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If you need a quick fix for your ugly box spring, just put an extra bed sheet on top of it. If you want it to look really nice, you can upholster it. There are also ways to completely conceal it and get it out of view altogether. Let’s dive in and see all the ways you can hide your box spring and make the bedroom prettier.
How to Hide a Box Spring From View
Box springs don’t match every room’s decor and to prevent them from standing out and ruining the look of your bedroom, you can go for one of the following solutions:
- Bed skirt
- Mattress protector
- Fitted sheet
- Comforter
- Canopy
- Bed frame
- Underbed storage
- Box spring cover
- Upholster the box spring
You may already have some of these things at home (you certainly have bedding, so an extra sheet will come in handy). If you’re going for a fancier and more elaborate look, you can go for a canopy or DIY underbed storage that also hides the box spring.
Bed skirt
Bed skirts or dust ruffles cover the part of the bed under the mattress. So whether you want to cover a box spring, ugly legs, or just to prevent dust from going under your bed, you can use a bed skirt.
You don’t need a traditional bed skirt which is made of a large piece of fabric and covers the entire upper side of the box spring on which the mattress lies. More modern options are a wrap-around bed skirt and a split-corner bed skirt. They are easier to wash and handle.
Mattress protector
In case you already have a mattress protector with a zipper that’s not too visible, you can use it to mask the box spring. This only works if the protector is the same size as the box spring and is made of a nice material that matches your sheets.
Fitted sheet
You can repurpose your fitted sheet as a box spring cover. The best thing about it is that it can look exactly like the rest of your sheets and the matching pattern can make the bed look cute. Or, it can be of a color that matches the frame or that adds an accent to the rest of your bed.
If your box spring is too angular, it may not fit the seams of the fitted sheet perfectly well, and you may need to invest some extra work to make it look sleek. This method usually works best with a low profile box spring since the sheet is more likely to fit.
Alternatively, try with a flat sheet. It may also be hard to set up at first, but once you do, you won’t be needing to wash it that much anyway, so you’ll be good for a while.
Comforter
An oversized comforter or a fancy lengthy duvet will cover the sides of your mattress as well as the box spring. It may reach the floor or almost reach the floor, but the effect will be there in both cases as the duvet draws attention to itself, adding more charm to your bedroom.
Make sure to get the measurements right so that it’s not too short or too long.
Canopy
A canopy can draw attention from and partly cover a box spring. However, it may not completely solve the problem if you think your box spring is just too ugly to be seen.
But still, you can pair up an overhead canopy with a bed skirt, box spring cover, or something else and completely change how your room looks and conceal the box spring.
Bed frame
Some bed frames are designed so that they completely hide the box spring. For example, the ones that have raised wooden slats on the sides and especially if those slats are wide enough to cover your box spring. You might also need to think about hiding your metal bed frame as well (if you have one) since they’re so unsightly.
Investing in a bed frame isn’t a cheap or quick solution, so this is more of an idea for when you’re making big redecoration plans and you know in advance that you don’t want a box spring that’s going to be visible.
Underbed storage
People who are into personalizing their furniture and designing the details can take on this project — adding extra storage space under the bed.
You can make drawers whose fronts extend higher up to where they can cover a box spring. Or, they can cover all the way up to the top of your mattress. This is just a design preference.
Don’t forget to use the same material to cover the remaining side(s) of your bed. If you add drawers on the leg side, you need to place those planks on the sides, and if you add drawers to the sides, you’re left with the leg side that reveals the box spring.
You can use plain wood or upholster it to make it look better. Extra storage is always appreciated! And if you’re afraid you might mess up the look, a lengthy duvet can cover for you.
Box spring cover
Finally, the real actual thing that’s made specifically to cover the box spring — a box spring cover. Box spring covers come in a variety of colors and can add a layer of protection to the box spring if they are designed to cover the entire box spring.
If you get a wrap-around box spring elastic cover, you’ll have much less hassle as they are easier to place than fitted sheets or flat sheets, but you’ll have to buy them separately and they don’t protect the box spring entirely from dust, dust mites, and other stuff. You will be able to easily remove the thing at any time, though.
