My Four Poster Bed – the Elephant in the Room!
My hubby and I tied the knot 20 years ago (on a Friday the 13th – a very lucky day)!
We put all of our wedding money towards new bedroom furniture from Ethan Allen.
No more sleeping on his full size bed with ugly boyhood headboard!
One thing I’m happy about is I had the sense 20 years ago not to buy a matching set of bedroom furniture.
There’s just one problem. My four poster bed is huge (I literally have to hop up to get into it – and I’m 5’7″). While it looked great in my last two bedrooms, it is literally a giant elephant sitting smack dab in the middle of my current bedroom.
Not to mention that my tastes are changing and I’m ready for an update so drum roll please … my new bed is being delivered this weekend!
I’ll be putting this bed on Craigslist and bidding it a fond farewell and hope it makes someone as happy as it did me for the past 20 years.
Decorating is definitely a journey and I don’t like buying everything at once (because half the fun is the hunt) so once I get the bed in place, I’ll figure out what kind of bedding, art, rug and furniture would look best and go from there.
I’m also a girl who loves symmetry so the fact that there is a window on only one side of my bed drives me to drink (more than usual). I’m trying to decide the best way to deal with that situation.
Brace yourself for the ugly shot!
A took this quick non-styled pic to show you the asymmetrical windows that are the bane of my existence and I need to take deep cleansing breaths when I look at it!
I have some ideas in mind but I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you would do to make that one lopsided window stop mocking me.
I’ll be sharing the details along the way – all the good, bad and ugly on my quest for the bedroom of my dreams!
I would move the bed more to the left if you can and ignore the window. Maybe you need slimmer night tables to do that. I would also consider soft curtain panels on the two windows. I think part of the problem is the hard linear lines that make the window mock your symmetrical soul! I am also a symmetry lover. One of my personal peeves is not facing window. Sepaareate issue, but I am always a little surprised that people on my street put their beds on the window wall and face in. I like to face the windows and see the trees and the street. A better view than facing my closet wall. Have fun with it. I’m need a tutorial on making a good bed. Maybe you can tackle that in a post once you design your new bed.
Great idea Jeanne – Unfortunately I can’t move the bed to the left because there is a door there to my closets and bathroom! I agree – I would never want to put the bed against the wall of windows! I actually did write a post on dressing a bed: http://eclecticallyvintage.com/2014/03/how-to-dress-a-bed-bedding-tips/
Move your new bed to the wall to the left. Turn the 2 window area into a viniette of something joyful, like a reading space or a small desk facing the windows, or a lovely dressing table area. Best to you. Grace
I should have included more pics Grace. I can’t move the bed to the left because that’s the entrance to a little hallway that leads to closets/bathroom. Thanks for chiming in!
I have a similar problem. The window wall is also the only wall (because I have to have the bed facing the door!). All the beds in my house face the door but the master is the only room with an odd window like yours. I agree with Jeanne about moving the bed to the left. I went smaller with my side tables and was able to center the bed better. The proportion with our king size bed isn’t great but my eye has quit going to that window. I also put long panels on the windows after 25 years of valances and that helped as well. Good Luck!
A very popular opinion to move the bed to the left but unfortunately i can’t because it would block the entrance to a small hall that leads to my closets/bathroom! Thanks for chiming in!
I would be tempted to hang a long mirror above that side table to mimic the shape of the windows so that it creates an illusion of symmetry.
I also love symmetry & find that things look ‘off centre’ if they aren’t symmetrical. Look forward to the new reveal with the new bed.
I thought about that Dee – great minds think alike!
How about angling the bed – now that you won’t have the four poster – in front of the windows and let them frame the bed? That’s the only wall in our house that will work for the bed. We thought it was awkward at first…and now we love it!
My thoughts exactly.
Interesting thought but I can’t angle the bed. The room is small and I would have no room for my dresser! Thanks for chiming in!!
i would hang a curtain the entire way across that wall, as if it was a wall of windows. we have one small window behind our bed, and i hung curtains super wide to make it appear that the window takes up much more space and isn’t an awkward little guy.
Thanks Cassie! I thought about that but not sure I want all that fabric. This is why I’ve been living with it like this for 7 years – I can’t make up my mind! Well, the new bed is step one at least!! Thanks for your input
Congratulations on 20 years. I too am a Friday the 13th bride and we will be celebrating 30 years this year 🙂 You have some great readers and totally agreed with the reader that suggested a mirror to mimic the window. Why don’t architects plan for symmetry?! Can’t wait to see new bed and your solution.
Thanks Gwen and congrats on 30 years! The 13th is obviously very lucky for us (or should I say our hubbies)! I do like the mirror idea. This wasn’t a bedroom when we bought the house. We knocked down walls and make it into one – adding closets and a bathroom. Maybe I should have added a window then! Hind site!
Hey girls, I was born on Friday the 13th and what a blessing for me! Love you married on Friday 13th. I should have worked that out too. And… my husband and I sleep in a full size antique bed (custom made of walnut for my husband’s parents many years ago) and have for over 10 years and love it! We’ve been married over 40 years. Our guest room is also an antique full size bed, a wedding gift from my parents.
