The informality of Southwestern bedding makes it an excellent choice for guest rooms and children's rooms.
Many students take their bedding with them when they leave home for the first time because it provides the much needed comforts of home when they are sleeping in a strange place.
The Southwestern theme is available in a vast array of styles.
They share a common theme of color and comfort.
The bedding uses the warm colors of the traditional blankets and linens made in the Southwest.
One will find an array of bedding that is composed primarily of rich earthen tones that have black or dark red accents.
This provides a person with the feeling that they have stepped back in time and are in a comfortable room and home.
The modern bedding has changed little from the traditional style.
The main difference is found in the weave of the fabric.
Traditionally, bed linens from the Southwest were made using an open weave fabric that consisted of thread and yarn.
Now the bedding is made from a much tighter weave that is dyed to emulate the open weave.
The primitive geometric designs and shapes remain on the modern bedding and are found in each piece of the bedding.
The Southwest bedding is very durable.
It has been made to be functional and useful.
While other styles may provide qualities of beauty that does not withstand rigorous activity, this bedding welcomes abuse.
It is commonly found in children's rooms where it can provide the elements for a themed bedroom.
When used in a guest room, it provides a rustic elegance that provides extra warmth without the heaviness of some types of coverlets.
The bed sets are normally not made in the traditional quilting of most manufactured bedding.
There is a thinner layer of batting used in the coverlet that provides the same level of warmth in a more lightweight cover.
In areas where there is severe cold, the bedding is often made in a flannel or warmer fabric that provides an extra level of comfort to the user.
Historically, the traditional bed linens had meaning.
Each design that was woven in the fabric was part of a story.
When the bedding was complete a story unfolded that could be shared at night by a family.
Now, it is not purposely designed to tell a story, but it can.
The designs and figures found provide the perfect way to share information, stories, and talk in a comfortable environment.
The bedding today is treated with stain and wear resistant materials that allow it to withstand rigorous use.
Manufacturers and designers recognize the tendency of people to use the Southwestern collections for their daily use.
The bedding provides a continuous and seamless flow in a room that has been decorated in neutral tones or in a themed room that requires the designs and elements of the bedding design.
When used in an informal setting, it can provide a touch of continuity in the room where it is used.
When the coverlet, sheets, pillows and sham are used on a guest bed, it provides a permanence to the bed and room.
The bedding provides a welcoming place for guests to retreat and feel at ease.