Making Wooden Double Beds Work in Rooms with Alcoves

A wooden double bed works well in a room with alcoves when you treat the chimney breast as the natural headboard wall and let the recesses either side do the supporting work. In most Victorian and Edwardian homes, the projecting breast sits centrally, so a standard UK double frame placed against it leaves two neat pockets for bedside storage, shelving or slim wardrobes. The key is measuring the alcove depth before choosing a frame, keeping the bed width in proportion with the breast, and picking a headboard height that sits comfortably below any picture rail or mantel line. In this guide we look at how to measure, which frame styles suit period recesses, how to use the alcoves without crowding the bed, and how to keep circulation space clear in older, often irregular rooms. We also cover lighting, finishes and the small details that help a solid wood bed look settled rather than squeezed into place....