Ideas for creating a bed canopy

ideas you can use to create a canopy bed using a bit of fabric and hardware

You do not need a four-poster bed with rails to have a canopy. Here are some ideas you can use to create a canopy bed using a bit of fabric and hardware.

Do it yourself:

• By hanging a series of curtain rods from the ceiling above the bed, you can create a canopy for your bed. Place one above the head of the bed, one at the center, and one at the foot of the bed. The rods will be perpendicular to the bed and parallel to each other. Take a long piece of fabric and drape it across the curtain rods leaving fabric to cascade to the floor at the head and foot of the bed.

• A crown canopy is created by installing a cornice board on the wall at the head of the bed. The cornice is then dressed with multiple layers for fabric coming from it and encircling the head of the bed.

• A Shelf canopy resembles a crown canopy. To make a shelf canopy, install a simple shelf to the wall above the bed. Then staple fabric to the shelf where it meets the wall, on the sides, and on the front. The fabric should wrap around the edges of the board. On the outside use a heavy embroidered fabric, on the inside use something soft and silky. Fan the cascading fabric around the top of the headboard, and use trim, tassels and other embellishments to cover staples.

• For a full modern looking canopy all the way around the bed, install four shower curtain rods to the ceiling on all four sides of the bed. Hang fabric from these rods using rings and clips, or decorative shower curtain hooks.

• To can create a full traditional canopy, you can frame the shape of the bed on the ceiling above it with wood strips. Next, attach layers of fabric to the strips all the way around the bed. Use long sheer curtains the inside, heavy upholstered fabric on the outside, and top it off with a valance all the way around the bed. Add trim to give it extra pizzazz.

• You can also purchase a traditional sheer canopy fabric made to fit a canopy bed and attach it to the ceiling using hooks or thumbtacks.

Instead of recreating the canopy, you can give the impression of a canopy for your bed in the following ways.

• Install four rings or hooks to the ceiling and drape sheer fabric at the four corners of the bed.

• Using three curtain hooks attached to the wall, or three poles perpendicular to the wall, hang a swag curtain panel above the bed to frame the headboard.

For an unusual, one of a kind canopy, try your own version of these ideas:

• Install a small festival tent around your bed and hang mosquito net around it.

• Paint the wall above your bed to resemble draping fabric. If you place the bed in the corner or into an alcove, you can paint two or three sides.