GLOBAL STYLE: THE CANOPY BED

When I was a girl I created mine by hanging sheets from my top bunk. Some of us were lucky enough to have one. But one thing is for sure, we all wanted one: canopy beds!

Cristina from Fuji Files here to share the origins of this girlhood dream staple.

Canopy beds originated in 15th century European castles, where nobility slept in one great hall with all of their servants. The simple canopies and curtains served as a barrier to block out cold drafts, insects and noise, as well as providing privacy.

With the construction of separate sleeping chambers within castles canopy beds became less of a necessity and more of a status symbol. Beds became extravagant pieces covered in gold, precious stones, silk sheets, embroidered tapestries and rich velvet.

In time the ornate fittings were stripped away to the modern lines that are still very much a staple in interior design today.

Perhaps it's the little girl in me that still yearns for one of these beauties. As an imaginative child or a design-savvy adult, have you ever had one?

*images via: 1 & 4 from domino, newyorksocialdiary, thedecorista