My grandma was ancient, or so I thought; but then I was maybe about three years old. But I do remember her canopy bed, so huge it was, at least to me, draped in some sort of off white material that used to enclose us completely. I would get into bed with her and snuggle among the pillows that were ever present while my grandma would read stories to me until I fell asleep. All this has somehow made me put grandma, fairy stories and bed canopies into one category and I can never think of one without remembering the other.
Beds with canopies also bring to mind, favorite stories where kings and queens slept in such splendor, enveloped in clouds of voluptuous silks and satins. I always used to wonder how the king could sleep with his crown on his head! Beds with canopies have something very decadent about them and reminds me of royals and people of wealth who would sleep in them as a symbol of their aristocracy.
Every room in the house would have bed canopies draped in the most luxurious of fabrics to ensure the comfort of the residents as well as any guest staying the night. Sewn into those sumptuous draperies were heavenly fragranced rose petal sachets or potpourris of lavender and herbs to help the occupants drift off to sleep. The canopies would also help them to lie in bed till late morning so that when the maids came into the rooms to draw open the curtains, they could sleep in the privacy of their enclosures undisturbed.
Bed canopies of today are a far cry from those days of long ago, and are built with convenience in mind. The frames are much lighter and usually made of aluminum or plastic while the drapery is also softer, lighter and airy leaving more space to breathe. The only reason someone would use a canopy today would be to make a personal statement of style or because it’s in fashion and hardly for its functionality. Those in the tropics however would differ, because a bed canopy is an essential safety requirement for them to keep away mosquitoes and other dangerous insects from endangering their lives.