Sky blues, taupes, soft greens, and crisp whites are a trademark of coastal design. The best Serena and Lily bedding embodies this and more, with a collection that includes plenty of stripes, quintessential block-printed designs, and romantic scalloped details. The brand has mastered soft goods suited to a waterfront Cape-side cottage while still maintaining their place in an urban studio apartment.
Serena & Lily bedding is known for its high-quality materials like Oeko-Tex certified Portuguese percale cotton, velveteen flannel, and cozy mohair. Their quilts, as vouched for by our staff, get their airiness thanks to a combination of voile and careful hand-stitching. And while you’re browsing for your next seaside bedding set, try a quick venture into their home decor staples, like rattan lamps or flatwoven rugs to complete your bedroom’s coastal look.
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Best Duvet Cover
For commerce market editor Kate McGregor few duvet covers can reach the level of the Beach Club percale set. Soft yet crisp, breezy yet warming, McGregor considers this the perfect year-round bedding essential—they’re even on her bed at her parents’ house. “I never sleep better than I do at my parents’ home. Sure, maybe it’s the safety or the not-having-to-cook, but I’m crediting this duvet cover,” she says. ”Even through five years of coffee spills and a few clingy dogs, stains continue to lift easily and wrinkles relax within hours, my non-negotiables for an all-white bedscape.”
Best Printed Percale Sheet Set
There's no better way to welcome the warm months than with a percale sheet set. “Not only is this one of the lightest bedding ensembles I own—I barely feel the flat sheet over me—but the whimsical florals against the bright sky background create a visual buoyancy in my space,” says contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert. The 310-thread-count set is accented with a satin stitch, giving the bedding a structured finish. It pairs well with a crisp white duvet cover as well as more whimsical bedspreads that plays with the pattern. “In the spring, I like adding the Piglet in Bed linen duvet cover in botanical green gingham to give the entire bed a jolt of pattern-on-pattern,” Alpert adds.
Best Coastal Quilt
The Baywood quilt has two slightly different personalities. The top side is a linen-cotton blend with a tactility defined by the hand-pick stitching pattern. The underside is pure cotton and feels a bit more delicate, nearly silky. “I wasn’t expecting the underside of the quilt to be as soft as it is, especially because the quilt feels so incredibly light,” says Alpert, who appreciates that the quilt is reversible, with the blue border inviting “just the right amount of color.” The scalloped edge certainly breaks the mold of standard bedding, but it’s the slightly imperfect stitching that creates the heirloom feel Alpert likes. “While I appreciate straight lines, for the Baywood quilt, I like that the hand-pick stitching is irregular; it looks like authentic handiwork,” adds Alpert. The matching Baywood sham completes the coastal look.
Sheet Sets
A patterned take on the brand’s crisp and cooling percale, this Indian block print fern-like motif pairs perfectly with similarly flora-inspired patterns in the S&L lineup. The contrasting satin stitch, like the bright pear hue, gives your bedding something bright and unexpected without veering into the eclectic. These are perfect for traditional, farmhouse, and contemporary spaces alike.
The velveteen finish of the Belvedere brushed cotton flannel is impossible not to notice. “Yes, Serena & Lily flannel is a bit of a splurge, but unlike bedding from a big-box store, this bedding continues to stay soft and smooth, not a rough patch in sight,” says Alpert, who has been using this sheet set throughout the entire winter season. “These sheets are plushy, like your favorite holiday pajamas.”Compared to some other flannel sheets Alpert had tested, she considers the Belvedere mid-range in terms of warmth. It feels like “a nest or a burrow suited for hibernating through the night.”
Playful but not juvenile, this sateen set differentiates itself from the norm with an elongated scalloped edge. The whimsical floral design is neutral enough to layer but pops when paired with a solid color duvet or comforter (like our favorite Beach Club set).
Duvet Covers
For those who love waffle weave blankets but could use a bit more pouf than the usual waffle weave, the Beachcomber comforter is the ideal solution. Not only do you get the little pockets that give your bedding texture, but the cotton percale binding on the side adds a touch of refinement that gives it structure suited for a modern bedroom. Coming in at 300 GSM, the comforter lands in the mid-weight territory. This cloud-like piece is a staple for spending rainy weekends in bed.
This seersucker duvet set is a step up from your standard Southern Easter button-downs. Retaining the material’s signature texture and softness, the 100% cotton weave boasts a classic blue-and-white stripe. The stripes carry onto the duvet cover’s back, making your bed look great even when it’s unmade.
Contributor Rebecca Grambone hates heavy bedding. “When it comes to my sleep situation, I love a room that’s pretty cool temperature-wise year-round (yes, even in the dead of winter). In fact, I would rather wear more layers to bed than on top of me (I don’t get the hype around weighted blankets),” she says. Enter Serena and Lily’s sateen duvet cover. Lightweight and cooling, Grambone notes that this duvet cover is great for those who want something a bit more tactile (sateen has a slightly more rugged feeling than silk or satin). “After a good eight hours of shut-eye (okay…maybe six), I’d call my overall experience with the duvet cover very positive,” she continues. “It kept me cool throughout the night, which mostly has to do with the fact that it isn’t super thick.”
For the cottagecore lovers, add a bit of pizzazz to your crisp percale with an eyelet edge. This set’s elegant and lace-like hemstitching offers visual detail without overwhelming your eye with an abundance of texture or color. Keep this in your linen closet for anytime you want to feel as wistful as a Jane Austen protagonist.
A brand classic, the Positano duvet cover is a long-time bestseller. Available in white, sky, and then a vibrant French blue, the duvet cover features a subtle border stitching for added texture and detail. The piece has been garment-washed prior to selling to create a baseline softness that will only improve wash after wash.
Quilts and Throws
Embrace those chillier coastal nights with a high-pile throw blanket that keeps you warm but never stifled. Woven from air-thin mohair that has been yarn-dyed for ultimate color consistency, this fluffy throw blanket is a favorite for winter and beyond.
The Amalfi quilt features reversible block-print patterns: while the top side speaks to the maximalist notes, the reverse is far more geometric. Each quilt is handcrafted, giving it the artisan qualities of heirlooms. While the patterns stand out against white bedding, pairing it with brightly-colored eclectic bedding ups the ante of the interior design in your bedroom.
Block prints are a coastal-style necessity, and this quilt from Serena and Lily serves as a tribute to those traditional techniques. Made from 100% cotton, this quilt is light enough for summer use but has a heft that can easily be used to layer with your warming duvet.
A true multipurpose pick, this blanket can go from outdoor picnics to cozy nights on the sofa with ease. The cotton blend material is soft enough to keep on your lap yet durable enough to withstand long beach days and nights outdoors. It’s also easily portable with the included carrying strap.