Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread Review: A Modern Nod to Nostalgic Comfort

For months, my bedroom felt incomplete. I was trapped in a cycle of heavy, cumbersome duvets that were too hot for summer and bulky, outdated quilts that screamed more “attic” than “sanctuary.” The problem was finding a happy medium: a bedspread that was light enough for year-round use, stylish enough to be the room’s centerpiece, and had that touch of vintage charm I remembered from my grandmother’s house, but with a modern twist. The market is flooded with minimalist polyester coverlets and overly plush comforters. I needed something with character, texture, and breathability—a piece that could evoke a feeling of cozy nostalgia without looking dated. Failing to find this perfect layer meant my bedroom, the one place meant for rest and relaxation, felt perpetually unsettled and aesthetically mismatched. I was on a mission to find the one piece that could tie it all together, and that’s when I discovered the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread.

Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille Bedspread, Soft Cotton Comforter, King Size Quilt in Sage -...
  • Classic Reinvented Bedspread - This isn't your grandmother's bedspread! We've reinvented the classic tufted chenille bedspread for a...
  • Soft Cotton Comfort - Enjoy extra coziness with our soft 100% cotton bedspread. It's machine washable for easy care.

What to Consider Before Buying a Chenille Bedspread

A bedspread is more than just a blanket; it’s a key solution for transforming the entire look and feel of a bedroom while providing practical, lightweight comfort. Unlike a thick comforter or duvet that requires a separate cover, a bedspread is a single, elegant layer designed to drape all the way to the floor, neatly covering the bed frame and pillows. Its primary benefits are versatility and style. It provides just the right amount of warmth for temperate climates or summer nights and can be easily layered with other blankets in the winter. Aesthetically, it offers a clean, cohesive look, turning the bed into a polished focal point.

The ideal customer for a product like the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread is someone who appreciates texture, vintage-inspired design, and natural materials. They are likely looking to create a specific atmosphere—be it cottagecore, boho, shabby chic, or simply a cozy, lived-in feel. They value breathability and the all-season potential of 100% cotton. Conversely, this type of bedspread might not be suitable for those who prefer an ultra-sleek, minimalist aesthetic or the pillowy, cloud-like loft of a down comforter. Individuals who are very sensitive to lint or prefer a “wash-and-go” fabric with zero maintenance might also consider alternatives like microfiber or embossed polyester coverlets.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

  • Dimensions & Sizing: A bedspread’s main appeal is its generous drape. Before purchasing, measure the height of your bed from the floor to the top of the mattress. Many modern mattresses are much thicker and sit on taller frames, so a standard “King” size might not reach the floor. As the manufacturer notes, if your bed is taller than 24 inches, sizing up is a wise strategy to achieve that classic, floor-grazing look.
  • Weight & Warmth: Chenille bedspreads are typically described as lightweight. This makes them perfect for warmer months or for people who sleep hot. However, “lightweight” can be subjective. If you’re used to a heavy weighted blanket or a thick duvet, a chenille spread will feel significantly thinner. Consider it a versatile layering piece rather than a primary source of insulation in a cold climate.
  • Materials & Durability: The Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread is 100% cotton, which is prized for its softness and breathability. Chenille itself is a unique fabric, created by tufting short lengths of yarn, which gives it its signature softness and texture. The trade-off is that new cotton chenille is prone to shedding lint, especially during the first few washes. This is a normal characteristic of the material, not a defect, but it requires specific initial care.
  • Ease of Use & Maintenance: While machine washable, cotton chenille requires some attention. To minimize shrinking and preserve the fabric, it’s best to wash in cold water and tumble dry on a low or no-heat setting. The initial shedding can be managed by running the new bedspread through a few dryer cycles on air fluff *before* the first wash, cleaning the lint trap each time. This small upfront effort will significantly reduce future shedding.

While the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread is an excellent choice for a specific aesthetic, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models that excel in warm weather, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

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First Impressions: Unboxing a Touch of Modern Nostalgia

When the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread arrived, it was neatly folded in a clear, zippered package. My first thought upon taking it out was about its weight—it felt substantial enough to be durable but was noticeably lighter than the comforters I was used to. The Sage color was exactly as I had hoped: a soft, muted green that felt calming and organic, not garishly bright. Running my hand over the surface, the tufted floral pattern had a pleasant, tactile quality. This isn’t the ultra-plush, velvety chenille of some vintage robes; it’s a more textured, crisp cotton feel that I suspected would soften with washing. The 5-inch twisted fringe was a classic, high-quality touch that beautifully framed the spread. Straight out of the box, it carried the faint, clean scent of new cotton. There was no chemical odor, which we always see as a positive sign of quality materials. We immediately followed the advice of other users and gave it a 20-minute tumble on a no-heat setting, which, as predicted, produced a significant amount of lint but also fluffed up the chenille tufts beautifully, making the floral pattern pop. You can see the full range of colors and intricate details online.

