Bed frames have been one of the most consistent pieces of furniture in human history. It was only recently that newer designs have started popping up, the newest of which is the floating bed. But what makes floating beds so special?
Out of all the rooms in a house, bedrooms are one of the only ones where people feel stumped when they want to bring about something “unique” in the design. On the other hand, bedrooms are one of the most carefully designed rooms in a house where time and effort are liberally spent. After all, bedrooms are the very centre of what makes a building “home”.
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And in that centre, the bed takes up the central position as the most important piece of furniture. You can paint the room and add your favourite posters on the wall, but the first thing that attracts the eyes of anyone who steps into the room will always be the bed. So how can you design your bedroom without giving due diligence to this piece of furniture?
There were times when the go idea for designing a bed was to just pile up expensive bedding and hope for the best. But people soon realised that yesterday’s luxury is today’s opulence. They slowly started to replace the canopies and other add-ons with a more subtle approach. And with today’s focus on minimalism, the design that currently holds the position of king is none other than floating beds.
What are floating beds? How are they different from the other designs and why are they so popular? This article will tell you all you need to know about floating beds and why should definitely go for this design if you want the best for your bedroom.
All about floating beds
Without further ado, let’s get to the meat of the matter. Fundamental knowledge is after all not the type of knowledge you should sleep on.
What is a floating bed?
A floating bed is a type of platform bed that is designed to give the illusion that it is floating in the air. Being a platform bed, it is often set up at a lower height than traditional beds. Floating beds generally make use of structural support that goes in the centre of the bed instead of the corners, but that is not always the case.
Types of floating beds
As said before, floating beds are made to provide the illusion of being suspended in the air and there are not many ways to do this. Generally, there are two main ways a floating bed is designed.
Wall-mounted floating bed
This is the most common type of floating bed you will find. Here, the floating bed headboard is directly attached to the wall and the bed is held up by a singular structural support leg. Unless you are looking from a certain angle, this type of bed is guaranteed to look magical.
The only reason this bed stays upright is the support offered by the wall. If you want to place a floating bed with a singular structural support leg anywhere away from the wall, you are in for a challenge.
Box platform floating bed
This is the second type of floating bed you will come across. This type of bed is very similar to other types of platform beds and is generally called a platform bed unless the design specifically goes for a floating effect.
The difference between this and a wall-mounted floating bed is that, unlike a wall-mounted floating bed that uses the wall as a support, this floating bed frame uses a box platform underneath the bed with multiple legs instead of a single one. The main advantage of using this type of floating bed is that you can place the bed anywhere in the room, which is great for those of us looking for more layout options.
Why should you go for a floating bed?
Floating beds may not offer any special health benefits when you compare them to regular beds, but they still offer some design advantages you may love. Some of these advantages are purely aesthetic but some are also very practical and may just be the solution to some problems you might have come across.
They are perfect for a minimalist and modern look
Floating beds have always been about minimalist design elements. It is the opposite of gaudy and opulent beds with canopies and high-end frames while retaining a sense of luxury that only minimalist design styles can offer. Even if you are not going for a minimalist design, this bed will fit well enough in any modern bedroom.
They fit well in smaller sized rooms
Since floating beds are generally seen as luxury products, you might imagine a giant room with floor-to-ceiling windows when you think about floating beds. Surprisingly, floating beds and platform beds in general are used when the bedroom in question is too small, in the vertical sense. That’s why they are so popular in apartments and hotel rooms with low ceilings.
They look too cool
This one is purely aesthetic but who cares? Floating beds are the coolest beds you can get your hands on, except for those super expensive zero-gravity beds that cost a small fortune. Whether they are wall-mounted or at the centre of the room, they will catch your eye with no effort and look cool doing it.
One of the best parts about floating beds is that you have the option to add LED lights along the bottom of the bed as well as the headboard to give your bedroom a fantastic appearance that fits well with whatever theme you have going on. They also double as a night light if you are buying one for your kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since you are reading this, it means you are looking for all the information you will need when it comes to floating beds. Fortunately for you, some of the more popular questions have been thoroughly answered for your perusal.
Are floating beds stable?
Of course, they are. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so popular. Even the wall-mounted ones that use single structural support have enough structural integrity to hold up a pair of kangaroos. And there is no need to talk about a box-platformed floating bed frame. They are much more structurally sound than even regular beds.
How do wall-mounted floating beds work?
This is a little more complicated question. The short version is that the underside of a floating bed is covered in metal wires or wooden planks from one side to another. This gives the floating bed frame a stable platform to keep the bedding. Since the support structure is centrally concentrated, most floating beds are doubly reinforced to prevent accidents.
Once you have a stable platform for the bed, the wall-mounted part is mounted on the wall with the help of support studs. A combination of all these support structures allows the floating bed to “float” without tilting over.
Is it easy to build a floating bed?
This is the easiest one to answer. They are notoriously difficult to build compared to regular beds. Regular beds only need four legs in each corner to stay upright but floating beds require a lot more work under the hood. It is always easier to just buy one from the nearest Bunnings.
Just because it is difficult does not mean that they are impossible to build. If you are okay with lengthy DIY projects that take forever and need precise calculations throughout the process, then building a floating bed by yourself is not a bad idea.
Are floating beds a permanent fixture?
No, they are not. Floating beds with box platform structural support are just as easy to move as any regular bed. The wall-mounted ones may look like a permanent fixture, but they are easy to move as well. The issue is that you will need to patch the wall after removing the support studs and then make new holes for the support studs at the next location.
What are the downsides of a floating bed?
Floating beds are not that different from regular beds. But that does not mean that they are perfect. The lower height of platform beds in general makes them difficult to use for people with physical ailments like arthritis. There is also the issue of cheaper models not being able to handle the weight of more than a single adult. So, it is best to not go too cheap when you buy one.
And there you have it mates, everything you will ever need to know about floating beds and then some. If you were actually looking for a step-by-step guide on how to build your own floating bed, then you’re looking at the wrong place. For everything else about floating beds, we hope that you found this article helpful.
