Furniture adds individuality to any interior. If in the living room the main element is the sofa, then in the bedroom the central place is given to the bed. Today, its functions are not limited to providing comfortable conditions for sleep and relaxation; such furniture should also decorate the interior, attract attention and give aesthetic pleasure to the owner. A forged bed, which has a light, airy silhouette, but at the same time is strong and durable, successfully copes with these tasks. The use of metal furniture made by forging is a new trend in the world of residential interior design.
Advantages and disadvantages
Wrought iron beds are a bold, original choice for decorating a room. With their help, the bedroom interior becomes more organic and interesting.
Furniture with forged elements suits different stylistic trends: from classic to hi-tech or loft.
Forged furniture has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include:
- Strength and durability of the structure - a forged metal bed will faithfully last for several decades.
- Safety during operation.
- Moisture resistance - ensured by an anti-corrosion coating of the metal.
- Fire properties.
- No harm to the environment or the human body (if the structural elements are covered with high-quality paint).
- Wide variety of design solutions.
- Combinatorial with other materials (wood, leather, plastic).
- Exclusivity.
- Easy to care for.
The disadvantages of forged furniture are high cost and significant weight. This model is not recommended for installation in a studio apartment, which must quickly transform from a bedroom to a living room or office, because it will be impossible to move the massive structure alone. Forged and metal beds have a characteristic feature - the so-called iron cold, felt when touching the surface. Today, resourceful manufacturers are trying to mitigate this disadvantage by applying special “warm” coatings to the metal.
Durability, reliability of design
Variety of design solutions Elegant appearance Durability and ease of maintenance Combinatorial with other materials Environmentally friendly, moisture resistant, safe
Color scheme in the design of a wrought iron bed
In traditional versions, black, gray “steel” and bronze paints are used. The bed must match the color scheme of the room, and modern materials allow you to get any desired shade. In the gentle, romantic bedrooms of young girls with floral patterns in textiles and an abundance of small elements, the following is used:
- Lilac;
- Pink;
- Emerald.
For bedrooms in simple styles, paints are used:
- Gray;
- White;
- Brown (usually with a metallic effect);
- Blue;
- Purple.
In flashy, experimental styles, metal beds are painted in several colors at once.
Popular models
The range of varieties and modifications of metal furniture is amazing. Any forged bed in the bedroom interior looks organic, stylish and appropriate. Meanwhile, several of the most popular categories can be noted:
- With a canopy. This wrought iron bed creates a feeling of special comfort and privacy. The fabric is selected in accordance with the design of the bedroom or at the request of the owner.
- With drawers for linen. Surprisingly, they are also provided for in forged structures. The presence of additional built-in storage containers saves space in the bedroom and provides quick access to necessary things, so this option is always popular with consumers.
- With lifting mechanism. Its operation is ensured by special springs, hinges or gas shock absorbers. The forged bed with a lifting mechanism is equipped with a large box, which, by analogy with previous products, can be used as a convenient storage system.
- Combined models. Here, forged metal elements are combined with wood, plastic, leather or even impact-resistant glass parts. Such beds are lighter and cheaper than completely forged products.
Models with a soft headboard are also common. In this design option, forged elements most often frame the back, made of textile materials. This technique helps limit contact with cold metal and makes the sleeping place more comfortable.
Combined
With soft headboard
With canopy With lifting mechanism With drawers for linen
How to forge with your own hands
A contractor who decides to independently make a bed with a wrought-iron headboard must decide on the technology of work . Most often they choose cold forging , since to implement projects using hot technology, the performer must have broad knowledge and skills. Often, to obtain them, it is necessary to undergo education in institutions for training in blacksmithing. It is very difficult to acquire such skills on your own or by attending master classes. Therefore, many home craftsmen choose the cold method; it does not require special knowledge.
Single bed with wrought iron headboard. Photo Azhur
To work you will need a welding machine, as well as other tools and materials:
- Grinder (angle grinder).
- Square.
- Drill bits for working with metal.
- Roulette.
- Welding machine.
- Metal brush.
- Sandpaper.
- Primer, varnish, paint and brushes for painting forged products.
In addition, we should not forget about the basic equipment, i.e. blacksmith equipment and blacksmith tools.
