After a long and hard day, whether at work or home, running the chores, nothing beats the feeling of kicking off your shoes and falling onto your bed with arms outstretched. Like everyone else, you want a beautiful bedroom. So, to make your bedroom look pleasant and relaxing, you need to get some things right.
Your bed should be the bedroom’s focal point, so how it looks can make a massive difference to the space. As your bed should be the centerpiece of your bedroom, it is always the first thing everyone’s eyes are drawn to as they enter the area.
But this is where things get a bit tricky, though, as there’s an endless number of types of bed and bed frames. It can get confusing as to which one will suit your bedroom best. So, let’s look at the different bed frames available and where they work.
Choosing a bed frame – how important is it?
For someone not experienced in furnishing a room, the importance given to a bed frame might seem somewhat unwarranted. After all, it’s just a bed frame, and it’s not usually seen or noticed, right? Doesn’t the color of the wall or the lighting play a more critical role in making the bedroom look attractive? Well, yes, and also, no.
If you don’t give attention to the bed frame and make everything else look more fanciful, the bed frame will still catch your guests’ attention. However, in this case, it would serve to underwhelm them as everything else in the bedroom would succeed in looks. But if you were only to get a good-looking bed frame and don’t mind everything else, it would overshadow the rest of the furniture. In other words, you cannot unbalance furniture. So therefore, you should strike an equal balance between everything.
Bed frames come in various materials and styles, from simple wood to metal to upholstered options. They are also available in different sizes. So, before choosing a bed frame, decide what size your bed will be. For example, simple framed single beds in a corner can make do with plain frames, as they’re not meant to take up too much space in the bedroom. For a queen-size or king-size double bed, you might want to consider a bed frame with a touch of style.
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Panel bed frames
One distinguishable feature of panel bed frames is the tall headboards, which serve as the eye-catching part of the bed. Panel bed frames can be made of paneled or patterned wood or upholstered with elegant designs made on their surfaces with shiny studs and other trinkets. Your choice of the headboard should also factor in how you plan to rest your back against the headboard (e.g., for how long, with or without a pillow) and if the rest of your bedroom features elegant furniture pieces or more puffed-out variants.
Platform bed frames
Platforms are the most basic bed frames, offering a solid surface on which to put your mattress. They’re similar to the panel type, only without the high headboard. Because of their solid surface to place your mattress on, it eliminates the need for box springs. Platform bed frames may be made of wood or metal and go well with simple headboards and minimalistic supporting legs. Some platform bed frames have padded headboards or provide attachment points for your own headboards or footboards.
Murphy bed frames
Also known as a wall bed frame, a Murphy bed frame mounts to the wall and features a folding structure that allows the user to raise and lower the mattress as needed. The primary purpose of the bed’s folding mechanism is to save space and allow more room for cleaning and other activities. Murphy beds are a practical solution for small bedrooms, but it is not unusual for someone to own a large Murphy bed in an already large bedroom. Perhaps it’s the aesthetic aspect of the bed that appeals to some people.
Trundle bed frames
Trundle bed frames are great for people who love to invite friends and guests to their homes and allow them to stay there overnight. These bed frames have a secondary bed frame pulled out when needed and pushed back underneath when not in use, saving a lot of space in the room.
The adaptable nature of trundle bed frames makes them ideal for guest rooms or other areas where a second bed may be needed at a moment’s notice. However, these secondary beds are usually smaller and lower to the ground, making them a better choice for children in the form of friends, neighbors, or cousins. The secondary bed frames usually have low-profile mattresses with no box springs.
Sleigh bed frames
Sleigh beds cannot be grouped into one type, and attempting to explain their design is complicated without omitting most designs in the market. While they come in various styles, sleigh beds have one thing in common – the headboard and footboard are almost always curved in some way, pretty much like the curved body of a sleigh. Sleigh beds are traditionally made of wood, but nowadays, they are available in other materials, such as metal. Sleigh beds are suitable for spacious bedrooms with a lot of traditional wooden furniture and usually dark tones.
Poster bed frames
A four-poster bed can be a dramatic option if you want to make your bed a real centerpiece in your bedroom. It’s not so surprising that this type of bed has been called “the bed of kings, and the king of beds.” The most common underlying factor of poster bed frames is the four poles rising from each corner of the bed. There are four different styles of poster bed frames:
- Four-poster bed frame – It is the most commonly known poster bed frame. Each of its four poles is of equal length that rises up and can support a canopy and drapes around the bed.
- Low poster bed frame – The poles are much shorter than other poster beds frames, but they still end up with equal height. However, they cannot support drapes or a canopy.
- Pencil poster bed frame – The pencil poster bed frame has tall and usually tapered poles of equal length. Some pencil poster bed frames have a stylish tip at the top and carvings that accompany their designs.
