Can You Put A Bed In Front Of A Window?
Yes! Yes you can, my friends!
I'm all about making your space work for you so that a room flows well and looks visually pleasing, and finding the right spot for each piece of furniture is one key part of that. Sometimes you'll find that that means breaking a design "rule" in order to make everything work together. If your bedroom is small (hello city living!) or has lots of windows (not a bad problem!), you may find that putting a bed in front of a window is the best option, and I'm here to say DO IT. The key to doing it well is to make it look purposeful and natural. Just because you have limited options on placement doesn't mean you can't have an amazing room!
In fact, we chose to put our bed in front of the windows in our master bedroom, and setting it up that way allowed our bedroom to be both functional and beautiful. That's our room in the photo at the top of the post - I practice what I preach! :)
Ideally, the bed should be a focal point in a bedroom, and if that means it needs to go in front of a window, there are a few things you'll want to think about:
First, you'll want to make sure you're able to cover your windows for privacy and to block light, which means choosing window treatments that will work when there's a big ole piece of furniture in front of them. There's nothing worse than having to struggle to open and close them every day! If you're able to pull your bed away from the wall slightly, curtains can be a good choice, but if your bed needs to go right up against the windows, you may want to use roman shades, bottom-up blinds, or something like plantation shutters. You can still layer curtains in with those options (I love that look!), but they'll be more decorative than functional. Whatever you do, don't forget to hang those curtains high and wide, friends!
Second, choose the right headboard or forgo one altogether. In my book, the less you cover the window, the better, to let in the maximum amount of natural light. Depending on how high the bottom of your window frame is, your options will vary. If you like the upholstered headboard look, think about choosing a low one like this one*. Another option is to go with one that has a more open frame - it'll keep the room feeling more open and airy. I like this one with a modern metal frame for a master or guest bedroom, and for a kid's room, a Jenny Lind style is a classic choice.
Third, think about creating a sense of balance. This is pretty easy to do if your window is centered on the wall - center the bed in front of the window, add a couple of bedside tables, and you're done! But what if there's an off-center window behind your bed? That can be a tricky dilemma, but there are ways you can balance it back out by adding some art or a mirror on the wall next to the window, or by hanging your curtains in a way that tricks your eye into thinking the window is actually centered on the wall.
Let's finish this post up with some beautiful examples of bedrooms where the bed is in front of the window.
If you're placing your bed in front of one small window, make it look larger by hanging curtains that hang well beyond its frame.
via Thou Swell
Got an off-center window? No problem! This example shows you how to conquer that problem with a big piece of art.
image via Emily Henderson
When you have two windows right next to each other, the windows do the framing for you! Curtains can soften the look, and provide privacy and block light when needed.
via Alice Lane Home Collection; photo by Lindsay Salazar
These homeowners painted a dark accent wall to really make the bed wall a focal point. Placing the bed in front of the high window is a great option in this case.
via My Domaine; photo by Jenna Peffley
So, have I proven to you that it's ok to put a bed in front of a window? Would you do this in your home? Have you done this in your home? Share a photo of your your bedroom on Instagram and tag me in it - I'd love to see!
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