What Is A French Bed?

Last updated: 04.09.2025

One of the many things the French are famous for is stylish décor. There are a wealth of different styles of classic French beds, ranging from the most decadent examples of opulent velvet beds with gold-painted details, to classically elegant floral-patterned linen upholstered beds, to the simplest rustic French-style rattan beds in natural wood tones.

What is a French bed?

• The term 'French bed' refers to a style of bed that has been influenced by French history, with ornate, carved details and curved lines, featuring materials like velvet, linen, or rattan.

• It is this rich history and artistic influence that sets French beds apart from the rest. Throughout the Renaissance, France and its rulers left an indelible mark on the arts, design, and furniture styles, including the iconic French beds.

• With each successive ruler, a unique style motif emerged, distinguishing their reign and shaping the era's aesthetics.

What is the history of French Bed Styles?

Louis XV defined the ‘rococo’ period with ornately carved motifs and a romantic, sensual, feminine look. Twirling acanthus leaves, floral and shell motifs inspired by the beauty of nature are captured in hand-carvings across all items of furniture throughout this period. Our Lit D'Amour Low Footboard Linen Upholstered Bed features everything necessary for it to be a traditional and quintessentially French bed.

Bonaparte introduced a Neoclassic style using light coloured woods, geometric detailing, and solid forms. With carved motifs of acanthus leaves, delicate floral garlands, and panelling, our French Romance Grey Linen Upholstered Bed is an elaborate and ornate piece crafted that matches the aesthetic. It is undoubtedly a bed fit for a king such as Napoleon Bonaparte, and his Empress Joséphine.

Louis XIV’s focus was opulence and excess. The furniture in his Palais de Versailles was grand, bold, and lavishly decorated in gold details and rich fabrics such as velvet and silk. Our carefully designed Palais Royal Avenue Linen Upholstered Bed has taken inspiration from the most decadent castles in the eighteenth century.  The combination of deeply buttoned upholstery in a rich and exuberant blue, paired with the opulence of the gold carved framework would certainly have made King Louis XV proud!

Which style of French bed is right for you?

• We believe that a luxurious French-style bed is a prerequisite for any boudoir, where you can prepare yourself for the day and then relax, unwind and hibernate at the end of the night.

• It's the pièce de résistance of the bedroom, and in order to ensure the ultimate ambience in your boudoir, it is important that you pick the right bed frame to suit your style. Our beds are available in double, king, super king and emperor sizes to fit your bedroom.

With so many luxury French bed frames to choose from, it can be hard to know which French bed is best for you.

What are the different types of French beds?

Upholstered French Beds

A luxurious French-style upholstered bed is the ultimate in statement style. Whether your style is cool and contemporary or sumptuous and decadent, there is an upholstered bed for you. For a contemporary feel, choose a bed with clean lines and a low footboard to give you a cool, calm and collected feel. Muted colours like a neutral linen upholstery will allow you to add accent colours.

If your style is more statement, there’s nothing like a velvet bed, or a silk upholstery paired with a gold frame to instantly draw the eye. For a true maximalist style, pair it with a mix of patterns and a decadent French chandelier.

Emperor French Beds

Stretch out, breathe, and relax in your vast emperor bed. Emperor beds provide a vast canvas of space for you to rest and get a rejuvenating night’s sleep, as well as adding a real flourish of grandeur to your bedroom.

Read about how to style your own bedroom sanctuary with an emperor bed.

Read everything you need to know about buying an emperor bed.

Rattan French Beds

Rattan is incredibly versatile, adding that touch of bohemian relaxation or an air of effortless elegance when painted in neutral tones. Create a country French style that emits warmth and comfort with a natural rattan bed in a rustic finish. Alternatively, evoke a vintage elegance with painted rattan in neutral colours like an antique white or pale grey.

Read more about how to style a rattan bed and how to care for your rattan bed.

Why we love classic French beds

• We love all types of French-style beds; from luxurious upholstered beds to natural rattan French beds, to glorious emperor beds and everything in between! It is our mission to help everyone build the French bedroom of their dreams with our luxury French-style furniture.

• They also offer the perfect canvases to show off beautifully luxurious bedspreads, sumptuously soft bed linen or eye-catchingly beautiful cushions. A French bed is more than just a bed, it is a work of art.

What inspired our French bed designs?

• Georgia Metcalfe founded online boutique French Bedroom in 2006. She had been offered the gift of a French bed for her birthday, but she could not find one she liked in the UK. Having spotted a gap in the market for timeless, feminine French style beds, she decided to do something about it.

• Born out of a fascination of French designs, our collections of French beds are fun and feminine, crated with quality materials using artisanal methods. We consider our furniture to be legacy pieces that will last for generations to come – for your children, and your children’s children. As Georgia always says, “We are French at the fore, quality at the core.”

Now you understand what a French bed is, and which style of French bed is perfect for you, show us your style! Tag us in your pictures on social media with hashtag #myfbstyle.

Read more | The History of French Bedroom Style | How To Create a French Bedroom | Why a Beautiful French Bed Suits Every Style

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