Canopy Beds: Something Beautiful to Lie Over You
By Rebecca Naylor
Add romance to your bedroom décor with a beautiful and luxurious canopy bed. If you don’t already own one, don’t worry - you do NOT need to buy a fancy four-poster frame. There are several methods you can use to create the feel of a canopy, each of which has a slightly different look. Make sure you read the whole article before you start, as the length of your material depends on what additions you decide to make.
1. Curtain rods - don’t worry – you won’t see them. Attach two to the ceiling, one on each side of the bed. As another option, you can add two more, one at each end of the bed, perpendicular to the two original rods. This alternative involves more work - or more expense - depending on how handy you are with a needle because it requires curtains in tab-top, pinch-pleated, tie-top, or gathered panel styles.
2. Crown canopy or coronet - sounds and looks elegant. It requires a half-circle of ¾” plywood that will go around the top of your bed, so when you lie down, what you will see is the circle around your head and a wide opening about at your chest, near the ceiling. The plywood can be attached directly to the ceiling or can “float” using L-brackets that are attached to the wall. You will require paneled fabric to hang from the wood.
3. Metal or wooden rings:
a. One ring: Place it overtop of the head of your bed. Using one long
piece of fabric that reaches the ground on both sides, spread the cloth out
or drape it over your headboard
b. Two rings: Mount one ring on each side of the head of the bed and pull the material through both rings, allowing it to droop, or swag in the middle.
c. Four rings: One ring at each corner of the bed. This one requires four
pieces of fabric. Two of them will go lengthwise over the bed and the other
two will be draped width-wise. This means each ring will have two pieces of
cloth passing through the hole. This option gives a full canopy covering to
your bed. Ensure that the cloth touches the floor at each side.
Fabrics that are normally used include silk, velvet, chintz, and tapestry.
However, you are not limited to these. If you would prefer a more country or
informal look select gingham, muslin, calico, or even lace.
More Ideas for Original Canopy Beds
If you’re using metal or wooden rings, you can have several different
lengths of cloth to alternate and change the appearance of the canopy by
season or mood. You can even choose fabrics that match the sheets! The
length of canopy is up to you. For easy cleaning, have the fabric just touch
the floor or hang an inch above it. If you want a more classic, traditional
look, allow 4 inches past the floor so that it has a “pooling” affect.
Tiebacks: these can add elegance to any canopy arrangement. They also pull fabric up off the floor – so ensure there is extra cloth when using tiebacks. Examples include twisted cord, ribbons, and artistically fashioned beads.
Trim: coordinate with the tiebacks. These add color, texture, and body.
Lining: add fabric to the back of each panel in a matching print or solid color since it will be visible if you swag the material. This additional material adds to the body of the canopy and makes it more durable.
The amount of work that you put in will reflect how attractive your original DIY canopy bed appears, but it may also be deceptive since some of the styles require minimal work. Good luck!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Naylor
