The traditional four-poster beds are no longer seen today. Contemporary designing and interior decoration is all about clean lines and sleek looks. Today, less is more. However, that is because everyone is working towards efficient time-management and grandeur; though luxurious, it is indeed time-consuming.
Moreover, certain costs are to be bared, and consumers are reluctant to pay for anything in excess. However, for those who still believe that style comes with extravagance, four-poster beds are the ultimate choice to give your home that required loftiness. It is also known as canopy bed.
Built: The first beds of this kind were built for functionality and not for style. Four vertical columns rose from the four corners of the bed to support the tester, the rectangular panel parallel to the mattress. From it hung the drapes and curtains to prevent the occupants from strong sunlight and draughts. With time, that was no longer the need. In the sixteenth century, the four poster beds became popular for their grand look. The beds were usually made from oak wood. The larger the beds became, the more ornate did they become in design. Intricate carvings were done on the posters and the tester. In the royal households, they often included gold, silver and other precious jewels.
Modernization: With time, the tester was done away with; firstly, because hardly anyone needed to hang drapes or curtains round their beds, and secondly, because the beds became extra heavy, not to mention the extra price and extra maintenance required to keep so much of wood in good shape. This kind of bed is now only seen in the heritage buildings and heritage hotels, promising to give you a taste of royal living. For those who still prefer four posters, the tester is totally removed, and the posters are simple and without intricacies.
Showrooms: The best beds are made by The Four-Poster Bed Company, UK and The Leonards Antiques, New England, USA, making premium four-poster beds since 1933. They specialize in both wooden and metal ones. They have been in the business for a quite a few decades and have made furniture for some of the most prominent families in England and USA. Apart from them, good quality ones can only be found in the antique showrooms or curio shops, which sometimes have the headboards of some royal bed in their collection.
Undoubtedly, the design and the quality of the wood is superb to say the least and it is sure to burn a hole in your pocket, unless someone less appreciative is prepared to give it away.
