DECORATING | ROOMS & GARDENS | WORLD OF CABANA
Wherever in the world you are, take comfort and inspiration from the enduring appeal of bed nooks - cozy, intimate spaces with a long and storied history. From Napoleonic-inspired retreats to 18th century celestial bed cupboards, these inviting beds prove that even the smallest spaces can inspire grand ideas. Read on for a selection of cozy bed nooks from the World of Cabana, and beyond.
WORDS BY EMMA BECQUE | ROOMS & GARDENS | 14 FEBRUARY 2024
A showman's built-in wagon bed featuring fabrics by Rose Cumming/Wells Textiles © Simon Brown (see more information below).
Sleeping Under the Stars
One of the earliest examples of a bed nook can be found in Friesland in The Netherlands within the one-room home of astrologer Eise Eisinga © Isabel Bronts
Eise Eisinga’s cupboard bed, dating back to the late 18th century, is a remarkable artefact of domestic life and scientific achievement. Crafted within his modest one-room home in Franeker, Netherlands, this bed, concealed behind gingham curtains, was the resting place for Eisinga and his family during his seven-year endeavour to build the world’s oldest working planetarium between 1774–1781.
Alidad’s Alcove Elegance
A set of inventive bed nooks crafted by designer and decorator, Alidad © James McDonald
Conceived for a young teenager, this bed nook (right) is a masterclass in charm and utility. Scandinavian-inspired panelling, hand-painted with floral garlands, offsets an ice-blue backdrop, while gingham frames a retreat designed for daydreaming and a hidden pull-out bed. On the left, a guest room features a bed framed by a window and layered, Indian-inspired textiles.
Literary Design: A Lighthouse Tale in a Son's Bedroom
This literary-inspired alcove bed is a tale of timeless artistry and heartfelt craftsmanship © Taylor Hall O'Brien
This enchanting bed belongs to the young son of photographer Taylor Hall O’Brien and stands as a love letter to Sophie Blackall’s *Hello Lighthouse*. With stained wood ceilings and ticking fabrics, the space radiates nautical charm.
An Amish-made quilt, a canopy of stripes, walls covered in paper by Bradbury & Bradbury and antique furnishings create a nostalgic, maritime atmosphere.
Swedish dreams: A tribute to Karin Larsson
Swedish 1800s box beds inside Lilla Hyttnäs, featuring Cathy Nordström's latest textile collection, Karin © Cathy Nordström
In Sundborn, Sweden, the Carl Larsson-gården stands as a living testament to the Larsson family's creative synergy. Their home, Lilla Hyttnäs, became a vibrant expression of Carl's celebrated paintings and Karin's innovative textile and interior designs. Together, they redefined Swedish aesthetics with a handcrafted, colorful style that blended artistry and practicality.
The 1800s box beds perfectly encapsulate Karin's vision of combining comfort with creative ingenuity. Inspired by the artistic spirit of the Larsson family, textile designer Cathy Nordström chose these intimate spaces as one of the sites for her latest fabric collection, pictured above. Cathy's designs pay homage to Karin's ability to transform everyday items into woven works of art.
Thomas Jefferson's Cabinet Bedchamber
Draped in rich damask and framed by historically accurate hues, the bed serves as testament to Jefferson’s quest for a harmonious design © Miguel Flores-Vianna
Highlighted in Cabana N8 by Edward Behrensis, former US president Thomas Jefferson's (1743–1826) bedchamber at Monticello reflects a meticulous blend of practicality and classical inspiration. In true Palladian fashion, the compact alcove bed is ingeniously built into the wall, maximising space in the otherwise modest room. The design is inspired by European alcove sleeping arrangements.
A Photographer's Cozy Wagon Bed
A Showman's wagon © Simon Brown Photography
Built by Thomas of Gloucester in 1897, this fantastical wagon, owned by London-based photographer, Simon Brown, once provided a living accommodation vehicle for the Buffalo Bill (Bill Cody) 'Wild West Show', which toured the UK and Europe between 1897 and 1912. In its current iteration, it is decorated in pastel colors and Rose Cummings fabrics for USA-based Wells Textiles.
A 17th-Century Dutch Box Bed
A secret church in central Amsterdam houses closet chambers, where practising priests rested © Isabel Bronts
In the 17th-century canal house of Our Lord in the Attic, now a museum lies a "sleeping closet" typical of the period. Compact and cozy, these beds were designed short to encourage an upright sleeping posture, a practice rooted in superstition. The panelled alcove, crafted from oak, is painted in a soft ochre with delicate carvings reminiscent of the Dutch Golden Age. The bed’s intimate scale reflects the era’s architectural ingenuity, balancing practicality and charm.
Veere Grenney’s Napoleonic Nooks & Cozy Corners
Carefully curated and perfectly hung artworks weave the historical narrative of this Napoleonic nook © Mark Anthony Fox
In a quiet corner of a London pied-à-terre, Veere Grenney has conjured a bed nook that redefines the art of small spaces, creating a world within a world—one of grace, intrigue, and quiet grandeur. Inspired by Napoleon’s campaign rooms, this tented bed nook blends romance and practicality equally.
Draped in Montauk Stripe fabric by Le Gracieux, the space evokes the illusion of a luxurious tent, cocooning its inhabitants in soft folds of muted elegance. Brass column lamps from Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler punctuate the design, while a star lantern by Charles Edwards casts an understated glow.
Timeless Bed Nooks by Veere Grenney © Mark Anthony Fox
Max Rollitt’s Oxfordshire Box Bed
A testament to Max Rollitt's philosophy, this textile nook is an inventive solution within the eaves © Tom Mannion
In Max Rollitt’s 17th century Oxfordshire farmhouse project, a fabric-clad box bed offers a masterclass in creating intimacy in any space. “A nook, to me, needn’t be architecturally led. You can create a nook almost anywhere simply by defining the space with furniture or fabrics and introducing layers of comfort, coziness, and intimacy. Even in an expansive room, one can’t help but feel safe and contained within it,” Max reflects.
Designed by Rollitt and crafted by Dunne & Co. from reclaimed timbers, heavy-lined curtains encircle the bed, their ruffled texture lending softness and drama.
Guest comforts in Notting Hill
Rachel Aisling Walker utilised heavy orange linens to create an alcove guest bed within the confines of a London study © Luke White
For the guest bedroom in a Notting Hill retreat, interior designer Rachel Aisling Walker conjured intimacy through layers of thoughtful design. A single bed is enveloped in a pair of ochre linen curtains by Soane Britain, their warmth mirrored in a matching valance and blind. Cream and green Robert Kime wallpaper wraps the room, while a Liberty London side table and a 1950s ceramic lamp bring understated elegance.
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