- Half-poster bed frame – This type of poster bed frame usually features headboard’s poles twice the length of the footboard’s poles. However, designs with low headboard poles and negligible footboard poles are also common.
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Divan bed frames
Divan beds should suit your lifestyle if you’re all about saving space and extra storage at the same time. This type of bed is chiefly known for its drawers concealed underneath it. The drawers are pulled out when needed and tucked away neatly when not in use. Divan beds work like trundle beds because both have a “pull-out” secondary function underneath. But unlike trundle beds, which feature slats for holding the secondary bed frame and its mattress, divan beds have a solid bed base with a hollow interior that typically provides a space for drawers. Some beds even combine divan and trundle features.
Canopy bed frames
Canopy bed frames share some similarities with a four-poster bed. However, canopy beds tend to have all four poles connected, forming a canopy. Canopy beds are available in traditional and modern designs that fit any bedroom style.
Futon bed frames
Futon is a Japanese quilted mattress usually placed on the floor for use as a bed. The Westernized version of futons consists of a very simple and very low frame to support the mattress a few inches above the ground. Though not very common, futon beds serve their purpose and appeal to some people who find sleeping close to the floor a lot more comforting. Many futon beds can be converted into a couch and are popular among people who want to save a lot of space.
Bunk bed frames
Also known as double-decker beds, bunk beds are more familiar in children’s rooms, dorms, and hostels. Bunk beds are excellent for those who want to utilize vertical space in a bedroom and are used mainly by siblings sharing the same room. In addition to simple and basic bunk beds, there are also bunk beds with stylish designs.
Loft bunk bed frames
The “grown-up” version of the bunk bed or double-decker bed, loft bunk bed frames are ideal for people living alone in studio apartments and other small-space dwellings. This type of bed consists of the top bunk portion of the bed, usually complete with a ladder, and the lower bunk of the bed having been used as something else instead of another bed, usually a work desk or study desk. Loft bunk bed frames usually come with built-in shelves. This type of bed allows a portion of the room to be utilized for both work or study and sleep, freeing up a considerable space of small rooms and dwellings.
Storage bed frames
For those who are into minimalist living and hate clutter, storage bed frames allow you to store your items out of sight. These beds take trundle beds one step further. Instead of a limited amount of space under the bed being utilized for storage in the form of drawers, the entire portion beneath the mattress is used. The mattress must be lifted to have access to the storage. These beds provide you with much more storage space and also get rid of the edges that drawers inevitably display.
Water beds
Although not a frame by itself, it would be nonetheless remiss if we didn’t mention water beds as an option. Water beds weren’t only used on TV to entice us as kids but are actually available on the market. Although not much common compared to other beds, water beds are an excellent option for those who tend to toss and turn all night long. Water beds were originally used for therapy because they conform to the shape of the sleeper’s body. However, they’re now considered luxury items.
TV bed frames
If water beds aren’t enough to satisfy your craving for luxury, maybe a TV bed is what you need. TV bed frames usually come with a very large footboard where the TV is tucked inside when not in use. The TV can be raised by the push of the button. There are various frames offering different storage options for DVD or Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, remote controls, and cables.
Adjustable bed frames
If your idea of a luxury bed is less about embedded TVs and more about comfort and versatility, perhaps adjustable beds will suit your taste. Much like the water bed, adjustable bed frames were originally designed for therapy, usually to address chronic neck or back pains. However, these beds’ designs have been adapted by other people due to the level of comfort they provide. Simply put, you can adjust your bed in various ways, from raising your head or feet to creating a wave-like surface to help your troubled back.
Modern bed frames
Modern bed frames have exploded in popularity in recent years. One reason why modern bed frames are much favored nowadays is that nothing is overdone. There are no lavish headboards or complex folding mechanisms. There are no poles, canopies, drapes, ladders, or anything. The frames are simple but sleek and elegant, which is where the modern beds’ appeal lies.
Wrought bed frames
Wrought bed frames consist of hard metal footboards and headboards of thinly wrought steel. These aren’t exceptionally comfortable if resting against the headboard is something you want to do. Nonetheless, wrought bed frames have their place and appeal to many people.
Bookcase bed frames
Perfect for people whose day isn’t complete without turning and reading the pages of their favorite books, the bookcase bed frames incorporate bookshelves inside the headboards. As expected, the headboard is much thicker than that of ordinary beds as they feature bookshelves. These beds are perfect to come home to for bookworms, and are another creative way of storing books.
Conclusion
Here are some of the various types of bed frames. If you’re still deciding which beds to buy, consider these factors: your bedroom space, your needs, your design preferences, and your budget. Get the bed that appeals to you, then style your bedroom around it.