The latter type is typically way cheaper than the full cover, but then again, each design has its upsides and downsides.
Can You Upholster a Box Spring?
If you don’t want to mess around with removable options for box spring covers (that honestly look a bit cheaper), you can absolutely upholster your box spring with any fabric of your liking. Just make sure to take accurate measurements of the box spring together with all the materials.
You’ll need:
- Fabric that matches the design of your room decor, sheets, and/or style.
- (Optional) about a half-inch of foam in the width of the box spring.
- A staple gun.
The fabric should be long enough to cover the box spring on all sides and wide enough to cover the box spring width plus about 10 inches. It’s good to have at least five inches of fabric stretching onto the top and bottom sides.
Place the foam all around the sides of the box spring. You can use double-sided tape; just enough to hold it in place. The foam will make it look fancier, but you don’t actually need it.
Then put the fabric on the sides and use the staple gun to attach the fabric and you’re done!
Consider a Box Spring Alternative
Finally, you don’t actually need a box spring. There are other options out there, but not all are good for each mattress type. Box springs are made to go with innerspring mattresses, so if that’s the mattress you have, you should go for one of the bed bases that work with innerspring types.
Here we’ll give you three options that you can use to support your mattress other than a box spring, but we also have an entire guide that explains what all the bed base types are out there and what mattresses go with them.
Slats
You can use a slatted bed frame or a platform bed that will give your mattress appropriate support and might look much better if you really dislike box springs.
Alternatively, if you have one of the simple frames that come without slats or anything, you can add a bunkie board and fix the problem. Those who are on a budget might even be able to build their own DIY bunkie boards with things from their garage.
Adjustable base
For a much more modern look and a cool bedroom, you can check out the adjustable base bed frames. They can elevate the upper part and some of them can also elevate the leg part of the base.
But these weren’t meant to look fancy in the first place. Adjustable bases are actually made to help people who suffer from breathing difficulties or are in pain.
Platform bed
Platform beds are the most common bed bases out there. They can be slatted or have a solid base.
They can be very affordable or quite expensive. The platform bed look ranges from a simple metal frame to a decorated wooden frame with drawers, a headboard, and whatnot.
FAQs
Although you don’t necessarily need to cover a box spring, you should at least think about it. The stretchy side wrap covers offer some protection against wear and tear on the sides, but the full box spring cover additionally protects it from all sides so dust and dust mites won’t be settling inside. However, these are all minor pros. The biggest thing that will change when you add a box spring cover is the look.
That’s not really how it works. You can put a box spring on top of the platform bed, though. Some platform beds have side slats that can cover the box spring partly or entirely (if it’s a low-profile box spring). But if you were to put a platform bed on top of a box spring, then the box spring would end up on the floor and the slats of the platform bed above it, so it would defeat the purpose. You might do this only when you want to hide the box spring entirely because you don’t know where else to store it.
Yes. Some metal bed frames require you to use a box spring or a bed base because they are designed so that you only get a rectangular frame with legs and one or two rails in the middle for support. These frames definitely need a base that needs to be bought separately.
Conclusion
There are lots of ways to hide your box spring. Some include distractions like the canopy, others include covers such as a fitted sheet, a box spring cover, or a mattress protector. If you want a fancy pattern, you can upholster your box spring. You can also completely cover it up with large duvets, bed skirts, or the fronts of drawers that you can add for under-bed storage. Finally, you can also buy a new bed frame or opt for a foundation that doesn’t require a box spring.
Next step: Read our guide to the best box springs for a memory foam mattress. If you have a foam mattress then you need to make sure it has enough support to reduce sagging. We tested each brand and this list and came up with pros and cons for each so you can decide for yourself which one is best.
With over 5 years experience writing about sleep and mattresses, she's considered one of the go-to experts on the topic.
She likes cycling, nature, art, and languages. She pays special attention to providing you with accurate and useful information when it comes to your sleep quality.
After solving her personal sleep and tiredness problems, she is on to help others by sharing this invaluable information.
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