After deciding on the size of bed for the bedroom, the next natural step is to choose the type of bed frame.
There are actually only a few types of forms that bed come in, but within each category, there can be countless unique types of beds that give them their own name.
On top of that, designers can often come up with their own names for the designs that they have conceptualized.
So it is near impossible to generate a complete and comprehensive list of the diverse range of beds that are readily available to consumers.
However, for the purpose of feng shui, looking at the form factor can enable us to easily distinguish between them.
Here are some of the most common and popular types of beds you can choose from. With the bedroom feng shui considerations that come with them.
Platform bed
A platform bed basically refers to a bed that brings the mattress to an elevated height.
The platform, or the bottom frame, can sometimes be a base such as in a divan bed or a storage compartment such as of an ottoman bed.
They have a strong presence that easily makes them the dominant piece of furniture in a master bedroom. The elevated height, which is partly dependent on the thickness of the mattress also enables a sleeper to sleep at a higher position than other furniture such as bedside tables and chairs. This makes the very frame of the bed act as a protector of a person against the edges of other furniture below that height.
The highest that I’ve seen in real life used by homeowners is about hip-height.
However, these types of beds can also put sleepers in a vulnerable position should the bedroom have windows with a lower frame that goes below the sleeping height.
As such, even though platform beds are the best types of bedframe for regular bedrooms, they are only suitable when the window configuration allows it.
Some of the types of frames that belong to this category include:
- Storage beds
- Divan beds
- Guest beds
- Captains
- Panel beds
- etc
The key feature of such beds is that even though they are of considerable height, their legs are either nonexistent or only sightly visible. Making it look like a huge box with a mattress placed on top.
The huge storage area is very useful in managing clutter in the bedroom.
Skinny legs platform bed
As the name suggest, these types of beds are elevated just like platform beds, the key difference being that there are no compartments underneath the mattress.
The only thing that is holding up the mattress is the frame skeleton itself.
This leaves it’s skinny legs exposed for all to see.
While the empty space below can be used for storage as well, the lack of an enclosure makes household items stored below the bed prone to collecting dust. And unlike a typical platform bed, items placed underneath has to be nicely organized unless you don’t mind the sight of a cluttered mess under the bed.
For this reason, skinny-leg platforms are best for households without a storage problem.
The empty space under the bed would not be used for storage of any kind. This also makes it easy for your iRobot Roomba to navigate it’s way in and out of the area to do it’s job.
Among the various bedframe designs that come with skinny legs include:
- Sleigh beds
- Wooden beds
- Upholstered beds
- Antique beds
- Poster beds
- Panel beds
- Mission beds
- etc
If you are adamant that you would be maximizing space usage and store personal property under the bed, go for a typical storage bed. Not one with skinny legs.
You can thank me later.
Low profile bed
A low profile bed typically describes bed frames with mattresses at a very low height. Never above the knee, and often about 3 quarters of the height from the feet to the knee.
They are often chosen by homeowners purely for interior design purposes.
So impractical can this be that homeowners can often build them on elevated platforms to add a little height for better ergonomics and improved accessibility
The low sleeping height is bad feng shui as it put the resident at a less dominant position against the other furniture and fittings in the room.
And unlike a taller platform bed, a low platform bed can expose a sleeper to the sha chi emitted by other furniture.
For example, the nightstand beside your headboard might have it’s edges exposed right on your face when you are lying down. This is a recipe for health issues caused by bad feng shui.
In addition, if the toilet is in view from the bed, sleeping with your head below the height of the toilet bowl is as good as sleeping with your head in the toilet.
I’m sure this is not something you want to be associated with, even as a metaphor.
A simple remedy is to order a mattress with a larger thickness to raise your sleeping level.
Low profile beds are generally unfavorable unless in exceptional circumstances.
Sofa bed
Sofa beds are common with shoebox and studio apartments, and generally all categories of tiny homes for obvious reasons.
They save space and serve a dual purpose of being a couch and a bed. When it is not used for sleeping, it can be easily be folded to free up extra space.
They are also referred to as sleeper sofa sets and are generally not good for feng shui.
This is because the bed is a primary furniture for the bedroom and the sofa is a primary furniture for the living room. So when there is a furniture that is both a sofa and a bed, then what exactly does that make the space in question?
The living room? Or bedroom?
While such layouts and configurations are not necessarily bad feng shui, a lack of clarity in the identity of the living space can create confused energy.
Just like how feng shui masters often advocate that the kitchen and living room should be clearly demarcated. Otherwise, the stove would effectively be brought into the living room since they share the same space.
In this case, sofa beds can cause relationship problems and bad romance luck among other things.
If you are using a sofa bed in a bedroom, then the question must be asked about where is the bed that makes it a bedroom when the furniture is folded up into a sofa?
For these reasons, sofa beds are best avoided unless for reasons of space limitations and practicality.
Portable sleeper sofas can also represent a life where one would not be able to settle down in the areas of career and marriage.
Double decker bed
It used to be that when we mention double-decker beds, a clear picture of one would appear in our minds about what is being discussed. But these days, this type of bed has undergone so much transformations that we need to be more specific to be clear.
Among the many types of double deckers are:
- Bunk beds
- Twin over full bunk
- Loft beds
- Mid-sleepers
- High-sleepers
- Futon bunk
- Cabin beds
- etc
Yet whatever their unique design features that justify their own names, they all fall under the same category in feng shui as they all mean that the sleeper would be sleeping at a high position of about head height. Sometimes there are fixtures below, and sometimes it’s empty space below.
Like sofa beds, they should be avoid unless absolutely necessary.
Canopy bed
Canopy beds have an unmistakable look. They look gorgeous and can protect sleepers from sha chi present in the bedroom.
If you feel that a canopy bed fits in perfectly with your bedroom interiors, there’s no reason not to go for it.
Amusingly, canopy beds can also come in a huge variety to choose from. These can include:
- Regular canopy
- Traditional canopy
- Contemporary canopy
- Poster beds
- etc
Some homeowners love the look of canopy bed so much that they convert their double deckers into canopy beds!
No kidding.
They are a very effective solution to bedrooms where bed placement options is restricted and the resident is exposed to poison arrows such as a beam overhead, exposed pillars, view of bathroom, etc.
Mattress on the floor
A lot of homeowners actually have no qualms with sleeping with just a mattress on the floor.
This exposes them to the same feng shui problems that low profile beds are prone to.
It really depends on the bedroom interiors itself.
What type of bed should you choose?
With the elaboration of the feng shui pros and cons of different types of beds, it should be pretty clear to you what you options are.
And if you are still in doubt as to which designs to choose from, the safe bet is a platform bed with storage below.
You can go with the skinny legs if you are sure that you are not going to be using the space underneath for storage.