Key Benefits

  • Beautiful vintage-inspired floral chenille design
  • Made from 100% breathable and soft cotton
  • Generous sizing (118″x118″ for King) offers excellent coverage
  • Lightweight construction is perfect for all-season layering
  • Machine washable for easy care

Potential Drawbacks

  • Prone to significant shedding during initial washing/drying
  • Fabric is thinner than many traditional comforters

A Deep Dive into the Emily Bedspread’s Performance and Feel

A bedspread’s true worth is only revealed after you live with it—dressing the bed, sleeping under it, and caring for it. We spent weeks evaluating the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread on every key aspect, from its aesthetic impact on the room to its practical, day-to-day performance.

Design & Aesthetics: The Perfect “Not-So-Girly” Feminine Touch

The standout feature of this bedspread is undoubtedly its visual appeal. It masterfully bridges the gap between old-fashioned charm and contemporary style. The floral pattern is rendered in tufted chenille “dots,” creating a raised texture that is both visible and tangible. It’s a sophisticated design that avoids being overly fussy or dated. As one user aptly put it, it achieves a look that is “feminine, but not super girly.” We found this to be spot-on. Draped over our king bed with a simple white wrought iron frame, the sage green color and floral motif created an instant sense of serene elegance.

The texture is key. The flat portions of the 100% cotton fabric have a subtle, almost crinkled look, which adds to its relaxed, inviting character. It doesn’t demand perfect, military-style bed-making; it looks best when it’s allowed to drape naturally. The 5-inch fringe is the finishing touch, providing a weighted edge that helps the spread hang beautifully. We noticed the border around the central floral design also serves as a practical guide, making it easy to center the bedspread perfectly every time. This aesthetic is something many users fell in love with, repeatedly describing the bedspread as “beautiful” and noting that it gave them the “exact vibe” they were hoping for. It’s a feature that really sets it apart from plain, flat coverlets and transforms the bed into the undeniable star of the room.

Sizing and Coverage: A Generous Drape for Modern Beds

One of the biggest anxieties when buying a bedspread online is the fit. We tested the King size, listed at 118″ x 118″, on a standard King mattress that sits about 28 inches off the floor. The coverage was fantastic. It draped beautifully over both sides, falling to just about an inch above the floor—no bed skirt needed. The length was equally impressive. There was more than enough fabric to do a traditional “pillow tuck,” completely covering our king-sized pillows with a generous fold-over, eliminating the need for separate shams if you prefer a streamlined look. This is a huge plus, as many modern “oversized” comforters still come up short.

However, we echo the advice of the manufacturer and several users: measure your bed height. One user with a 30″ high queen mattress wisely ordered the King size and found it fit perfectly, touching the floor on all three sides. Another with a 27″ queen bed found the Queen size a bit shy on the sides. The clear takeaway is that the listed dimensions are accurate, but the final drape depends entirely on your bed’s height. If you have a deep pillow-top mattress or a high-profile box spring and frame, sizing up is the safest bet to achieve that luxurious, floor-length coverage. For our setup, the generous dimensions of the King size were a perfect fit and a major selling point.

Material, Comfort & All-Season Versatility

The Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread is crafted from 100% cotton, and its performance reflects the best qualities of this natural fiber. It’s breathable and feels comfortable against the skin. Upon unboxing, some may find it a bit thin, especially if they are accustomed to plush, poly-filled comforters. One user admitted, “When I took the spread out from the packaging, I honestly thought I was going to return it. It seemed so thin… After washing it and placing it on my bed I fell in love.” Our experience was identical. The initial thinness is deceiving; it’s the key to its versatility.

During warmer nights, the bedspread provided the perfect amount of coverage without causing overheating. It’s the ideal single layer for summer. As the weather cooled, we simply added a flat sheet and a thin blanket underneath, and it was perfectly cozy for a heated home in winter. This confirms what another happy customer noted: “It’s a thin enough cover for those summer nights. But, not so thin that you can’t use it in the winter.” The fabric itself is not abrasive, but it doesn’t have the slippery softness of microfiber. It’s a crisp, textured cotton that softens noticeably after the first wash. This lightweight, breathable nature makes it an excellent choice for anyone seeking a single bedding solution that can adapt to every season with simple layering.

Care & Maintenance: Taming the Chenille Shed

Let’s address the elephant in the room: shedding. New cotton chenille sheds. There’s no getting around it. The negative feedback we saw centered almost exclusively on this trait. However, in our testing, we found it to be completely manageable with the right approach. Ignoring the issue and throwing it straight into the wash with other items is a mistake. The key, as several savvy users discovered, is the “pre-treatment” in the dryer.

