More than just a Bed
Over the last 45 years I have been commissioned to design and build many beds in various woods and styles. The bed seems to have the same priority to my clients as their front entryway or kitchen, meaning having that special bed and/or bedroom furniture is extremely important to them. The bedroom is a kind of sanctuary to many people and they want that room to be as beautiful, comfortable, and functional as the rest of their home.
The photo above is a great example of the bedroom as a sanctuary. One of my clients wanted her bed to be a part of her walk-in closet as the bedroom was very small and space was of the essence. I designed the bed to be a part of the entryway to her closet, the pillars being the focal point tying the bed and the closet together. The pillars also act as hidden end tables. Look very closely and you can see the outline of the rectangular doors that open to store an alarm clock, books, and anything else you might need by your bed. Again, a space-saving idea that works well in this design. This Neo-Classic style bed and the walk-in closet are made of the same types of woods and trim pieces, birds-eye-maple with wenge trim. I think they tie together quite nicely, and the overall effect is just what the client wanted.
On the other hand, another client relayed that hand-carving was the essential component she wanted in the design of her bed. The bed below is made of solid walnut with carving on the headboard of a forest with deer, and on the footboard an urn of wildflowers. This is a classic French style bed. It's very heavily carved, serene and quite beautiful.
This Japanese-inspired bed (below) made of solid lacewood has a simple carving of cherry blossoms and a little bird. Soft lighting is inset into the headboard. It's a calming design, one that works well in a bedroom.
The bed below is an example of a contemporary design. It's constructed of bua wood, a rare wood from Vietnam. Although the wood has an interesting natural pattern and grain to it, I hand-carved a tree branch and applied it to the headboard adding an additional, yet subtle, element to this bed.
I only have pictures of a fraction of the beds I have made over the years, usually forgetting my camera on the day of delivery. One of those beds that I don't have a picture of was made of solid teak with the headboard being a wave curved to fit the homeowner's back and the lighting concealed in the tip of the wave. I always regretted not getting a photo of that bed!
Many different styles of beds and bedroom furniture have been designed and built in my studio, from French to Italian to Arts and Crafts and everything in-between. I have done beds with and without carving, with or without canopies, with various headboard and footboard designs, in custom sizes, out of a dizzying array of woods. The possibilities are endless, especially if you want more than just a bed.
To see more photo's of beds I have made, go to the "Furniture" gallery on my website. The beds are on page 2 in that section.
