Up until recently most interior designers have used “reproduction” iron beds for all their bedroom design needs. Why? Rather simple answer….it was easier and “reproductions” offered todays larger sizes, that weren’t available back in the 1800’s. It was quite easy to go “on-line” and look up any number of companies that produced reproductions and…
DetailsIt was the traditional bed for that period. Yes there were wooden headboards. But the majority of the population slept on iron beds. What made them so popular were a number of contributing factor’s. The first few were practical ones…….they elevated the person sleeping in the away from the drafts that were close to the…
DetailsThe biggest problem over the years has been replenishing my inventory at the rate that they’ve been selling. One of the reasons there are an abundance of reproduction companies making “pretend” iron beds……..and I stress “pretend”, is that there really aren’t enough around anymore to satisfy the demand. That’s always the reason you’ll encounter “reproductions”…
DetailsFew projects I’ve been involved in, with regards to iron beds, have been as fulfilling as this bed that we did for a very deserving couple on the TV show Extreme Home Makeover. It was just one of many beds we’ve done over the years for the popular TV series.Art Nouveau, Victorian Our original connection…
DetailsOutside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania…….Chicago has probably more historic background as it relates to iron beds in Chicago back in the 1800’s than any city west of the Mississippi. There were numerous steel mills and steel producing factories in Chicago back in the 1800’s. So getting the materials that small independently owned foundries needed to build…
DetailsWhat is it that makes Miami one of the largest iron bed markets in the United States. Well first of all “good taste”……… secondly the amount of people from the Manhattan area, or largest market, that decide to retire and move to sunny Florida. There comes a point as we grow older that we ask…
DetailsMid way through the 1800’s the California Gold Rush helped put San Francisco on the map. News of streets paved in gold quickly spread back east and everyone looking for a piece of the American dream started migrating west. Starting in 1848 the Gold Rush led to a large boom in population, including considerable immigration. Between…
DetailsYou want to be as romantic as possible for Valentines Day for your wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend or significant other, you want to let them know just how unique they really are to you. There’s a pretty good likelihood, with the economy the way it is, a five carat diamond from Tiffany’s or a new…
DetailsIn the mid 1800’s there were four different railroads converging from all directions, establishing Atlanta’s growth. That early growth snowballed into the economic force Atlanta has become today. Large corporations have moved their home offices there and Atlanta experiences the foreign trade routes an connections few other cities in this country have. The Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta…
DetailsOver the past 40 years of being in the business of antique iron beds, the Dallas / Fort Worth area has generated more consistent growth in their interest for antiques such as iron beds, than any other city in the nation. Why????? When something continues to grow, such as the sales of antiques in a…
DetailsQuite often we’re asked to create a Shabby Chic distressed “finish” on our iron beds. But what many people don’t realize is that the “finish” they’re trying to create is hidden underneath the years of yellowing white paint and rust. So what’s the best way to find that fresh Shabby Chic finish on your antique…
DetailsThe first thing to remember is that your bed isn’t a mirror that needs to be bubble wrapped with Styrofoam peanut’s. It’s thick wall steel tubing and heavy cast iron castings. But……with that being said, there is a degree of fragility to it that needs to be taken into account. Unless you’re shipping your bed…
DetailsHave you ever gotten a chance to see Mardi Gras’?……… you’ll know there is a very distinctive design to the homes and hotels throughout New Orleans. Some more conservative interior designers might describe it as “Gaudy Victorian”………. It has a definite French influence because of it’s historic past and the French that settled in Louisiana after…
DetailsWhen it comes to architectural indigenous themes of design, this country has but one…….the log cabin. They were usually smaller single story buildings made of logs located conveniently at the sight the cabin was built on. This was the chosen an best permanent structure westward bound settlers had. Because the west had yet to be settled…
DetailsWhat could be the best and most foolproof way of investing your money? More and more people are combining their love and appreciation for antique’s and remodeling the past with their practical side for investing. Few things have the security of real estate…….. certainly not the stock market or mutual funds……as we’ve all learned the…
DetailsIf you’re looking for one of the more relaxed interior design style, look no further than Country French. Formality is out the door when it comes to Country French. Whereas French Provincial is completely reverse, with it’s foundation firmly recognized by it’s formality. The beauty of Country French is it’s nearly whimsical treatment of other…
DetailsWhat is it that should decide if an antique should or shouldn’t be refinished? One answer…….. You ! It really should come down to your own particular taste and the setting the piece is going into. Other identifying factors should involve, first and foremost the structural integrity of your piece and if it might need to…
DetailsTo recognize best how to decorate with Cottage style it helps to comprehend the focus should always be toward designing for comfort and relaxation. Pretense and formality are sometimes the mainstay of other design styles. But Cottage style couldn’t be farther away from them. The name cottage originated in medieval times for the modest one…
DetailsOriginating from the quaint beach cottages that were designed in the mid 1800’s along the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, known as Cape Cod, Cape Cod style and design has become one of the most well-known in design history. Even though the area it originated from is one of the biggest barrier islands in the world, shielding much…
DetailsAlthough not always, thinner rod or gauge tubing usually lighter in weight and not as secure and rigid as those beds with larger tubing of 1″ or greater in diameter. When referring to thinner gauge iron beds, it has to do more with the top of the head and footboard of the bed……the rod or…
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