How to Restore Antique Iron Beds : Preserve the Patina or Start Fresh?
Learn how to restore antique iron beds, from preserving original distressed paint and patina to sandblasting, priming and creating authentic crackle finishes.
From Twin to King: How America Outgrew Victorian Antique Iron Beds
Why were Victorian antique iron beds so much smaller than today’s beds? Explore the history of twin, three-quarter and double iron beds—and the fascinating changes that eventually led Americans to embrace queen and king sizes.
Antique Iron Beds – Finials: Their History, Purpose and Victorian Designs
Why do antique iron beds have decorative finials on their posts? Explore the history, purpose and remarkable variety of cast iron and brass finials used by Victorian bed manufacturers—and why these seemingly small details can tell us so much about the quality and design of an original antique iron bed.
How to Coordinate an Antique Iron Bed Finish with Your Bedroom Décor
Choosing the right finish for an antique iron bed doesn’t have to start with the bed. Wallpaper, fabric, chandeliers, artwork and even antique copper can inspire a custom finish that brings an entire room together while preserving the character and history of the original bed.
Resurrecting Double Size Antique Iron Beds With King Conversions
Victorian antique iron beds were never made in today’s king sizes. See how Cathouse Antique Iron Beds resurrects original double beds through carefully crafted king conversions that preserve their proportions, castings, character and original design.
Antique Iron Beds Tubing: Does Size Really Matter?
about antique iron beds. From economical 3/4-inch beds to elaborate Victorian examples with heavy 1 1/8-inch tubing—and the enormous 2-inch beds of the early 1900s—size matters, but not always in the way you might expect.
Why Were Antique Iron Beds So Heavy? How Weight Went From a Liability to a Sign of Value
The tremendous weight of antique iron beds could make them expensive and difficult to transport in the 1800s. Today, that same heavy construction, ornate casting and rarity can make the finest surviving examples especially desirable and valuable.
The History of Brass on Antique Iron Beds: Was It One of the 1800s’ Best Marketing Ideas?
Why did 19th-century manufacturers begin adding brass to antique iron beds? Brass finials, spokes and decorative scrollwork offered the fashionable look Victorian buyers loved, while iron provided exceptional strength, durability and greater freedom of design. The combination may have been one of the iron bed industry’s smartest marketing ideas.
How Many People Did It Really Take to Make an Antique Iron Bed in the 1800s?
How many people did it really take to make an antique iron bed in the 1800s? Far more than most people realize. From the original designer and draftsman to the patternmaker, moldmaker, foundry workers, metalworkers, assemblers, finishers and inspectors, an antique iron bed was the product of many specialized nineteenth-century craftsmen. Discover the fascinating manufacturing process behind the antique iron beds that have survived for more than a century.
The Carbon Footprint of Antique Iron Beds : 150 Years Later, Is It Greener Than a New Bed?
Could a 150-year-old antique iron bed actually be better for the environment than a newly manufactured metal bed? We explore the carbon footprint of antique iron beds, how life-cycle emissions are calculated, why carbon doesn’t simply “dissipate” over time, and how reusing a durable iron bed can avoid the environmental cost of manufacturing new metal.