You can’t dispute the feeling of romance a four-poster bed evokes.
The lofty canopy frames instantly bring to mind childhood fairytales, not to mention the ornate, intricate frames royalty bed down in. They’ve been a sign of wealth since Norman and Saxon times: the bigger the bed, the higher the status.
Named for the characteristic four posters rising high from each corner of the bed and supporting a canopy that covers the sleeping area, there’s nothing pared back about this bed frame style. It commands attention and makes catching your 40 winks a majestic experience. Take design cues from prestigious hotels like The Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands, where guests enjoy the nightly luxury of sleeping in a four-poster.
With such a grand, dominant piece of furniture, it’s important to think about the style of your home and assess the height of your rooms. Four-posters need plenty of headroom so that they’re not scraping the ceiling. Place one in a modern build and you run the risk making your house look cramped.
That said, there are ways around it. While traditional four-poster beds include acres of voile and netting bordering the frame, modern iterations champion industrial-look frames with sharp lines. Others do away with the canopy completely, though retaining the posters to convey height and space without feeling boxed in.
If you’re dreaming of sleeping in such a luxurious setting, the good news is that there are are plenty of frames to pick from. From romantic styles to contemporary designs, we’ve found the nicest four-poster beds to help you shop below.
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Graham & Green BLACK CANOPY KING SIZE BED
So it's unapologetic romance you're looking for, is it? Head to Graham & Green; the interiors store is renowned for stocking pretty pieces that serve to elevate your home.
Made to support a kingsize mattress, this iron and plywood four poster frame is the stuff of modern fairytales with a curved canopy adding a new style dimension.
Skip the need for self-assembly by paying an extra fee for the delivery specialists to do it for you.
Buy now £895.00, Graham & Green
Get Laid Beds Moroccan Four Poster Bed
Influenced not by Marie Antoinette but by Moroccan glamour, this is a four-poster bed with a twist.
The canopy has been excluded completely, allowing the posters with their block-and-vase legs to shine. Made with sustainable wood and painted in an inviting shade of warm white, it comes in the biggest size range we've seen from Small Single (£684) all the way up to EU superking with all UK sizes catered for along the way.
As each bed is made to order, you can opt to include a motorised bed base, have a different coloured frameand add a flating bedside shelf and underbed storage for additional costs. A far more enjoyable way to make your bed.
Buy now £684.00, Get Laid Beds
Happy Beds Mercia Black Wooden Poster Bed Frame - 4FT6 Double
A striking frame crafted from premium pine, Happy Beds' Mercia four poster takes centrestage.
The updated take on a classic design has plenty of space underneath to store extra bedding or out-season clothes so there's no need to sacrifice precious storage space for the sake of design - this bed offers both. The clean, streamlined look allows you to dress the piece as you please, whether you fancy sleeping behind floaty panels of voile or like the idea of threading fairylights over the top.
You'll need to dig out the toolbox as the bed comes flat-packed so assembly is required. If you're not much of a DIYer, services like TaskRabbit can find a professional to do the hard graft for you.
Available as a 4ft6in or 5ft frame.
Buy now £329.99, Happy Beds
Cotswold Company Charlbury Mineral Grey
Black bed frames don't work for everyone. If you're into the grand look a four-poster bed offers but want to keep things feeling light, Cotswold Company's ash wood grey version is worth a punt.
The robust frame, available in king and superking sizes, will be delivered to the room of your choice in two packages, and once assembled, creates a showstopping centrepiece for your bedroom. Ample room beneath the slatted base gives you the opportunity to use it for storage, maximising every inch.
Opt for a mattress at an additional cost for the full bedroom makeover.
Buy now £1099.00, Cotswold Company
Astoria Grand Kingsize (5’) Mcculley Solid Wood Bed
If you've ever wandered through Versailles and gazed in awe at the imperial bed chambers thinking you'd like a slice of the bed styling action, here's your chance. From Astoria Grand comes this kingsize reproduction of an antique French bed, complete with carved flourishes. Made from mahogany wood, the bed comes semi-assembled and will look jawdropping with or without drapes. Just slide your mattress onto the slatted platform base and you're ready for the sleep of a lifetime. The underbed area is 25cm high, so plenty of storage space for vacuum-sealed bags of bedding.
Buy now £1859.99, Wayfair
So’Home Boho Mango Wood Canopy Bed
Usher in a new dawn of sleeping with this magnificent four-poster bed frame from La Redoute. Available in king and superking sizes, the posters rise 200cm from the floor, with the entire wooden frame painted with a matte black brown finish.
This design has been made with a mix of timber - mango wood, teak, mahogany and ash - you'll be able to study their various textures and grains while enjoying long lie-ins at the weekend. The best bit is the headboard which features a carved inlaid design, adding to its appeal.
Dress with patterned bedding to create an eclectic, worldly look.
Buy now £1399.00, La Redoute
Estelle Four Poster Antique French Style Bed
Bringing a fabric like velvet into the four-poster bed equation adds a design element that just screams luxury. This handcrafted bed, available at Amazon (yes, really!), riffs off a traditional aesthetic, sans canopy.
Both the footboard and headboard feature crushed velvet upholstery, standing out in gentle contrast against the antique white frame. The French-style bed even features a smattering of crystal details for those who are tickled by the idea of bedtime bling.
The stuff of fairytales.
Buy now £1199.99, Amazon
Cox & Cox Luna Canopy Kingsize Bed - Black
For homes blessed with high ceilings, Cox & Cox's 232cm tall canopy bed won't fail to delight.
Close in design to Graham & Green's version, this open frame keeps things light and airy - though there are fixtures on the corner to add drapes or lights if you'd like to. The iron frame is finished with wooden slats to offer excellent support to your mattress.
The metal construction will deliver your new bed to the room of your choice and even take the packaging away with them upon request, leaving you more time to enjoy your purchase.
Buy now £1225.00, Cox & Cox
Urban Outfitters Caroline Double Canopy Rattan Bed
Forget French and contemporary takes on the four-poster. If you're more into the boho look, there's no reason this bed frame style can't work for you too - it looks just as lovely in sustainable rattan, as proved by Urban Outfitters' version.
Panels of mahogany wood add robust structure to the bed and there's a double canopy at the top of the cage, working to support drapes and lights, or even to hang a choice few bedroom plants.
Made for a double mattress the looped rattan base adds further boho decoration.
Buy now £999.00, Urban Outfitters
French Bedroom Sassy Boo Boudoir Majestic Black 4-Poster Bed
The lack of canopy on French Bedroom's design only adds to the beauty of the piece. With superking dimensions, this bed has main character energy: in fact, eagle-eyed fans of BBC's Killing Eve will have spotted it in the fictional assassin's Barcelona apartment in the third series. The rococo bed features twisted pillars and a headboard with gently curved sides with a mutli-arched footboard, all painted in a statement black. Stunning from start to finish.
Buy now £1815.00, French Bedroom