is tight, tuck less or leave the foot loose.
Before ordering anything
Gather the foot finish you have chosen, the gap and board height, the insert's flat measurements, and your notes from the test. If your numbers do not match the listed sizes, send us your measurements and ask whether a different size is possible before you order.
0 comments