Iron beds have always been a favorite with people in the tropics for a couple of very practical reason.
These beds are light and airy, not cumbersome like wooden or upholstered headboards. The tropics are warm and humid and these beds allow the breezes to pass through them. These beds also elevate the mattress from the floor and unwanted rodents and creepy crawly’s.
One of the major advantages of having a canopy bed is that they can be draped with mosquito netting at night to prevent the spread of malaria from mosquito bites while sleeping.
These beds were originally brought to the tropics from England as their exploring spread across the globe. Many of the antique iron beds still being used throughout the islands are ones from the 1800’s that were left there.
These beds are extremely collectible and most of the ones you find in the islands and B&B’s are reproductions and ones made to look more modern. But occasionally you’ll come across an authentic one. There’s no denying the character one of these old antique beds has, compared to the new reproductions.
