The Bed Canopy Alternative That Gives Historical Romance Vibes

Make yourself the heroine of your story with a customized bed canopy straight out of a historical romance novel. Transforming your bedroom into a magical place doesn't require a lot of space, tall ceilings, or even a lot of money. Instead of a full, four-poster bed, one of the best ways to make your bedroom appear more romantic is crafting a crown-shaped canopy. The origin of the style, called "lit à couronne," meaning "bed crown" or "bed corona," is French, but you don't have to live in a French palace to enjoy it for yourself. The main draw is that it extends just slightly out from the wall while adding that slight romantic touch to your bed.

To create this kind of canopy, many DIYers find that the easiest way to install a bed canopy is to use a kit that includes the crown hardware. The design of these systems makes it simple to hang the curtains without your bed being in front of a window. But even with a kit, you might need to make alterations for them to hang properly.

But there are ways to achieve the same look without buying a kit. Designing your own canopy can be a fun and budget-friendly project with thrifted items. Seek out ornate shelving from secondhand shops or antique stores to use as a ready-to-go bed crown. Turned upside down, a shelf with intricate details can be repurposed as this luxurious element of a crown canopy bed, with curtains carefully stapled to it.

On Instagram, @the.elm.house shows her steps to turning her bed into something straight from the set of "Bridgerton." First, she screws in the brackets from a crown canopy kit into the wall behind her bed. Then, she hangs curtains behind the bed to block an awkward window. To pull everything together, she puts a different color of curtains on the rounded part of the crown canopy. The end result features curtains that drape over the white wooden headboard, framing the bed.

The romantic effect of this canopy comes from the clever draping of rich fabric from the corona above the bed. For a room straight out of a Harlequin paperback, look for thick velvet fabric, like these RYB Home Sage Green Velvet Curtains, currently priced at $38.66. Or for a lighter, more whimsical vibe, opt for florals or classical patterns. Consider sourcing fabric for curtains from a local secondhand shop, too. 

You can also put your own spin on this project for a child's bed canopy using romantic shades of pale pink. A simple crown canopy with light, diaphanous curtains is an excellent upgrade to create a princess bedroom fit for royalty. Give the canopy even more royal treatment with a gold or silver shelf turned upside down to double as a tiara or crown-shaped accoutrement.