Sometimes, as is the case in this photo, all that is needed is the hint of an iron bed to achieve the desired effect. Most people think a bed needs to be big and bold to have any effect……… couldn’t be farther from the truth. Although we actually raise the headboard on over 50 % of all the beds we sell, many people choose not to have them raised because of a low window they don’t want to hide or possibly a slanted roof that prohibits anything over a certain height. 
But the beauty of an metal bed that has a low headboard is that your “minds eye” tends to fill in what is hidden on the headboard, by looking at the exposed footboard. Because the design and pattern of a bed is the same on the head and footboard, if one is hidden and you see the other, you can imagine what is behind the pillows.
Also….. Many people want other things in the room to be more of a focal point than the bed is in others. In the room in this photo, it’s quite obvious the focal point is more directed toward the floral quilt, pillows and window treatment. The bed is more of just a utilitarian piece of furniture to house the mattress. The fact that a bench with decorative items like a pitcher with flowers, books etc, sets in front of the footboard lets us know an metal bed was strictly used for the simplistic country decor effect the designer was going for. The room is beautifully done and is a perfect example of what we say “less is more”.
The brass balls on this antique iron beds have been left in a dark patina to match the table lamp base. A good decorator/designer will always take into account small things like certain metals clashing with others in a room. Brightly polished brass on an old bed might be the only brass in the entire room, and end up sticking out like a sore thumb. The beauty of these beds, is that their finish can be altered to blend with whatever the setting or decor happens to be. An all white bed in this room would have bled away and not been noticed at all. But by letting the bed stay in it’s natural painted finish, it is able to be seen without having to be big and bold.
When it comes to “less is more” regarding these beds, it all depends on what you want to play up and focus attention on. I’ve found that nearly half of my customers want their beds to fade into the woodwork. The other half want their beds to be the most predominant piece of furniture in the room. From a decorators standpoint both are right.
Our beds enable you to achieve either effect.
I hope you’ve found this blog informative . I invite you to revisit my website
to answer any and all questions you might have about antique iron beds.
I also invite you to take a look at our company Face Book page for multiple photo albums on Custom Finishes, Canopy Conversions and a comprehensive “Before & After” King Conversions album.
