Four poster beds are definitely statement-making pieces for bedroom decor. Whether you have a gorgeous antique or a more modern version, they can add a lot of style in the room. But they can also overwhelm a space or look “off” if you don’t have the scale on point. It’s a tricky thing to get right, so here are my 4 top tips for designing with a four poster!

1. Consider Scale

Your room definitely needs to be the right size to handle a bed with this type of height. That doesn’t mean you need 14-foot ceilings! I’ve seen bedrooms where the posts were just about to brush the ceiling and it still looked great. But you need space around the bed to give the room a sense that it isn’t overcrowded. I like to work with metal-framed styles to add the feeling of openness, while still giving that grand look!

2. Keep It Simple

Let a bed like this be the star of the show in a bedroom! Keep the bedding simple, with very little pattern. Otherwise, the room will feel overdesigned and your eye will have no idea where to land first. In the room I designed above, we kept the palette to three colors and used mostly tone-on-tone patterns so the bed draws all the attention.

3. Play to Strengths

The best thing about a four poster bed is the sense of glamour and sophistication it brings to a room. So play to that strength with luxe touches like the gleam of gold, fabulous textures, lush bedding, and plush seating at the end of the bed.