How To Make A Canopy Bed 🏰 [12 Simple Tips]

The following DIY guide will show you how to build a simple yet elegant canopy bed.

Why? Because canopy beds are ancient, you can do lots of things with them! They used to be a symbol of status. Canopy beds served as little thrones for aristocrats in the past. The nobility used to conduct their critical meetings as they’re relaxing on their canopy beds.

Canopy beds provided a level of comfort that launched a revolution. Imagine being a peasant sleeping on the floor while your roof is falling on your head. Your rulers sleep on feathers and horsehair in beds with roofs.

Anyways, this is a DIY guide, not a history lesson.

So, let’s help you make your bed throne and give yourself the royal treatment without the angry mob. Because let’s face it, you won’t get to sleep in a canopy bed unless you can afford a 7-star suite in some international hotel.

In this post, we'll cover:

Design Your Canopy Bed

First of all, you need to design your canopy bed. Your design should guide you through the process and serve as a reference.

Rogue Engineer provided an excellent resource for designing and building a king-size and children’s canopy bed. Look at it for inspiration.

Your design should contain the dimensions of your canopy bed. Furthermore, you must include the dimensions of each piece, the assembly steps, and the finishing.

Best Materials For Building Canopy Bed

Some homeowners use walnut, acacia, or oak woods in building their canopy beds. The good news is that wood materials provide a wide range that fits all budgets. Some woods suit every style.

Anyways, the material you choose will play a big part in the total cost of the bed. Since you’re taking the DIY route, you’ll be investing your time and effort more. Materials will be the most expensive part.

Consider your options and know how the finished canopy bed will look.

Other than wood, you can consider metal. It’s much more durable than wood. Metal sheets are becoming more accessible, and you can find affordable options.

When you want quick and cheap material, consider using pine. It’s affordable and durable enough. But consider supplementing it with stronger woods like cedar.

Don’t forget that you’ll need strong support for the canopy, curtains, and additional accessories.

Tools Needed To Build A Canopy Bed

You’ll need the same tools you’d need for a typical DIY project. So Much Better With Age summed DIY tools in this beautiful blog post. The list contains tools like a hammer, tape measure, screwdrivers, ratchet screwdriver, and more.

In addition to these tools, you’ll need hinges, painting brushes, clamps, drills, and saws.

Why A Platform Is Important For Your Canopy Bed

One of the main features of the classic canopy bed is it has more height than regular beds. After all, it was the bed of royalty.

A modern canopy bed doesn’t have to be too high above the floor. However, if you’re going for a traditionalist style while remaining authentic, consider a platform for your canopy bed.

Ten inches above the floor for your platform will create a stunning effect and give your canopy bed a distinct presence.

Another optional feature is making use of the space by adding drawers or storage units. It’s understandable if you don’t want to add storage drawers in the headboard and footboard areas. They add more functionality, though.

Assembling Your Canopy Bed For Durability

When cutting and assembling your canopy bed according to the design, you shouldn’t face any problems.

You’ll need two sides, a headboard, and a footboard. Of course, you want to cut and assemble the poles at the corners of the bed.

You’ll want to have a roof for your canopy bed. Without a roof, you just have a four-poster bed, which is another type of canopy bed.

Assembling the roof is super easy. You can cut two boards and connect them diagonally to create a canopy. You can reimagine it and put it together in your favorite style.

Later, you can use the roof to hang curtains, lighting, or other accessories. It’s the “canopy” part of the “canopy bed.”

Painting Your Canopy Bed and Adding Your Personal Touch

Depending on the materials you use and assembly steps, you’ll need to paint your canopy bed. Furthermore, this step will be at different stages of building your canopy bed.

At any rate, you’ll need to laminate or coat your canopy bed for water-proofing, giving it a shiny look and finishing.

Before painting, you want to make sure the pieces are clean. You may want to sand, oil, or wipe them.

Installing Your Canopy Bed the Right Way

At the final stage of assembly, you should position your platform to install the bed. Then, you add the pieces together.

A common mistake people make is installing a canopy bed next to the wall to create extra space. Shea, who’s the star of the Netflix show Dream Home Makeover, recommends that you place furniture away from the wall to make it cozy and intimate.

Some Ideas For the Canopy

Adding a canopy to your bed brings more warmth, detail, and vibe. You can paint it with a different color to create contrast.

The original purpose of the canopy was to protect the sleepers from objects falling from the ceiling. That’s not the case today, and the canopy is more of a decorative piece.

There are no limits to what a canopy should look like. You have the freedom to use whatever objects you want to build your canopy.

Want some ideas?

Try installing pom-pom garlands at the center of your canopy. You can attach them directly to your frame or hang them from the ceiling.

You can also use cover, clothes, curtains at the top of the canopy bed to create a roof-like structure.

