How to Make a Bold Bed Statement With Just Fabric
In small studios, it’s common to hide or disguise a bed to save space. Stanley Lewis took another route. Instead of masking it, he opted to make it the centerpiece of his 500-square-foot studio. Rather than tucking it in the corner, he chose to celebrate it and make it the highlight of the room. There’s no expensive custom bed frame or headboard here, though. Most impressively, he did it all with just a mattress, a box spring, and fabric!
Stanley says the biggest challenge in his studio was always what to do with the bed. “I chose to celebrate it and make it grand with draperies mounted at the ceiling to mimic a draped bed,” he says. “The reality is that I only entertain close friends for cocktail parties, so I don’t care if they see my bed. If it’s a really big party, guests sit on the bed while they gossip.”
Stanley’s focus was to make the bed stylish and integral to the space. To start, he covered the unsightly box spring with a blue gingham bed skirt that complements the bed sheets. This is a fabric trick that could be used to disguise a cheap bed frame or hide under-bed storage, too!
Instead of clashing, the large gingham print pairs well with the red plaid pattern. The traditional patterns also add a ton of personality to his sleeping area, and showcase his appreciation for hand-crafted American goods and folk art.
To prevent the bed from looking one dimensional, he mixed and matched bed sheets, and opted for a textured coverlet and pillow shams from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. His bed is also layered with throw blankets and lots of pillows from sources like the Lexington Company. It’s really this layering of different patterns, textures and elements that gives the bed much more visual impact than just one quilt or duvet alone would do. Look how many throw pillows there are!
Finally, Stanley chose to forego using a headboard, and instead mounted gingham fabric to the ceiling. Just with fabric (and a curtain rod), an eye-catching visual statement is added to the bed composition. And it’s an affordable, temporary, easy-to-do DIY project.
The curtain headboard makes the bed seem much larger than it is and completes the traditional red, white, and blue theme. In addition, the makeshift headboard defines the boundaries of the bedroom space, which is important in a small studio space that lacks separate rooms.
All together, the various elements of Stanley’s comfy bed (the sheets, pillows, and makeshift headboard) tie the entire room together. It looks like an actual bed lives in the space, and best of all, the look is affordable, saves space, and looks stylish and timeless.