Canopy Bed History
Why Canopy Beds?
The thatched rooves in many poor homes were a haven for assorted bugs and other creepy-crawlies - not the sort of thing you want dropping on your face in the middle of the night! In wealthier homes with solid roofs the soot from the fire would collect on the ceiling and sometimes fall. The canopy above the bed was simply to protect the sleeper from these unwanted intrusions.A bonus feature of such a piece of furniture was that being able to draw the curtains around the bed gave at least some illusion of privacy from the outside world. Poorer homes were often very cramped with little in the way of true privacy.
As time went on the idea of the large canopy bed became associated with wealth and luxury. The canopies could be made of rich fabrics such as silk and decorated lavishly. As such they have become something of a necessity for any self-respecting fairytale princess!