Sleigh Beds for This Century

"A sleigh bed has a certain weight to it: It's ornate, Empire-style, and dark, solid wood. Traditionally, the headboard is a backward-curving silhouette with a matching, curling footboard, ornate finials, and a regal height. In modern parlance, sleigh beds have adapted to something a bit less ornamented. Many brands have iterations that maintain the curved framework in ways less pronounced, like Arhaus and West Elm, who invert the old school curves."

"This piece would make for a grounding statement in a wallpapered bedroom if you're looking to move towards the maximalist styles dominating the designscape, or the focal point in a more pared-back space. The slight curve of the headboard gives it a comforting touch, almost like it's welcoming you in for a cuddle. Choose your upholstery from 22 fabrics and four textures: linen, chenille, boucle, and velvet."

"The clean lines and sleek joinery set this Lawson-Fenning design comfortably in the landscape of mid-century bedroom furniture, but not too literally. The woven texture creates a grounding and bohemian effect, while the palette and silhouette lean contemporary. We'd go with the Archer colorway here, pairing it with a neutral woven rug for a bohemian vibe, or a Turkish rug to warm up the understated colorway."

Sleigh beds began as ornate Empire-style pieces with backward-curving headboards, curling footboards, ornate finials, and regal height. Contemporary sleigh beds soften those historic elements, often using upholstery instead of heavy hardwood and reducing ornamentation while retaining a curved silhouette. Brands such as Arhaus and West Elm reinterpret the curves in subtler ways, and designers like Pierce & Ward and Lawson-Fenning produce upholstered versions that blend mid-century, bohemian, and romantic minimalism influences. Upholstery options span linen, chenille, boucle, and velvet, with colorways and textures chosen to anchor maximalist or pared-back bedrooms. Low-profile and high-footboard variants offer sculptural and elegant alternatives.

Read at www.architecturaldigest.com