It will be useful for beginning craftsmen to familiarize themselves with the information presented in a separate article. Video reviews from experienced blacksmiths clearly demonstrate the process of making a bed with a forged headboard with your own hands.
Criterias of choice
Deep sleep and proper rest are the key to human health, so you need to approach the choice of sleeping place responsibly and carefully. Parameters to consider:
- Shape and size of furniture.
- The quantity, type, complexity of forged elements - these features directly affect the cost of the product.
- The purpose of the bed is for adults, teenagers, children.
Furniture made by hand forging is not a cheap pleasure, which is worth taking into account if you want to buy just such a bed for your bedroom.
Before purchasing or ordering furniture, you need to find out what metal the bed is made of, what are the structural features of the frame (made of pipes or all-metal). It is also important to pay attention to the distance between the individual forged elements of the backrest. If it is significant, the pillows will probably sag, thereby causing discomfort during rest. It would be useful to consider the features of the bottom - it is made of flexible slats or metal. It is also worth checking whether the structure does not creak. All these points are important for the subsequent comfortable use of the bed.
Varieties of beds with a lifting mechanism from the best factories in Italy
Shape and dimensions
Wrought iron beds can be rectangular, square, round or oval. The choice is influenced by the design of the bedroom, the taste of the owners, and the size of the room. The sleeping place should fit organically into the space of the room. It is usually recommended to choose a classic rectangular design; it fits any interior. A round or oval-shaped bed, despite its original appearance, may be uncomfortable for sleeping, and bedding for it will have to be custom-made. An undeniable advantage is that a bedroom with such furniture looks stylish and modern.
Forged beds, as well as wooden or any other analogues, come in single, double and one-and-a-half beds. A single model is available in widths from 80 to 100 cm, one-and-a-half models - from 100 to 150 cm, double models - from 160 cm to 2 meters. The size of the product is selected depending on the parameters of the room, leaving some space for free passage. Some useful tips:
- The length of furniture for sleeping should be chosen taking into account the height of the owner, adding to this value at least 20 cm. If a married couple sleeps on the bed, they are guided by the height of the person who is taller.
- The optimal width of a double model is when one person lying on his half with his arms thrown behind his head does not touch the other. If we are talking about a wrought-iron single bed, the elbows of the arms thrown behind the head should completely fit on the bed.
- There should be a distance of at least 70 cm between the bed and the wall, which ensures free access to the sleeping area and the ability to place a bedside table.
The height of the product should be such that it is comfortable to lie down and get up from it. This nuance is especially important when choosing a sleeping place for older people. The guideline is as follows: the top point of the mattress should be at the level of the knees of the person standing next to you or even slightly higher.
The bed can be ordered according to individual parameters, choosing convenient sizes and the desired shape. For example, children's models will look original in a fairy-tale design. True, exclusive furniture will cost more than standard furniture.
Square Round Rectangular
Double Single Single and a half
Forged elements
For the manufacture of forged furniture elements, two methods are used - hot and cold:
- Hot forging of metal is most often done by hand. A metal blank is used, heated to 600–700 degrees in a forge, which is then processed with special tools. There is manual or machine hot forging. The first option is a special art, so products made in this way are always very expensive.
- The cold forging method is the processing of metal products using special dies fixed in a press. The resulting parts are connected by welding and bent using special devices. Forged furniture made in this way is much cheaper than the above.
Review of the most original beds in the world for adults and children
Cold forging
hot
The headboard, footboard, as well as the side elements and legs of the bed can be forged. Many users prefer products without a footboard. The choice of design and construction of the headboard is very important - the correct placement of pillows depends on this, which affects the quality of sleep.
Many people prefer to work or read while sitting in bed. In this case, a soft headboard with a wrought-iron frame is preferable. If aesthetics are more important to the furniture owner, the backrest is made completely forged, in which case the metal patterns look especially elegant and airy.
The more complex forged elements, the more expensive the bed. This is especially true for products made according to individual sketches using hand forging using the hot method.
When choosing patterns for furniture, a sense of proportion is important. Excessive congestion of the headboard with curls and complex ornaments can make it kitsch rather than an exquisite piece of furniture. Nowadays, not only floral motifs or fancy curves are popular, but also furniture with a laconic back in the minimalist style.
