I have a confession to make: as an itinerant professional, moving every couple of years from one white collar position to another (usually better) position, I haven’t really focused on Indian design when it comes to comforters.  The main comforter on my bed is a 15 year old tattered patchwork blanket, worn down by years of constant use, frequent washes, and multiple travels.

We are fond of each other, my blanket and I.  But over the past few years, I’ve slowly begun to rethink my default position on comforters and blankets.  The reason why?  That’s when my mother started bringing home beautiful silk quilts from India.  The colors are so intense, and the designs so stunning, that you almost don’t need further decoration in your bedroom, once you’ve got one of these incredible creations on your bed.  The trick is to make sure that your other bedroom decorations (vases, paintings, wall hangings) do not clash with the quilt on your bed.  This is tricky, because if you have a few different quilts with distinctive patterns and colors that you want to swap out every few weeks, it can be hard to coordinate.

Fortunately the bed itself won’t pose a problem.  All types of wood frames go well with Indian silk quilts, no matter the color or design.  The same holds true for all metal frames, and even white frames.  To illustrate this point, let’s take a look at a few different Indian silk quilts:

Here’s one approach to decorating your bedroom: don’t do Indo-American fusion, just go all Indian.  I actually thought this bedroom looks lovely, although I doubt I would incorporate the look into my own bedroom – too much work.  I think the main reason it looks uber-Indian is because of the patterned wallpaper and the bedspread-matching pillowcases.

I probably would not go this route – mostly because I don’t have the time to coordinate that perfectly.  But . . . it’s still a look to bookmark for the future.

And now, let’s take a look at an entirely different Indian bedspread and American bedroom look:

Here’s an entirely different approach to decorating your bedroom!  I really love this look – to my mind, it’s clearly an American/Western bedroom with a distinctive Indian touch – perfect!  Note how well the Indian bedspread with its bold pink/fuchsia colors blends with the bedframe.  Very nice.  I also like the way the bedspread blends with the hint of the Indian (or Western?) painting above the bed . . . and the way the Indian bedspread also harmoniously clashes with the purple shag carpet on the lower left of the picture.  This is exactly what I would do – not perfect color coordination, but some harmonization so that the American bedframe structure is enhanced by the Eastern decorative bedspread.  Nice!

Now let’s take a look at 2 entirely different Indian bedspreads:

Both of these bedspreads – which are probably not silk, by the way – have beautiful patterns. The bedspread to the left is an Indian block print pattern, which I love.  The bedspread to the right is an Indian embroidered pattern – beautiful!

The Indian block print pattern, available in an infinite number of ways, is one of the hallmarks of Indian design.  I’ve seen it on everything from bedspreads, to tablecloths, to curtains, to saris.  Same goes for the Indian embroidered pattern – there are an infinite number of looks, and multiple colors to choose from.

And I absolutely love them.  I think that both Indian block prints and Indian embroidered bedspreads are two simpler ways to incorporate Indian design into your American bedroom.  The color combinations are often not as strong or traditional as Indian silk bedspreads, which may make them easier to incorporate into your bedroom.  They go with every type of bedframe, and it’s not that hard to coordinate wall artwork with the bedspread colors.

Now let’s go back to a traditional Indian bedspread, and see how it is integrated into the bedroom décor:

I really like the way the wall colors and curtain are coordinated with the Indian silk bedspread colors.  All the colors are strong – this bedroom makes a very strong statement, color-wise – but I don’t sense any kind of dysfunction.  I especially like the hardwood floor – I feel like it evens out the strong tones on the bed, wall, and window.  I probably would not go with this look, because I would just mess it up.  Something would clash, and the whole look would fall apart.  But – it’s still excellent food for thought.

And last, but not least . . . here’s a very intense Indian bedspread:

Before you cringe, I don’t think the photo does this bedspread justice.  It isn’t staged well, and I really think the black leather (pleather?) bedframe clashes.  It makes it look like Hell’s bedroom.

But I think this bedspread would be beautiful with a deep wooden bedframe, and white sheets.  For the pillows – I would either have plain white (which may not work that well), or I would contrast the red with another tone to ease the shock of the color – perhaps a deep Pacific blue, with a gold trim?

I would also have a deep wooden nightstand nearby . . . which they do have.  But I’m not sure what kind of curtains would work with this bedspread.  When in doubt, I admit – I default to white, transparent, or lace window curtains.  Although, that may not work here.  I don’t think the white carpet goes well with this bedspread, for example.  It seems to clash and enhance the wrong features of this deep red color.  Probably a wooden floor would work well, or maybe just a carpet with a darker color – but I’m not sure what color, truth be told.  This is a tough one.  I’d be interested in seeing photos where a red Indian silk bedspread blends in well with the American bedroom decor.

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As you can see by the above examples, Indian silk quilts are an excellent way to bring Indian fusion design to your American home.  It’s important to remember the following items, though:

1. I personally think these silk quilts are best used for decoration, and not as actual comforters by guests. I would probably have them on the beds as a decorative touch, and then if you have guests who are staying over, remove them and replace them with sturdier blankets and comforters.  The reason for this recommendation?  I suspect you may have to dry clean these silk quilts; I also am not sure how well they will hold up under constant use.  Plus, if you have small children staying over, you probably don’t want sticky hands messing with the fabric!

2. But – despite my recommendation, it is worth noting that my Indian born and raised mother disagrees with me. She thinks that Indian silk quilts can definitely be used by guests – after all, aren’t Indian silk saris worn constantly by women?  She also does not think dry cleaning is necessary for Indian silk quilts – she usually washes her silk saris in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, with a touch of Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, and thinks that this will work with Indian silk quilts.  I’ve never tried this approach, but thought I should mention it to all my readers!

Last but not least – we’ve talked about using Indian silk quilts as decorative items for your bedrooms at home, but I should also note that they make excellent gifts for close friends and (some) work colleagues.  Here’s a personal example: I gave an absolutely stunning Indian silk quilt to a lady attorney in New York City who had supervised me at a law firm in the city.  She is super smart, well-traveled, and has a taste for the off-beat, so I knew that an Indian silk quilt would be very welcome.  Sure enough, she absolutely loved it.  To my knowledge, she has it on her bed.  I also see Indian silk quilts as being excellent gifts for mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and the like.  Since the winter holidays are coming up, an Indian silk quilt should be an excellent gift!

Anyway – I hope these Indian fusion bedroom looks provide some inspiration for your home decorations.  Indian design in American homes is possible – and as you can see, there are a plethora of looks to choose from.  Enjoy!