Buying guide for best bed canopies
Decorating a bedroom is no small task, especially when it comes to your bed. After all, it’s the focal point of the room and the area where you spend the most time. Upgrading your furniture and painting the walls can be costly updates, not to mention time-consuming. For an affordable way to redecorate, consider installing a bed canopy instead.
These whimsical accents drape elegantly over your bed, turning it into a regal, peaceful sanctuary. You can choose one that completely encloses the bed or one that simply bedecks the corners of the headboard. Installation takes minutes and only requires a few basic tools. Perhaps best of all, bed canopies are neutral enough in both design and color to look great in any bedroom.
Key considerations
Full-bed vs. headboard
You have two choices for canopy styles: full-bed or headboard canopies.
Full-bed styles are ideal if you want to completely enclose your bed with an elegant, stately touch. They have curtain-like openings that can be tied back to allow you to get in and out of bed easily.
Headboard canopies drape down the sides of your headboard. In fact, they’re even a popular choice for beds without headboards because they also create a focal point. The canopy draws the eyes up toward the ceiling, giving your bedroom a taller, airier appearance.
Frame
Bed canopies are available with four types of frames: frameless, round, square, or pole. Some are more suitable to certain bedrooms than others, especially because it’s important to take into account your type of bed, ceiling height, and desired decorative touch.
Frameless: These canopies have several loops that hang from ceiling hooks. They are lightweight and give the room a streamlined, airy look, but they can easily rip from the hooks if you pull on the material.
Round: Canopies with round frames are usually hung from the ceiling and centered either over the bed or the headrest. They’re durable and easy to hang from a single ceiling hook. With round frames, keep in mind that the larger the circumference, the more expensive the canopy.
Square: Square or rectangular frame canopies are usually designed to cover the full length of the bed, which means their dimensions are similar to those of a mattress. These frames spread out the canopy material more than the other frames, encompassing the sides and over your head.
Pole: Canopies with a pole frame aren’t too common, especially since the vertical poles are notorious for wobbling and shaking the canopy. Still, they’re an ideal decorative choice if you'd like to embrace a simple, contemporary appearance.
Safety
It’s important to discuss the safety considerations of bed canopies, especially if you’re thinking about getting one for a child’s or teen’s bedroom. Most canopies come with a safety disclaimer, which usually recommends their use for ages 12 and older. This is because the material, which gathers at the sides of the bed, can pose a choking or strangulation hazard to small children who may accidentally roll into it.
Features
Materials
The most popular material for bed canopies is nylon mesh, which resembles mosquito netting. These allow for maximum airflow for overall temperature regulation. The only downside of mesh is that it can rip or snag easily, so be careful when opening the curtain if you’re wearing jewelry or you have long nails.
Bed canopies can also be made of linen, cotton, bamboo, or polyester. More often than not, these are seen in headboard canopies because the material is often too heavy to promote proper airflow. With that said, these materials have more structural integrity, so it’s common to see them with embellishments like tassels or beads.
Colors
More often than not, bed canopies are white, black, or pink. While you can occasionally find them in other colors, you’ll find that these are usually geared toward kids’ bedrooms. Even though it’s a product with a relatively limited color selection across the board, bed canopies are naturally versatile and easily blend in with most décor.
Installation
Unless you have a four-poster bed that you’re fitting with a custom canopy, be prepared to drill into your ceiling. On the upside, most bed canopies are light enough to only require small, low-profile hooks. Canopies with heavy frames, or those made from cotton or linen often require more heavy-duty hooks. Only some canopies come with all the hardware. For all others, you’ll need to get it separately.
Accessories
Fairy lights: Twinkle Star Window Curtain String Lights
Add a soft, understated glow to your bed canopy with a curtain of fairy lights. We like this one from Twinkle Star, which has 300 waterproof LED lights that glow with a soothing, warm white light.
Throw pillow: blue page Boho Neutral Throw Pillow
Match your plain white bed canopy to your bedding with a little help from a white throw pillow. This pillow from blue page is 18 inches square and features a soft, textured knit with tassels at each corner.
Did you know?
A bed canopy can get in the way when you make your bed, so tie it back or tuck it behind the headboard first.
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Bed canopy prices
Bed canopies cost between $10 and $150, mostly depending on the intricacy of the design and the quality of the frame.
Inexpensive: If you spend $25 or less, you’ll find mostly frameless bed canopies. There are some with frames in this bracket, usually round, but they can be a bit flimsy. These are often ideal for kids’ rooms, but they may look chintzy in an adult’s bedroom.
Mid-range: These bed canopies cost between $30 and $75 and include a wide variety of high-quality mesh and linen canopies. Those with frames in this range are durable and well made, plus most come with the necessary hardware for installation.
Expensive: Designer bed canopies with intricate embellishments or hand-stitched details cost as much as $150. Most canopies with square and rectangular frames fall in this category.
Tips
Use a ladder or step stool to install the canopy. When installing a bed canopy, make sure the ladder or step stool is well balanced and secure. A chair likely won’t be high enough and could tip over.
Use a canopy to transform a space. A bed canopy can be used in a corner of a room to transform the space into a reading nook or meditation area.
Keep canopy curtains away from pets. Bed canopies don’t mix well with pets, whose teeth and claws can rip holes in the material. If they have a habit of jumping on your bed, they could accidentally rip the canopy from the ceiling hardware.
Dust the canopy. Canopies made of all materials are susceptible to dust. Cotton and linen can be cleaned with a regular duster, while you may need to shake out a mesh canopy outdoors.
FAQ
Q. How do I wash a bed canopy?
A. Mesh bed canopies require hand-washing in mild soap and detergent. Given their size, you might need to hang it outside on a line to air-dry. As for canopies made from cotton or linen, some are machine washable, while others must be dry-cleaned.
Q. What’s the best type of bed canopy to use with different bedding colors and designs?
A. Your best bet is to stick with a canopy in a neutral color and design, such as a white mesh canopy. Many patterned bedding sets contain white accents for an easy match. If your bedding doesn’t contain any white, just add a couple of white throw pillows or a textured white blanket to tie the look together.
Q. Why do mesh bed canopies rip so easily?
A. Simply put, their tiny holes aren’t very resistant to tension or pressure. Even trying to detangle them from static cling can cause the mesh to snag or tear. With that said, spending a little bit more on a well-made mesh canopy is worth the investment. While they’re still delicate, they’re often made with slightly stronger mesh and occasionally have a covered hem to minimize rips at the bottom.