Many opt for combined products in which metal is combined with a wooden frame, leather or plastic elements. These beds look very original and fit any interior style. For example, a metal headboard and footboard blend seamlessly with wooden furniture legs. The comfort and attractiveness of the bedroom interior largely depends on the appearance of the forged elements of the bed.
Purpose of the design
Wrought iron furniture is purchased for both an adult bedroom and a children's room. Depending on the purpose of the structure, the requirements for it also change. A child's bed must be durable and safe. It should have no sharp corners, all elements should be well processed, and the surfaces should be painted with non-toxic paint.
Wrought iron beds for children can be bunk beds. They are stable due to their significant mass, and are equipped with special sides and ladders that ensure the safety of the child on the upper tier. In a teenager's room you can put a single bed with a laconic modern design.
Double models for married couples look great in a spacious bedroom. To support such a bed, you can place several pieces of furniture in the same style in the room. For example, bedside tables, a wrought-iron chandelier, candlesticks, a mirror in a metal frame. If space allows, you can put a wrought-iron sofa in the living room, which can be expanded into a full-fledged sleeping place.
A wrought-iron single or double bed is suitable for a small room in which one person sleeps. It is spacious, comfortable, and does not clutter up the space of the room thanks to the airiness of the forged patterns.
For newborns Children's
Teenage Bunk
For a married couple
Wrought iron sofa bed
Comparison with an upholstered headboard
Beds with forged and soft headboards have their own pros and cons.
Some experts and clients believe that beds with wrought-iron headboards are in less demand . However, when studying the assortment, we can conclude that this is not the case. Companies offer a wide variety of products with forged backs .
Intricate metal patterns amaze the imagination and make the atmosphere in the room rich and sophisticated. But often a bed made entirely of metal seems to smell cold; the specific property of this material can deprive the room of comfort and make the environment uninhabitable.
A soft headboard made of leather, textile, suede provides increased comfort when using the bed. Textile inserts harmoniously echo fabric bed linen. But it is more difficult to remove various contaminants from the soft back, and it also has a rather short service life (compared to metal).
Bed with combined headboard: forged elements and eco-leather. Photo YRT
Beds with a wrought-iron headboard have a more striking design, so they should be chosen for rooms that require a unique design solution . In addition, these items look great in a room with well-designed furnishings and carefully selected style and color schemes. Beds with wrought-iron headboards delightfully complement spaces that already have other metal pieces .
Construction design in different styles
Numerous photos of forged beds in the interior make it possible to understand that such furniture is suitable for any design direction. The main thing is to choose the right model. Most often, designers advise using forged products in the following styles:
- classic;
- country;
- shabby chic;
- Provence;
- baroque;
- Scandinavian;
- loft;
- high tech.
Functionality and model range of massage beds, indications for use
For a classic style, you need furniture with a lot of patterns, curls, and floral elements on the headboard and footboard. This design looks luxurious and is the decoration and centerpiece of a large bedroom. A wrought-iron bed with a soft headboard is also suitable; in this case, all other interior elements, including textiles, are selected to harmonize with it.
The shabby chic style and wrought metal bedroom furniture seem to be made for each other, especially if the furniture is unpainted or somewhat “shabby.” The main thing is that the decorative elements do not seem too pretentious. Wrought iron beds for a bedroom made in country or Provence style are chosen with a minimum of decor. Such products go well with wood, which is actively used to decorate the room, adding a cool note to warm colors.
The airy lace patterns of the wrought-iron bed also suit the romantic style of the setting. This elegant, spectacular interior will be decorated with white furniture. Textiles and bedding in such a bedroom should be flowing and light. Forged furniture also fits into neoclassical and Scandinavian styles, but the metal decor in this case should have right angles, look massive, and at the same time restrained. The loft style is distinguished by unexpected design solutions - for example, the headboard is made of bent pipes in combination with boards.
The high-tech direction corresponds to a forged bed with a back in the form of the intersection of straight lines or rectangular elements, without a footboard, with smooth metal legs. If the Baroque style is used in the bedroom interior, the sleeping furniture should have a rich patterned decor, covered with patina or painted in gold, silver, or aged bronze. A product with an asymmetrical pattern on the back, with a complex abstract weave, is suitable for the Art Nouveau style.
