The traditional placement for a bed is near the wall. That way, the bed is out of the way and offers ample floor space to add furniture or create a walkway. An unusual bed layout is in the middle of the bedroom. This is also called a “float” bed because the bed appears to be floating away with no walls to ground it.
Can you put a bed in the middle of a room? You can, but it requires stability and creativity for the placement to work. A traditional headboard is not suitable for floating bed layouts. This article discusses five float bed ideas and the pros and cons of attempting this layout.
In This Article We'll Discuss
Can You Put a Bed in the Middle of a Room?
Of course you can put a bed in the middle of a room. However, it doesn’t mean it will look luxurious and beautiful. To do that, you’ll need to center the bed and design the area around the bed layout. Additionally, the bed needs a thick, steady headboard to keep it from moving around.
5 Ideas for Putting a Bed in the Middle of a Room
Two Rooms in One
A zone, boundary, space, division— no matter how you say it, a bed in the middle of the room creates two rooms in the same room. The bed in the center leaves room for a living space, bathroom, workspace, or dressing room.
A more solid divider is a wall partition. The wall partition creates a solid, permanent separator for a walkway, closet, or a second room.
Walk Path
A bed in the middle of the room creates a walkway behind the headboard. This method works when a walkway exists, and a bed near the wall would block it. Examples include the bedroom door walkway and the bathroom door walkway. A wall partition can aid in making a permanent walkway to the bedroom entry door, the bathroom, or the closet.
Balance Tall Beds
A canopy or a bed with corner posts looks better in the middle if the room has sloped ceilings. Those beds already create a separate section within the bedroom. If you want to highlight the bed’s features, placing it near a wall would be a disservice. In turn, the canopy bed becomes the focal point in the bedroom.
Even without sloped ceilings, a canopy bed looks beautiful in a floating bed layout.
Multi-Purpose Headboard
The headboard can serve more than one function in the room. On one side, it acts as a headboard. The other side can be whatever you wish. But, both sides must act as a wall to keep the float bed stable.
Double-sided headboards can be used for storage space, a desk, or a vanity. If you don’t want to configure the back of the headboard, you can use furniture as a headboard. A dresser, desk, bookshelf, and wardrobe/armoire are examples.
A second example is using a storage headboard. There is storage on the side of the headboard that faces the bed. The bare backside doubles as a wall and emphasizes a walkway.
Remarkable Scenery
If you adore the sunshine or the outdoor view coming through the window, a bed in the middle of the room is a good option for you. It’s peaceful and calming to have that view as you wake up in the morning, de-stress the day, and go to sleep at night. The layout is better if glass patio doors or a floor-to-ceiling window highlight the view.
The Pros and Cons for Floating Your Bed in the Middle of a Room
Pros
Enlarges the Space
Designers tell us that pushing the bed into a wall or corner creates the most space in the room. Even so, a bed against the wall results in a lot of wasteful space. Meanwhile, a bed in the middle of the room offers more meaningful space in the room. It fills wasted space purposefully with plenty of leeway left for decor.
Freeing Functional Use
The bed’s purpose is to provide a comfortable place for people to sleep. Placing the bed in the middle of the rooms means a person can enter, exit, and sit in bed without disturbance. A bed next to the wall, however, will make noise when a person bumps against it.
You can also make up the bed once you get up for the day. A bed in the middle has no wall stopping you from doing it right. So, you can straighten up the comforter or change bedsheets without wall limitations.
Vast Versatility
You have several options for a headboard and several uses for the space behind the headboard. The placement works for all bed types and brings you closer to the outdoors with the best seat in the house.
Cons
Awkward Layout
When the layout has no meaning behind it, a bed in the middle of the room might not look right. It floats with no headboard stability or direction in room design.
Incorrect Headboard Choice
Because the headboard acts as a wall, it needs to be thick, unmovable, and opaque. The wrong choice will result in a bed that moves too easily. A see-through headboard will not protect pillows and bedding from dirt and moisture. Also, bed frame headboards, freestanding headboards, and wall-mounted headboards will not do.
Only for Large Bedrooms
Small bedrooms and odd-shaped bedrooms cannot use a floating bed layout. Both room sizes don’t have adequate space for a floating bed layout.
Small bedrooms have the capacity for a bed and little else. Placing a bed in the middle of the room restricts the space. Adding bedroom furniture around a bed in a cramped room makes it worse.
Odd-shaped bedrooms are appealing when the layout goes with the odd shape. A bed in the middle of an odd-shaped bedroom goes against the grain, disrupting the flow of the bedroom. Those bedrooms also lack the space to handle a floating bed layout.
Conclusion
A floating bed layout is a risky undertaking that can provide satisfying rewards. In order to reap the benefits, you’ll need to figure out what you want to create with a floating bed layout. The correct headboard goes a long way in achieving that goal.
In the comment box, share your insight on beds in the middle of a room. Can you put a bed in the middle of a room? You can, as long as you plan accordingly.