A Guide to Four Poster Beds
If you were to ask me what I love most about my job as director of product procurement at Cuckooland (aside from travelling the world to source amazing kids beds, admiring the most picturesque view from my desk… and being able to take my dog, Barkley, to work, although I’m not sure the rest of the team appreciate his slobbering affections!), the answer would be; helping parents choose which bed they should buy for their kids bedroom. As there are so many options to consider, it’s a delight to be able to guide parents through the murky waters of the decision process – I also love throwing in the odd curve ball to get parents thinking outside the box! Four poster beds aren’t the obvious choice for a kid’s bedroom and often aren’t even given a thought – I think they fall into the marmite pot, you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. Personally, I love them – so much so that I’m going to share with you my guide to Four Poster Beds.
What is a Four Poster Bed?
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out, the clue is in the name! A Four Poster Bed is quite simply a bed with four vertical columns, one in each corner, that support either an upper panel or frame.
The origin of the four poster bed dates back to the 16th Century, where they were developed mainly for practical reasons. Unlike our centrally heated, uber warm and toasty homes of today, our poor ancestors had to put up with cold and draughty rooms. Four poster beds offered a warmer sleeping environment as the curtains could be drawn at night, keeping the occupant snug all night long. I love the thought of that.
Often colossal in size and pretty imposing, you’d also need a room the size of the Serengeti to fit such a bed – thus making four poster beds more suited to the wealthy aristocrats (not aristocats, that being said I’m certain that Sushi, our slightly snobby British Shorthair wouldn’t turn up her nose at sleeping in the warm den of an enclosed four poster bed all night!).
Swiftly moving into the 21st Century… perhaps I should have clarified that I’m a fan of MODERN four poster beds (don’t want you thinking I don a nightgown and candle and draw the frilly curtains at bedtime!). Modern four poster beds are more simplistic than their ancient counterparts, forget the heavily adorned, chunky dark wooden varieties – modern four poster beds are sleek, minimalist, designer beds that look uber cool when adorned with lights or fabric drapery. But of course it’s not just about looks – when it comes to buying a child’s bed, most parents are looking for a bed that offers durability, practicality and longevity, so let’s take a look at whether a four poster bed would be a suitable choice for your child…
Are Four Poster Beds suitable for Children?
Thankfully, designs are now much less imposing and many four poster beds are available in a single bed size, making them a great option for a kids bed.
Due to the design of a four poster bed, they can provide a brilliant canvas for creating a themed kids bedroom. They offer the ideal frame to weave fairy lights and pom-poms, cover it in a sheer drape creating a dreamy sanctuary fit for a princess – or a camouflage tent transforms it into a hideaway den… you name it, you really can create it with a four poster bed.
You could even consider buying a Four Poster Bed as a your child’s first bed – thanks to the thoughtful designers at Mathy By Bols, their Discovery Canopy Bed is designed to embrace the Montessori method of encouraging independent learning, being low to the ground so that children can explore their own surroundings. This very clever bed is also adaptable, with the addition of conversion kits and can be turned into a bunk bed if required.
Aside from making your little folk feel like a prince or princess, four poster beds can bring an element of fun to any kids bedroom and will create a real statement in the room.
What size are Four Poster Beds?
Considering that the majority of family homes don’t boast gigantic bedrooms, bed size is generally an important consideration when buying a kids bed. As I’ve mentioned, thankfully four poster beds aren’t all the imposing room dominators that they used to be, designs have been tweaked and honed to be more suitable to modern homes.
Many Four Poster beds are available in the following sizes:
- Single UK 90cm x 190cm
- Single EU 90cm x 200cm
- Small Double 120cm x 200cm
- Double UK 135cm x 190cm
- Double EU 140cm x 200cm
- King UK 150cm x 200cm
- King EU 160 x 200cm
Don’t forget you’ll need to factor in the height of the bed as well (you’d be surprised how many times this is overlooked!), so always make sure that you measure the height of the room and check this against the dimensions of the bed.
Parents often ask whether they also need to replace their child’s mattress when they are buying a new bed. If you’re unsure, take a look at my article which covers the all-important question – does my child need a new mattress.
Four Poster Beds with Storage
Using every possible millimetre of space available is top of the parent priority list when buying a new kid’s bed. Kids need storage and lots of it! Well once again, thanks to the forward-thinking designers of modern four poster beds, they’ve covered every angle! Whether you opt for a four poster bed with trundle or go all out for the super duper Vox 4 You 4 Poster Bed (now you’re talking… this is where my heart literally explodes with love for all things four & poster!) there are plenty of four poster beds with storage to choose from.
There are even ranges whereby you can buy matching storage furniture, cuckooland.com have a couple of brilliant options; both the Amori Kids Four Poster Bed and the
Vox 4 You Single 4 Poster Bed have complimentary bedroom furniture.
How to assemble a Four Poster Bed
Assembling a four poster bed may seem like a daunting task, even for the accomplished DIYer – however rest assured that step by step assembly instructions are always provided. I would recommend that assembly is carried out by 2 responsible adults… with at least one of you being a dab hand with a power tool! Have plenty of tea on hand (so keep the champagne on ice until afterwards), a sense of humour and a little patience!
If DIY sends you into a panic, then you could consider a professional installation service, cuckooland.com offer this with many of their kids beds, or you can search verified websites such as Task Rabbit to find a local professional assembly person.
So, this is my little curve ball! If you’ve not already considered buying a four poster bed for your child’s bedroom, perhaps you should! They bring a real focal point to the room and that may just be the WOW factor you’ve been looking for!
I’m off to lather my toast in marmite and to try stop Barkley from pinching wrappers out of the teams bins! Until next time!