Classic Loft interior
Shabby chic
Baroque Modern
Provence Country Romantic style High-tech
Scandinavian style
Methods for making forged beds
Artistic forging, made by hand, simply cannot be cheap. Therefore, the cost of forged beds is significantly higher than their counterparts made of chipboard or fiberboard. When creating forged products, craftsmen can use two metal processing methods:
- hot;
- cold.
The hot method of processing the material involves heating the raw material to 600-700 degrees. Hard and durable metal becomes plastic, capable of taking on the most intricate shapes. Hot forging uses both hand tools and a machine hammer to form curved parts. Cast elements are produced under the press - monograms, leaves and flowers.
The second method of metal processing is called cold because it is carried out using a stamping machine. Because of this, the second name for this method appeared - stamping. The use of a stamping machine can significantly reduce the cost of not only the production process, but also the final cost of finished products. Cold forged parts are available to a wider range of buyers.
No matter how the furniture is made, after all metal processing work is completed, the surfaces are primed and powder coated. Models with the so-called antique effect are in great demand. Slightly rough surfaces with deliberately unpainted parts look great in a shabby chic, Provence, or vintage interior. The effect of antiquity can only be achieved by hand painting the surfaces of forged products.
Review of manufacturers
Of course, a bed forged by hand, and even using the hot method, costs a lot. But there is an alternative to an expensive purchase - standard factory furniture, presented in the collections of many manufacturers. By choosing this option, you will be able to save money, while the quality of the product will be decent.
It is worth paying attention to the beautiful wrought iron beds made in Malaysia. They are affordable, their decor is laconic, not overloaded with details, often combined with wooden elements, and suits many interior styles. The most famous Malaysian manufacturers of wrought iron furniture are TetChair and Red-Black.
Products from Italy are famous for their high quality. These are exclusive products that can be made to order. Metal beds from Italian manufacturers Alfabed, Dorelan, Besana, Signorini & Coco have a unique design and consist of a large number of hand-made forged elements. They are so durable that they can be passed on to future generations.
The most famous Spanish manufacturer of forged metal furniture, including beds, the Dupen company, occupies the middle price segment in the sales line. But at the same time, the quality and design of its products are always at a high level, which is why the company is popular among consumers. Most of the Spanish forged interior items are made in classical and modern styles.
Alfabed
Besana
TetChair
Signorini & Coco
Red-Black Dupen Dorelan
Features of forged products and manufacturing options
In the skillful hands of a master, such a hard and durable material as iron can be transformed into openwork lace, a lightweight (but only visually) product for interior decoration. It is noteworthy that in the case of forged beds, the furniture fulfills its functions 100%, but at the same time brings European aristocracy to the image of the room, instantly becoming an accent of the interior, attracting all eyes.
Many of us associate forged products with the decoration of palaces and rich homes of members of the nobility. But even in the modern world, there are a lot of options for arranging a bedroom in a home of the most varied modifications. A wrought-iron bed can fit organically into a neo-classical interior or become an accent in the ultra-modern design of the sleeping space.
Modern manufacturers (and custom craftsmen) of forged beds offer us a wide selection of models. Depending on the setting in which you want to fit the main piece of bedroom furniture, you can choose a bed with a lot of openwork weaves and forged decor or a model with a laconic design, a minimal set of decorations, which can become part of a modern interior. You can also find beds that were made using a combination of wrought iron and other materials (most often wood).
The forged bed is the undisputed leader in its segment. It is currently that the popularity of this type of furniture reaches its peak. Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing environment and fast pace of life, many city residents want to fully experience the comfort and tranquility of their own home. Smooth curves of forged products, ornate curls and the finest lace of forged decor can not only bring harmony to the bedroom interior, but also create an absolutely unique atmosphere. Whether it is the luxury of the Middle Ages or a creative understanding of modernity - it’s up to you; a bed with a forged frame can be found in any of the options for the interior being created.
In addition to incredible aesthetic qualities, forged products also have very practical advantages. Strong and durable pieces of furniture can serve you for many years, become a family heirloom and be passed on from generation to generation. Environmentally friendly material is not capable of harming humans or the environment. Children and allergy sufferers can use forged products without any risk (you just need to make sure that the paint on the surface is non-toxic). Forged beds are safe and reliable, and have high fire-fighting properties. Among other things, forged beds do not deform and are highly moisture resistant.