Show your bed some respect

"Bed is a bundle of paradoxes; we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret." Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1852), English cleric and writer, "Lacon"
(1825)

So, according to Mr. Colton, beds have been on our minds for centuries. Who knew? We know that now for sure, whether the interest is in beds, mattresses, linens or any other connections you may make about beds.

We're not going there today, nor are we going to sink into mattresses. Quite frankly, I don't know about mattresses, and sometimes I wonder how those who sell them do. It's so confusing: hard, soft, pillowtop, memory foam, springs, queen, king, super king and the list goes on. The three bears and Goldilocks made it so simple: too hard, too soft and just right!

So let's begin our bedtime story making the assumption that you own a mattress. Now, what's next?

When furnishing a home, usually the first thing on our "must have" list is a bed. We understand its importance, but we don't often pay it the respect we should.

Take headboards, for example. Some mattresses end up on the floor or on a bed frame, with no headboard. And, speaking of bed frames, I believe bed frame is the wrong word. It really just holds the mattress; maybe it should be called mattress pad (ha), mattress mate or any other word that means something for the mattress to sit on.

The true bed frame is the bed -- the headboard specifically. Whether it's made of wood, metal, fabric, wicker or any other conceivable material, it frames the bed. It's not essential to have a foot board, and they do take up space.

They are so attractive though, and make the bed something you want to get into. The ultimate bed will have both foot and headboard.

More formal beds take center stage, especially those with four posters, canopies, fabric drapes or even the wonderful Asian or Scandinavian beds that are actually little wooden rooms. Love that. And the Asian bed is so on my wish list.

While at the recent summer market at World Market Center Las Vegas, I went on a bed hunt, and it seemed to me that there were more interesting ones at this market than in the past. The nesting phenom, that is in part due to our pitiful economy, has spawned not only the desire to entertain at home but to create a more serene retreat for the end of the day. And, furniture designers are listening. Beds are becoming fancier and more substantial, and have become the true star of the bedroom.

While these fantastical beds are surely intriguing, if you don't have the budget to match their largeness, take heart. There are many options for creating your own original headboard. You can mount foam on a base and cover it in your favorite fabric. You can use art for your headboard, hang rugs or wall hangings, or hang fabric to simulate a canopy bed. The idea is to highlight the space behind the bed. Large pillows, such as the European size, can also act as a faux headboard.

But, alas, nothing really takes the place of a real headboard. I hope you enjoy the great images I have for you today and make plans to create your own just right bed.

So, all of this talk about beds has made me sleepy. I think I'll turn in and have sweet dreams about ... my next bed.

Carolyn Muse Grant is a design consultant, expert home stager and creator of beautiful spaces. Questions can be sent to her at creativemuse@cox.net.