I’m always
amazed where I see and how I see people using iron beds. In this photo a good friend sent me, you’ll see a green house that for some strange reason the owner decided to fence in with old beds. Not really sure why………but then if a person doesn’t have a real appreciation for them or know the value of them, and happens to have a bunch of them laying around in a barn that have collected over the years, it’s understandable. I’m still a little unclear why they’d use beds as a fence that anything could crawl under. The Shabby Chic white chipped finish on all of the beds seemed quite a perfect blend with the distressed nature of the “Green House”.
Beds have always given the feel of joy from a past generation. Generations of families would bed down every night to rest from the days work. The vision of a persons restful sanctuary at the end of a tiring day must have been a comforting sight that could be counted on every night……. no matter what the day may have thrown at them.
I’ve done blogs on antique iron beds that farmers used as gates…….. actually a rather common thing to do with an bed that may have been replaced by some other form of bed frame. People in the country wasted nothing everything had a purpose and when that purpose had been fulfilled there was always something else an item could be used for. Being “Green” was a very common way of living back then. But back then it was a very practical way to live ……. not a chic catch phrase. Much of the time living a “green” existence determined ones ability to live a good practical life. More often than not, you would find old beds being used as gates, trellises for flowers or vegetables, iron supports in newly poured cement, or as in this instance a fence.
Once poured and cast in the foundry back in the 1800’s, a beds “footprint” on this planet had been made. But generation upon generation of families would amortize that “footprint” until it’s continued functionality had diminished whatever negative impact it may have drawn from the environment in it’s initial production. Every night we bed down in a bed from the good old days, we can feel a little bit better in knowing we’re doing our part with the “Greening of America”.
I hope you’ve found this blog informative . I invite you to revisit my website
to answer any and all questions you might have about antique iron beds.
I also invite you to take a look at our company Face Book page for multiple photo albums on Custom Finishes, Canopy Conversions and a comprehensive “Before & After” King Conversions album.
