Antique Poster Beds & Canopy Beds

When it comes to historically-inspired beds, there are plenty of options available. Some popular choices include poster beds and canopy-style beds. Antique poster beds bring an extremely elegant touch to any room. Poster beds are also available in many styles. You can find everything from simple editions to extremely carved options. Back in the day, the carved part of these beds contained the family insignia or certain status symbols. For example, the pineapple poster beds were extremely popular options for guest rooms in the South. For southerners, the pineapple-style poster bed was equal to luxury and hospitality. Then, the antique-style rice beds commonly had a depiction of rice paddies on the post of the bed. Rice plantations were a symbol of wealth and well-being in the South, hence the depiction of the paddies symbolically.

Historically-inspired beds add a beautiful theme to any home. These beds feature tall posts which look lavish and imposing while making the entire space actually look taller and creating the sensation of more space. Then, the canopy-style beds add a more feminine touch to any bedroom. These types of beds were popular throughout the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th centuries. The canopy bed is basically an extension of a four-poster-style bed. The posts of the bed are connected with a frame along the top part of the bed. These wooden frames were then decorated with all sorts of draperies that could be opened and closed – creating a space of intimacy and an environment for a restful sleep. Besides, these canopies also protected against drafts, gave protection from insects and rodents, and added more warmth during the winter months.

In Europe, the tradition of canopy beds was taken extremely seriously. The beds were decorated with colorful and beautiful tapestries and silk materials. The wealthiest of the era always opted to decorate their beds with the most lavish details and use fabrics from overseas. Crocheted style canopies were quite common in America during the Colonial periods, and obviously, these crocheted materials were much cheaper than hand-painted silk or a French tapestry.