Before ever introducing water, we put the new bedspread in our dryer on the “air fluff” (no heat) setting for 20 minutes. We paused halfway through to clean the lint trap, which was, as expected, completely full of sage-colored fluff. We repeated this process one more time. The amount of lint collected was substantial, but after this step, the subsequent shedding was minimal. When we did wash it for the first time—in cold water on a gentle cycle—the lint produced was comparable to a new set of towels. By tumble drying on low heat, we avoided any noticeable shrinkage. One user who did this three times reported it solved the fluff issue entirely. This isn’t a flaw in the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread; it’s an inherent characteristic of the fabric. With a small amount of upfront care, the shedding becomes a non-issue, leaving you with a beautiful, durable bedspread that washes well and doesn’t create excessive lint in the long run.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, the sentiment for the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread is overwhelmingly positive, with most praise directed at its unique aesthetic and nostalgic feel. One customer perfectly captured this feeling, stating, “It takes me back to my mother’s bed, wayyyyy bank into the 70’s & 80’s.” Many, like us, were delighted with the generous sizing, with one noting, “I have a high king size bed and the bedspread drapes nicely over the sides.”

The most common critical feedback revolves around two points: the thinness of the material and the initial shedding. One reviewer commented, “This isn’t even close to the chenille that I grew up around… it’s very cheaply made and very thin.” This highlights a key expectation gap; this is a modern, lightweight interpretation of vintage chenille, not a heavy, dense antique. However, many others saw the thinness as a positive feature for year-round use. The shedding was a frequent topic, but as another user wisely advised, “Intuitively, instead of washing it, I threw it into the dryer…all of the fluff came off in the lint catcher.” This confirms our findings that proper initial care is essential to enjoying this beautiful product.

How Does the Montgomery Ward Bedspread Compare to Alternatives?

While the Emily bedspread excels in its niche of modern-vintage style, it’s important to see how it stacks up against other popular options that offer different aesthetics and materials.

1. Home Collection Veronica Oversize Coverlet Bedspread Sage Green

Home Collection 3 Piece Over Size Embossed Solid Color Coverlet Bedspread New # Veronica (Sage...
  • 3pc bedspread over size
  • set includes : 1 bedspread oversize and pillow shams

The Home Collection Veronica coverlet is for the buyer who wants a clean, solid, and contemporary look. Made from microfiber, its key feature is the embossed geometric pattern, which adds texture without the shedding of chenille. It’s a true “wash and go” option. Compared to the Montgomery Ward bedspread, you sacrifice the natural feel of 100% cotton and the unique tufted floral design for ease of maintenance and a more modern, hotel-like appearance. This is a great alternative for someone who prioritizes low maintenance and a minimalist style over the textured, nostalgic charm of chenille.

2. MK Home Solid Embossed Bedspread King/California King

MK Home Mk Collection Solid Embossed Bedspread Bed Cover Over Size (Coffee/Dark Brown,...
  • 3pc King/Cal King Embossed Set
  • 1 Over Size Bedspread (118" x 106")

Similar to the Veronica, the MK Home bedspread is another excellent microfiber option. It focuses on providing an oversized, solid-color layer with a subtle embossed pattern. Its main advantages are its durability, resistance to wrinkles and fading, and hypoallergenic properties. If your primary concerns are finding a bedspread that can withstand heavy use (perhaps from pets or children) and requires minimal fuss, this is a strong contender. It offers a straightforward, functional elegance, but lacks the organic texture, breathability, and distinct personality of the Montgomery Ward cotton chenille bedspread.

3. MODERN HEIRLOOM Heather Embroidered Bedspread Queen Blue/White

MODERN HEIRLOOM Heather Embroidered Bedspread - Lightweight Breathable All Seasons Bedding, Queen,...
  • The Heather Bedspread will elevate your bedroom with class and simplicity. With blue floral motifs and delicate quilting, this...
  • 100% Cotton Face and Fill; 100% Polyester Back

The MODERN HEIRLOOM bedspread moves in a more traditional and formal direction. Instead of tufted chenille, its design element is intricate floral embroidery, creating a classic, almost heirloom-quality look. This product is for someone who wants detailed craftsmanship and a more refined, less rustic aesthetic than the Emily bedspread. While both feature floral motifs, the Heather’s embroidery is delicate and precise, whereas the Emily’s chenille is soft and textural. Choose this alternative if your decor leans more towards traditional elegance or classic country rather than the boho or cottagecore vibe of the Montgomery Ward piece.

The Final Verdict: Is the Montgomery Ward Emily Bedspread Right for You?

After extensive testing and analysis, we can confidently say that the Montgomery Ward Emily Floral Chenille King Bedspread is an exceptional piece for the right person. It’s for the style-conscious individual seeking to create a bedroom with personality, warmth, and a touch of nostalgic charm. Its 100% cotton construction offers wonderful breathability and all-season versatility, and its generous dimensions provide the luxurious, floor-grazing drape that defines a true bedspread. While its initial shedding requires a bit of upfront care, the result is a stunning, easy-to-maintain centerpiece that feels both timeless and fresh.

If you’re looking for a thick, plush comforter or a zero-maintenance polyester coverlet, this isn’t for you. But if you’re in love with its unique floral chenille texture and want a lightweight, breathable, and utterly beautiful bed covering, we wholeheartedly recommend it. It solved our long search for the perfect bedroom layer, and we believe it can do the same for you. To bring this blend of modern comfort and vintage style into your own home, you can check the latest price and color options available.

Last update on 2025-11-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API