Soon, what began in Europe as the French day bed, often built for one person and arranged as a room’s centrepiece, became the still cherished beds we find on showroom floors today—those of the classic mahogany veneer style of curled foot and head, crafted out of cherry or oak or pine, but also of steel or upholstered with leather, and made for more than one sleeper in a room with more than just the status symbol that this bed design had become.
Some suggest against a far wall makes the sleigh bed the day bed again. Some recommend sticking with the exaggeration of size and curl of foot and head (keeping the classic “sleigh” look) and making the piece a handsome stand-alone in a sparsely decorated room. And some say the stray from the original sleigh tradition can go as far as doing away with the grand curls, going for leather and lace adornment, and moving toward a more modern aesthetic.
Regardless of personal preferences, whether in Europe or in the states, be they sun room additions or showcase centrepieces, sleigh beds are here to stay. Just ask the longstanding designers, builders, and showroom salespeople, as well as the thousands of delighted sleigh bed owners!
