DIY Poster Bed Design Ideas

Back in the days, wealthy people would add their luxuriously carved canopy beds to the will, leaving their beloved dreamland to be enjoyed and admired by future generations. Now, we get to enjoy past examples and contribute our own designs to the history of this fascinating bed.
Wealthy or not, we all dream
First built as a functional furniture item, the canopy bed became the canvas for inspiring carvings and design interpretations in different upscale residences. From four poster beds with curtains that kept warmth in and noise out to ornate canopy beds of the wealthy, this fairly simple bed design has seen a revival in contemporary interior design.
Maybe you love the look of a canopy bed, but can't afford to buy new furniture. (Hey, beds are expensive). Or maybe you really like your current bed, but want to give it a bit of a romantic makeover. Here's an Apartment Therapy guide to DIYing your way to canopy bliss.

An easy way to get the canopy bed look is to hang curtains from an L-shaped drapery rod that's been mounted to the ceiling. In this case, the curtains can't be drawn around the bed, but you definitely get that romantic look. I love how, in this example from the Dream Home, the ceiling above the bed (and the wall behind the headboard) have been painted to contrast with the rest of the room. It creates a sort of optical illusion where the ceiling above the bed becomes the canopy.

Here are a few more variations on this look. The bed on the left has a full canopy frame hung from the ceiling. If you really crave the look of a full tester and curtains, this is a great way to get it without buying a canopy bed. The example on the right is similar to the one above, but in this case, the curtain rods that the drapes are hung from extends the full length of the bed, which allows you to draw the drapes closed if you want to get really cozy.

There's also the option of hanging curtains only over the head of the bed. I'm partial to the setup on the left because it only requires mounting a u-shaped rod on the wall above the bed. The arrangement on the right is a little more complicated, but with a big dramatic payoff.

From Better Homes and Gardens: drape a piece of fabric over two swing-arm curtain rods, mounted on either side of
You can mount a single hoop or curtain rod to the ceiling in the middle of your bed and drape fabric from it over the ends of your bed. This works best if the long side of your bed faces a wall, and if the headboard and foot board are roughly the same height.

The Antique Drapery Rod Co. has diagrams showing all kinds of different canopy arrangements, and the hardware you'll need to create them.

From Country Living, a clever idea for bedrooms with sloping ceilings.

And finally, a completely modern take on a canopy — a large piece of boldly-patterned fabric suspended over the bed. (If you look closely, you can see the fabric is hung from ropes threaded through grommets at the corners. I'm guessing the ropes are tied to hooks in the corners of the ceiling.) I love how the fabric adds a pop of color in an otherwise minimal room.

And now that you're full of ideas...time to get crafting.

With this in mind, we return to our reality. Now that summer is over and we hurry towards wintertime, outdoor canopy beds are put aside for an encounter with cozy canopy beds in the bedroom. Feathered beds used to be frameless bags filled with feathers that had to be fluffed every morning. Now we indulge in soft but sturdy mattresses with luxurious bed sheets under breezy canopies.