You can even install a vanity mirror to the uppermost part of the bed.

Hang small bulbs if you like reading in bed. Maybe you can hang a crystal ball or a large dream catcher if you’re spiritual.

There are no rules when it comes to designing your canopy as long as it’s safe, comfortable, and blends in well with the rest of your bedroom. You can experiment with any materials, objects, or forms.

Canopy Bed Fabrics for the Best Outcome

Natural lining fabric is much more subtle than plain sheers for canopy bed curtains. They’re thick and interesting. Furthermore, they make the canopy bed look more stylish. With their bright colors, they add more brightness to your canopy bed. They allow the light to enter while enhancing privacy.

Finding the right fabrics for your bed should be easy. Plus, they’ll be easier to incorporate into your canopy bed frame.

Original canopy beds came with curtains to protect against the cold drift and enhance privacy. Today, most canopy beds don’t come with curtains. They may have become absolute, but they remain a nice addition to your canopy bed. You can install removable curtains, so you can add or remove them as you see fit.

As for bedding fabrics, you can experiment with flannel, sateen, and percale.

The textile of your pillows is a quick win to add more swag to your canopy bed. Patterns are also trending in 2021. According to the Interior Design Academy, complex patterns of contrasting colors and lines can liven up a room.

Consider using floral, geometric, and abstract prints not only for your pillow casing but also for your curtains. Patterns can make your canopy bed seem big, small, tall, etc.

Dreamy Canopy Bed Lights for More Swag

Lighting is optional, but you can use them in building your canopy. For example, you can install a night light projector to create a dreamy atmosphere.

You may also wrap wire string lights around the frame and the canopy for a fairy tale effect. Strings can also flow from your main canopy like sun rays. Attached to curtains, they can produce a futuristic feel to your canopy bed.

Curtain lights are another option for your canopy bed. Maybe you can install them on the side of your canopy bed to have it shining. You can also arrange them horizontally between the top poles to create a roof of lights.

Lighting your canopy bed can transform it. Combined with other elements, you can build a better canopy bed for yourself that would make the king so jealous.

Decorating Your Canopy Bed Makes It More Contemporary

The canopy beds of old used to have elaborate decorations such as wood carvings, expensive drapings, and luxurious fabrics. Keeping with the spirit of luxury, you may want to decorate your canopy bed with paintings, peel-and-stick patterns, or woodwork.

Since plywood is hard to carve, you may settle for hand painting or accessorizing your canopy bed. Consider a matching nightstand that accentuates your canopy bed. Generally, the headboard is a ripe opportunity to add your artwork.

Visiting your local thrift store might give you more ideas with one-of-a-kind pieces. It’s your canopy bed, so don’t be shy.

On Choosing Your Canopy Bed Mattress

The mattress is the biggest piece in the canopy bed puzzle. The classic canopy bed used three or more mattresses to give the high-class feel. Consider using a double mattress to create that sense of elevation.

A comfortable mattress is also necessary for a sweet night’s sleep. Innerspring mattresses provide the most comfort, elevation, and firmness. Eco-friendly mattresses made from cotton are also trending in 2021.

DIY Canopy Bed FAQ

Q: How to design my canopy bed?

A: Canopy bed design takes only a pen and paper. If you have the experience, try using 3D software to design your canopy bed. To design your canopy bed, you need to determine its size, use, and model. Look on Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration. Don’t make it complicated.

Q: How much does it cost to build a DIY canopy bed?

A: The costs of building a canopy bed can be as budget-friendly or splurging as you want. A basic canopy bed can cost under $400 and much less with cheap materials. But you can also build an elaborate canopy bed that costs more than $1000 with all the bells and whistles. Whatever your budget, it’s doable.

Q: Do I need professional help to build a canopy bed?

A: Not necessarily. Building a DIY canopy bed is a fun family project. When you need special additions, you might need professional help. For example, if you don’t have the cutting tools, you may enlist a professional contractor to cut the materials to your specifications. However, you can do most of the tasks by yourself.

Q: What are some canopy bed trends in 2021?

A: The four-poster minimalist bed is making a strong splash in 2021. The best part is that it doesn’t require much experience to build a DIY canopy bed. So, you can never go wrong with a minimalist canopy bed. Blue is also a trending color for canopy beds, thanks to its calming effect.

Conclusion

Right now is a ripe time to start working on your canopy bed. Work while it’s still trending.

This piece of furniture from the Old World will give your bedroom a new look. More than an aesthetic choice, canopy beds are also functional.

They age well. And even when the trend is over, your canopy bed will continue to comfort you.

With time, you’ll get used to it and might even consider investing in a ready-made canopy bed to replace your DIY creation.

If you ever feel like trying a canopy bed before you invest your time and money, try staying at a hotel that offers a canopy bed.

Or look for it in the museums.

Sources

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