A bed built for kings and queens

“What do you think about the bed in this room?” Karen asked of the canopy bed as we entered the master bedroom of the house she and her husband recently purchased in Sea Pines.

The oceanfront retreat came furnished, but Karen plans to address much of the decor over the upcoming months and hired me to formulate a design scheme and help orchestrate the transformation.

“A canopy bed would not have been my first choice, but does it work in here? I am not sure my husband will go for it. What do you think?” she persisted.

The canopy bed in question was indeed beautiful. Although constructed of wrought iron, it had a delicate appearance with pencil-thin posts and spindles punctuated by medallion embellishments. In no way did it overpower the space or compete with the dramatic ocean view.

“Discuss it with him, because we can certainly move it to the second master,” I said. “But the wimpy headboard in here has got to go!”

Extravagant, decadent, stately

I have always had an affection for canopy beds. As an interior designer, I am always looking for that wow factor to weave into the decor of a room, and a canopy bed can certainly provide that.

Perhaps my enjoyment for these beds came from the sense of grandeur associated with them. They are, after all, considered the beds of kings and the king of beds. But despite their extravagant and decadent associations, canopy beds evolved for much more practical reasons.

In medieval times canopy beds with curtains provided warmth from the cold, and certainly extra privacy for lords and noblemen whose attendants often shared the same drafty room. Historically, from Tudor England to 17th-century China, heavily carved canopy beds were a status symbol and considered to be the most valuable piece of furniture in the house.

While the utilitarian need for canopy beds has long passed — maybe with the exception of mosquito netting used in tropical locales —the aesthetic appeal has not waned. Canopy beds can add a sense of mystery or a quality of delight, as well as provide architectural interest in a lackluster space. The styles and materials available today are so much more varied than the heavy oak Victorian versions with their ornate testers, or the mahogany rice-carved, canopy-topped four posters so prevalent here with traditional “Southern” decor.

Understated elegance

For Amy, a client who lives with her husband in Palmetto Dunes, I found an architectonic canopy bed for their master bedroom that complements the mid-century modern vibe she loves. It features a low profile footboard and a gently arched headboard upholstered in ivory leather surrounded by four gracefully tapered posts. These support slender iron rods that crisscross over the bed lifting a finial over the center. Understated elegance.

Similarly, clients Marsha and her husband were open to the idea of a canopy bed in the master bedroom in their new Colleton River home. Wanting to temper the strong traditional flavor of the interiors, we chose a sleek, modern, streamlined canopy bed. I specified a soft gray stain finish to enhance the wood, and a medium charcoal colored, tweedy, geometric quilted pattern fabric to cover the inset panels on the headboard, footboard, and side rails. This is a seriously chic and tailored bed evocative of fine menswear. Nothing frilly, “girly” or “princess” here.

So will the canopy bed Karen inherited make the cut and stay in the master bedroom? Or will it move downstairs to the guest suite? That verdict is still out. However, in either space the bed will be the centerpiece and offer a cozy, room-within-a-room feel conducive to hours of relaxing slumber.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 11:38 AM with the headline "A bed built for kings and queens."