In bedrooms, windows often seem to dictate bed placement. And, sometimes, it may seem like there’s just no room for both. But, it’s okay for beds and windows to be friendly. They may have no choice but to get along.
This room that I worked on for a client last year is a prime example. The master bedroom was pretty small, leaving one obvious wall for the bed, if there was any chance of fitting in nightstands and a storage piece:
While, at first, it might seem a little strange to cover up the only window in the room, it actually ended up making the headboard feel more grand, and the curtain panels soften and add height all at the same time.
Here are some other examples, and why they work:
I would always opt for a visually lighter headboard—whether it’s an open, iron style or an upholstered bed. A taller, heavier headboard can start to feel like the window is blocked, instead of acting as a backdrop.
You may be able to forego the headboard altogether. In this case, fluffy stacked pillows make you hardly notice there’s just a bed frame here.
You’re not locked into the size of your window. If you have a bigger bed and want to visually expand your window, using an extra wide cornice board and curtain panels is a great trick.
Lonny
If you’re working with a not-so-wide wall, add some grandeur by hanging rods all the way across the top, and filling it with fabric.
Bay windows often become a place for a sitting area, but they can be a light-filled backdrop for your bed. In this example, I like how they’ve softened the angles with curtain panels and were able to add bedside lamps by using small nightstands.
I swear Emily..You have been reading my mind lately. Thank you! Our master is small–and the obvious wall is the wall with one of the windows–but I hate losing the natural light! Ah. These make it more desirable though. Literally, this weekend we moved our furniture around again..and might be doing it again tonight. ;)
Ugh, our bedroom window is off centered. It is about 6 inches away from the closet doors, while the other side of the windows has about 5 feet of space. I don’t know what the builder was thinking. I really love the arrangement of the Lettered Cottage bedroom and we are living with it this way but the window is so drastically off centered! I’ve moved the furniture 4 times in the 5 years we have been in the house. I might be forced to move the bed to another wall.
I’m loving that last photo with the bay window – what a gorgeous room! We don’t have to contend with a window, but these rooms look beautiful with the window as a backdrop.
Are you still taking on clients? Desperately need help with my dining room!
No, I’m officially retired. :)
This is a great post Em, love all your examples and tips. That last one from House and Home is perfect! Love doing this for clients when theyre afraid to use the window behind the bed.
xo Nancy
Powellbrower.com
We just rearranged our bedroom so that the bed was in front of the window. It was my husband’s idea and I was really unsure but now I love it. The room feels so much grander than it did before.
http://www.ordinarymom.ca/create/index.php/2013/04/create-your-haven/
These are wonderful ideas, Emily! Thanks for sharing.
My friend asked why I never did moved my bed in the room and I stated that the other two walls have windows and I just couldn’t do that. Now I’m rethinking it all ;)
Great post. This is something that a lot of people struggle with, I think. I’m guessing you have lots of readers who are moving their beds right now!
Susan
http://simplymodernhome.com/
Great ideas! We had an awkward, off-centered window in our master that I balanced out with an iron art piece here: http://stagingbym.com/2011/08/19/my-tree-mural/
I’ve always been told that beds against or under a window are very bad feng shui. How do you feel about this?
Why is a bed under a window considered bad feng shui?
At nighttime your body needs strong support, as well as protection, in order to do its best with the work of regenerating itself. This is the reason a good solid headboard is highly recommended in feng shui. In addition to a good headboard, you always want to have a solid wall behind your bed. When you sleep under the window, your personal energy tends to get weaker in time, as it has neither proper support, not protection.
Well, since you asked, I know very little about feng shui, nor do I base any of my design decisions on it. My body is so tired by the time I finally get to bed, the last thing on my mind is my personal energy :)
Our bed is in front of our window and although I was hesitant about it at first, I really do love it now. The panels on each side and the matchstick blinds help to balance everything out. And in the spring when we open our windows there is nothing nicer than a nice breeze right over your head while you sleep!
Our bedroom is really small and I put the bed in front of the window. It’s almost exactly the same as the bedroom you did in the first photo. We too basically fall into the bed at night and are never in there otherwise so I didn’t worry too much about covering the natural light.
Yes…yes…so many people are afraid to do it but with wonky window placement….sometimes you have to! Good examples….
I really like the look of beds in front of the windows – as they are often the showpiece of the room and this arrangement features them most prominently. Great post!
Our bed is in front of the window. We have a king size bed with a large headboard that blocks most of the window.Thank you for all the great ideas.
Julie
I need to show this post to my partner!! We just moved and have been bickering about bed placement. I wouldn’t worry about the natural lighting because realistically, I’m in there to sleep :-)
Unfortunately those of us living in colder climates with forced air heating can’t put their beds in front of the window, because of those pesky vents. ;-(
That’s exactly what we did in our bedroom. We put our king-sized bed in front of a 36-inch wide window, and then had a window treatment made as wide as the bed. It looks fabulous!
I’m not a fan of blocking the light coming in from the windows. Perhaps if that’s the only option then I’d think differently but I really prefer all the natural light the room can get.
Thank you for this post! We have a king bed in front of a window because that’s the only place it’ll fit in our 12×14 master. I love these ideas!
great tips… I always try to have the window to my side so when i wake up i can see the sunlight coming in!
Those pics are lovely! Sometimes it does seem to be the only “good” way to furnish a room… (but, please please please, don’t ever do this in a child’s room unless there is another unblocked window!!)
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Three of our bedrooms have beds in front of windows and I LOVE it! And yes, in my kids’ rooms as well. But the headboards do not block the window beyond reason. If they had to get out, they easily could. And we got around the vent situation by keeping the bed 6″ out from the wall – totally works.
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How do you keep your headboard from moving? I had to pull my bed, under the window, away from the wall 7″ to accommodate the cutain panels. My bed frame is on wheels on hardwood and removing wheels is not an option.
I would also want to make a change with my bedroom and put my bed in front of my window, the only problem is I have a cat stand thing for my two cats so that they can look outside, I live in a condo on the first level, any suggestions.. the cat stand is big and takes almost all the place under my window :-(