At first glance, a canopy bed always looks beautiful and stylish, with its posts on all four corners that extend high above the mattress. You can just imagine sinking into it at the end of the day and feeling like royalty!
But is a canopy bed something you should purchase? If you’re looking for a unique bed for your home or you’re keen on making your bedroom feel like a sanctuary, then canopy beds are a good idea. While you might think that they come standard, there are many different canopy bed variations to enjoy.
Let’s sink into the idea behind canopy beds and find out what’s so great about them, as well as take a look back into the history of this interesting bed design that has stood the test of time.
The History Of The Canopy Bed
It might surprise you to find out that the canopy bed goes back to the 14th century!
At that time, beds belonging to people with more status were already being made with curtains and canopies, but they weren’t like the full-blown four-poster beds with poles at all four corners that we see today.
That idea only started to form and become popular in the 15th century, as Old and Interesting reports.
The canopy bed was a bed for royalty, even back then. It wasn’t something that regular people slept on. But, although it was seen as a symbol of nobility, it offered many practical uses.
Noble people liked to sleep in canopy beds because they offered them greater privacy, and this was important because they used to sleep in the same room as their attendants for greater security. Usually this sleeping room was a large hall.
With their attendants getting up throughout the night for various tasks, this further led to the higher classes wanting greater privacy.
The curtains used for canopy beds started out by being hung from the ceiling. Over time, their design changed, with a frame being attached to the bed.
This was used to provide greater support for the canopy. Once castles were built for nobility, the purpose of canopy beds moved from ensuring greater privacy at night to having more warmth. The canopy bed curtains would help to maintain heat during the cold months. Castles can be cold!
Once the 16th century arrived, headboards became the focus of canopy bed designs and this also led to canopy beds in general being more decorative.
No longer just used for practical reasons, the nobility now relished in making their beds more artistic. A knight or lady’s bed was always something masterful to see, with stylish details such as feather mattresses and wood frames.
The frames themselves also underwent great change. Before canopy beds came about, greater privacy would be achieved by hanging curtains from the ceiling, as mentioned above.
But, as time passed and the beds evolved into stylish statement pieces, frames were added to the beds to support the canopy design and these were quite ornate. Curtains were then hung on this frame, and they were thick, opulent fabrics that turned the bed into a work of art.
Over time, the materials that were used to make canopy beds were improved to provide greater durability, and metal and iron frames were choices that not only spoke to artistic flair but also ensured greater longevity for the canopy bed.
The trend of canopy beds made such an impact that it continued to be fit for royals throughout history.
Louis XIV was reported to own 413 canopy beds, as Vogue reports, while Marie Antoinette was famously known as having a glorious canopy bed in which she slept.
Over time, the heavy curtains that were used in canopy bed designs became lighter fabrics. However, craftsmen would create dramatic and amazing designs that were so loved by nobility that they would lounge on their canopy beds in front of guests.
Perhaps that’s why Louis XIV had so many beds! It’s clear to see that, even in previous centuries, canopy beds were revered for how they turned one’s bedroom into a luxurious sanctuary.
Canopy Beds: Do They Still Have A Place Today?
While canopy beds were mainly loved for privacy and luxury in previous centuries, they still have a big place in today’s world – and they’ve certainly come a long way since being reserved for nobility.
While they do find their way into the bedrooms of the rich and famous, with Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga being just two celebrities who have canopy beds, these beds have become something trendy and affordable for the general public.
There are many different designs for canopy beds that can make bedrooms visually appealing as well as comfortable, not just for the master bedroom but for the guest room and even children’s bedrooms.
Tweaking The Canopy Bed For Current Times
Canopy beds have become much more versatile and unique. There are many ways to decorate them. Instead of covering up the frame of the canopy bed completely and with thick fabrics, as was common in previous eras, having a lighter, more open look is great to let in more light while still making the bed feel magnificent.
Using different materials and colors for the bed frame, such as copper or brass, is more in tune with our time. There are many different canopy bed frame designs to choose from. These include wrought-iron structures in round shapes instead of the traditional square poster bed style.
Another idea is to have a more artistic and unique frame. A highly creative example is to have a canopy bed frame that looks like tree branches and these meet a few feet above the bed, creating a sort of woodland fairytale. It’s clear to see the options for canopy beds are limitless!
Pros And Cons Of Canopy Beds
If you’re still not sure if a canopy bed is right for you, consider these pros and cons of getting one.
Pros
- If you have a large room, such as a master bedroom, a canopy bed will be perfect because it works most beautifully in a room with lots of space. Having windows that bring in lots of natural light also helps.
- Canopy beds are the statement piece of the room, and the more decorative the better when it comes to style.
- Canopy beds can help to regulate the temperature in your room. For example, if you’re feeling too warm, you can open the curtains. If you’re cold, you can keep them closed, which will also retain heat in the winter.
- A bonus is that keeping the curtains closed around your canopy bed can help to reduce noise and increase your privacy, just like it did for nobility during previous centuries!
Cons
- If you don’t have enough space between the canopy bed and your ceiling, the whole effect can be cramped instead of chic. Make sure you have at least a foot between the two.
- Canopy beds require a bit more cleaning than regular beds. This is the case because their top beams collect dust which needs to be cleaned away regularly. In addition to that, when you wash your bedding, you’ll also need to clean the canopy bed’s curtains.
- The room in which you’re going to be putting the canopy bed needs to have enough space for it – not just when it comes to the ceiling but around the bed for greater practicality. This isn’t always easy in a small apartment, although you can find creative solutions for this problem, such as by avoiding a bed frame that’s too large and decorative.
Related Questions
Do You Need A Headboard For Your Canopy Bed?
Although a headboard is traditionally part of a canopy bed, you can have a canopy bed without one, without losing out on the glamor of the bed.
For example, you could choose a canopy bed with a circular mount from which curtains hang instead of having a full curtained canopy.
Does A Canopy Bed Need To Have Some Kind Of Curtain?
A canopy bed can be beautiful without curtains. This opens up the space more, which is suitable for a smaller apartment.
When choosing against curtains, make sure the canopy bed frame is striking, such as by choosing a material like steel or brass, because it will always be on show.
Conclusion
The canopy bed is a timeless piece of furniture that will never go out of style.
Although its appearance has changed somewhat over the years, the canopy bed is still a bed design that’s beautiful while offering practical benefits. These include greater privacy.
Take a look at your apartment and see if you could switch your current bed for a canopy bed. Consider issues such as space as well as the design of the rest of the bedroom.
Who knows? A canopy bed might just be the perfect apartment makeover.
