Alcove Bed History

Jefferson was "much attached" to alcove beds and incorporated them into nearly every bedroom during his redesign of Monticello in the 1790s. The silk textiles and trimmings ordered for the bed and the alcove represented the greatest expense in the interior decoration of the room. The eighteenth-century upholsterer used a luxurious three-colored silk to cover the bed, line the walls of the alcove, and make the bed curtains; the silk and trims have been exactly reproduced.

The separation of the alcove from the main space was accomplished at first by means of curtains and later by timber partitions to form independent rooms and thus conserve heat. In later centuries bed alcoves and kitchen alcoves reappeared as means of saving space in small living quarters, particularly in apartments. Via: Wiki Commons/Daderot Some alcove beds were part of a larger bedroom, but others opened out directly onto the kitchen or main living area.

Netherlands Open Air Museum kitchen with 2 box beds. Note the brass bed warmers hanging by the fireplace. Via: Wiki Commons/Txllxt TxllxT.

Because of the bed's important role in the procreation of sons, the alcove's overall surface decoration displays auspicious motifs. For example, the small four-character inscription on top of the entrance conveys wishes of prosperity to the generations to come (wu shi qi chang). The alcove bed is described in the Ming carpenters manual Lu Ban jing, and a miniature wood model illustrated below was dicovered in a tomb near Shanghai dated to the late 16th century.

A similar full-sized example made from huanghuali wood is exhibited at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City. DescriptionThis alcove bed is constructed in exactly the same way as a six-post testered bed with a corridor area to the front; the bed section is of flush. The history behind the Alcove bed Jean Prouvé The original Alcove bed emerged during the mid-20th century, reflecting the post-war era's focus on industrial efficiency and modernist principles.

This period marked a shift toward functional design that could be produced efficiently while maintaining aesthetic value. The alcove bed is described in the Ming carpenters manual Lu Ban jing. The miniature wood model illustrated below was dicovered in a tomb near Shanghai dated to the late 16th century.

A similar full-sized example made from huanghuali wood is exhibited at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City. Media in category "Alcove beds in art" The following 99 files are in this category, out of 99 total.