Four Poster Beds

There are many stories concerning the origins of the four-poster bed. The best one regards Tudor times when most houses did not have corridors. People literally went from room to room. As you can imagine, this did little for the privacy of the occupants. So, along came the idea to add posts to the four corners of the bed, with poles running around the top. Curtains or tapestries were then hung from the poles, affording the occupants some privacy. Thus the four-poster bed was born.

Early four-posters had drapes but no top. The plaster used in Tudor times was of poor quality, often containing hair and straw to give it strength. Pieces of plaster often fell from the ceiling during the night, along with the various insects living in the plaster. So, to stop this, the next phase was born. A top was added to the posts, to protect the sleepers beneath. Originally, this was made from wood, but later on, material was also used. The wooden tops were called testers, and so the tester bed was born!

The posts, tester and headboard would have originally been plain, but as time passed, and people wanted to show off their wealth and standing, they grew ever more ornate. Some surviving beds are covered in the most fantastic carvings, some even depicting entire stories from the Bible, or scenes from classical mythology.

Today’s four-poster stands as a byword for luxury. Four poster beds come in a variety of heavy wood styles and which one you go for depends entirely on three requirements:
Space, space and space.

Because they are difficult to transport, difficult to maneuver and too heavy to move easily four-poster beds are reserved for rooms which have space and floor-strength requirements and are not likely to be re-designed every weekend.

This is one are where craftsmanship matters. If you decide to go for one buy the most expensive one you can afford. Find out how it’s made, what guarantees come with it and what type of wood has been used in its construction.

Four-poster beds are an investment. They tend to be passed on from one generation to the next so choose wisely and you will have gained not just a fantastic bed but also a valuable family heirloom.


Pink Hearts 4 Poster Single Bed- Frame Only. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, frame, frames, furniture, hearts, mattresses, pink, poster, single... £129.99	White Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed - Frame Only. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, frame, frames, furniture, hearts, mattresses, poster, single, white... £129.99	Star Collection Ballet 3FT Single Bedstead From Bed Star , 190cm, 3ft, 90, antique, ballet, base, bed, bedstead, brass, brushwork, collection, finials, fit, four, gold, mattress, poster, single, slats, slatted, sprung, star, white... £145.00
Ashley 4 Poster Single Bed - Frame Only. From Argos , argos, ashley, bed, beds, bedstead, frame, frames, furniture, mattresses, poster, single... £146.66	Langston Pine Four Poster Bed From Furniture123 , alikethe, among, base, baseelegant, bed, bedframe, bedroom, blissful, centrepiece, construction, contemporary, curved, décors, d203cm, d210cm, design, double, elegantly, ensure, finishsolid, focal, foot, four, furniture123, h196cmdouble, h196cmple... £159.98	White Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Sprung Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, firm, frames, furniture, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, poster, single, sprung, white... £179.98
Pink Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Sprung Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, firm, frames, furniture, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, pink, poster, single, sprung... £179.98	Ashley 4 Poster Single Bed with Sprung Mattress. From Argos , argos, ashley, bed, beds, bedstead, firm, frames, furniture, mattress, mattresses, medium, poster, single, sprung... £196.65	Pink Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Trizone Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, children's, firm, frames, furniture, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, pink, poster, single, trizone... £199.98
White Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Trizone Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, children's, firm, frames, furniture, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, poster, single, trizone, white... £199.98	Ashley 4 Poster Single Bed with Trizone Mattress. From Argos , argos, ashley, bed, beds, firm, frames, furniture, mattress, mattresses, medium, poster, single, trizone... £216.65	Star Collection Veneza 3FT Single Four Poster Bedstead From Bed Star , &, bed, bedroom, beds/single, beds/wooden, brazil, centre, classic, constructed, design, drapes, elegant, forest, frame, gorgeous, natural, picture, piece, pine, poster, south, star, sustainable, traditional, warm, wooden... £235.00
Pink Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Healthy Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, children's, firm, furniture, healthy, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, pink, poster, single... £279.98	White Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Healthy Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, children's, firm, furniture, healthy, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, poster, single, white... £279.98	Star Collection Veneza 4FT 6" Double Four Poster Bedstead From Bed Star , &, bed, bedroom, beds/double, beds/wooden, brazil, centre, classic, constructed, design, drapes, elegant, forest, frame, gorgeous, natural, picture, piece, pine, poster, south, star, sustainable, traditional, warm, wooden... £289.00
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White Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Pocket Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, children's, furniture, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, pocket, poster, single, white... £299.98	Pink Hearts Single 4 Poster Bed with Pocket Mattress. From Argos , argos, bed, beds, bedstead, children's, furniture, hearts, mattress, mattresses, medium, pink, pocket, poster, single... £299.98	Ashley 4 Poster Single Bed with Practical Mattress. From Argos , argos, ashley, bed, beds, furniture, mattress, mattresses, poster, practical, single... £306.65
Ashley 4 Poster Single Bed with Pocket Mattress. From Argos , argos, ashley, bed, beds, furniture, mattress, mattresses, medium, pocket, poster, single... £316.65	Star Collection Veneza 5FT Kingsize Four Poster Bedstead From Bed Star , &, bed, bedroom, beds/wooden, brazil, centre, classic, constructed, design, drapes, elegant, forest, frame, gorgeous, natural, picture, piece, pine, poster, south, star, sustainable, traditional, warm, wooden... £335.00	Bentley Designs - Newhaven Oak, 4FT 6" Double 4 Poster Bedstead From Furniture Star , adds, antique, appeal, atmosphere, bed, bedroom, brass, classic, clean, collection, contemporary, detailing, drawing, enhance, fourposter, furniture, handles, inclusion, influence, lines, maintenance, matt, mitigating, modern, newhaven, newhaven's, oak,... £378.00
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Toulouse 4-Poster Waterbed From Righteous & Co Limited , , bed, beds, co, dual, frame, mattress, righteous, surround, system... £2345.00**	Manitoba Tall 4 Poster Waterbed From Righteous & Co Limited , , 10, 20, 6Ɔ', 6ƌ", bed, beds, brown, choice, co, double, dual, flotation, frame, king, mahogany, mattress, mellow, olde, queen, righteous, sec, semi, stop, super, surround, system, uk, waveless, wood... £2675.00**	Frazer 4 Poster From Righteous & Co Limited , , 10, 20, bed, beds, co, dual, flotation, frame, king, mattress, righteous, sec, semi, stop, super, surround, system, waveless... £2995.00**
Rochester 4-Poster Waterbed From Righteous & Co Limited , , 10, 20, 6Ɔ', 6ƌ", barley, bed, beds, brown, co, columns, double, dual, elegant, flotation, frame, king, mahogany, mattress, mellow, olde, queen, righteous, sec, semi, stop, super, surround, system, tapering, twist, uk, waveless, wood... £3130.00**