Lucky you to be able to use that bed! Our marriage almost ended before it began as I thrashed around and my hubby was kicked onto an inch of bed clinging for dear life! The king size bed saved our marriage!!
I agree with the comments that suggest moving the bed to the left. Try to center more on the wall disregarding the window. even a move of a couple of feet would help. Then if you could fit something slim by the windows for a sitting area it would create two separate spaces and keep the window from affecting the bed so. A lack of symmetry can sometimes make a room more interesting. I used to have a big four poster bed also and like you, my tastes changed and I gave it away. Looking forward to seeing your new look!
Thanks Sue – unfortunately I can’t move the bed to the left because it would block the small hallway leading to my closets/bathroom! Sob! Thanks for your input!
Have you considered a Trompe Loile (not sure about the spelling!), to mimic the window? You could use mirror glass cut to the same shape and even apply moulding to surround them. I have an old (pre 17th century manor house which has been added and altered many times. Some features are amazing and some just need some creative decorating. Good Luck!
I have no doubt it will be beautiful Kelly! BTW, any chance you’ll be letting that capiz chandy go? I’m interested if ever! 😉
Oh I feel your pain. There are just some things that keep us challenged. (I would drink too.)
It’s probably been suggested, but I immediately envisioned a white mirror mimicking the window. Gives you framing, depth etc. best of luck!
Oh my that would put my OCD into over drive. I know you have mentioned a door leading the bathroom but what if you make it a sliding door of some kind then you wouldn’t have to worry about it when it was opened and you could either angel the bed or center it more on the wall. You may have to lose the night stand or think about ditching your dresser and putting the bed on a different wall. Good Luck!
I love your bed. Too bad I don’t live near you, I’d buy it in a heartbeat! 😉
That would be perfect Kim!
love love your new bed!!! i have one to mine is made of Amish oak an the post are huge round !! i also have a new puppy he is a red/white boston terrier his name is sweet Jesse now i have three boston terriers , i know im crazy !!!!
I just puchased a new house and my bedroom has windows just as yours so going to have a weird bed arrangement , not moved in yet have some updates, any sugesstions for plain old birch kitchen cabinets??????
Congrats on your new home Deborah! Enjoy it – if you don’t like the birch cabinets you can always paint them or add some fun hardware
Hi Kelly. Back in the days when I had a window treatment workroom, I saw this exact “problem” many times while working with the designers that I did work for. Their solution, almost always, was to hang a window paned mirror, that was the same size as the window, in the place that they wanted the window to be. Sometimes they found a ready made one – other times they had to make one. And sometimes they put a matching window treatment on the new “window” and sometimes they didn’t. It might sound a bit hokey, but I was always totally amazed at the result!
Who knew so many people had this problem Suzy! Maybe we need a non symmetrical window support group! I like the idea – but don’t want to bother with that expense. I just want a magical fairy to come in and fix my problem and let me go to sleep!
I love the mirror idea ~ and it would bounce light throughout the room, making it look bigger ~
All the best luck!
Agree Bobbie – thanks for chiming in!
Kelly: I am a long time reader of your blog and enjoy it much. I agree with Suzy for the mirror idea. If you can find shutters (new or vintage) you could also use that (in the corner or close to it) and then use full length shutters at the real windows. I would keep it simple as far as fabric goes (maybe you won’t need anything). Do not angle the bed…then it will surely be the “elephant” in the room. I am anxious to see your new bed…I also have an Ethan Alllen four poster with the flat canopy and love it! If you visit my blog you can se my bed in the newest post…which is really an old one…but that is another story. LOL Hugs xo
Hi Joy – thanks for your input! I have thought about using a mirror and love the idea of it reflecting light around the room. I won’t and can’t angle the bed – there is no room for that in this small space!
You could find a cute old door to stand up/hang up on the wall behind your bedside table and that would mimic the height and shape of the window.
This may be a much more expensive option but you seem tight on room… How abour instead of adding something to fix the issue… You remove the window. Either…. Remove it completely OR have a tradesmen remove the trim etc (Keep it tho) and drywall accross. Window would gone from the room but still on the outside. You still have plenty of windows and could do a light window treatment.
I actually considered that too Lanne but I don’t want the expense. Thanks so much for your input!!
Great idea Ky!
build and paint a white window frame, same as actual window…back with white poster board or painted light weight ply wood. add blinds…just like the one you have. Tack to wall. You can even add light box to your new window…but I would not. dress your night stands and NO ONE will notice!!!!
Im a libra…I know what it feels like to not have symmetry! (but I dont need matching furniture)
do not remove the window you have and lose that natural light!!!
Good luck!
Dana
I actually thought about that Dana but I don’t want to pay that much! Thanks for the suggestion!!
Since you can’t move your bed, I would put long drapes on both windows and treat them as one window. At one time you could get curtain rods that turned the corner. If you treat them as one window they will both look the same size.
thanks for chiming in Sheryl! The windows parallel to the bed is actually an entire wall of windows!