Gilded Bed Tester – a very bespoke brief!

Our client presented us with a tear sheet from one of the home interest glossies. She was scrupulously restoring her early 19th century Grade II listed hall, and had found a look that captured the very essence of what she wanted for her the master bedroom – a bespoke gilded bed tester with pelmet and sheer curtain, and serpentine headboard.

The gilded bed tester and piped serpentine headboard, would all need to be made from scratch. The headboard and pelmet didn’t phase us as we regularly make bespoke shaped headboards, pelmets and bed valances. However the bed tester was a little more tricky as the gilded tester in the photo was a restored antique, and though we scoured the auction houses we couldn’t find anything that quite fit the brief.

After many phone calls and hours of internet research we eventually found someone who could make up our bed tester to our exacting requirements and measurements. Many phone calls with the manufacturer followed, and sketches and measurements were passed to and fro between us. We had to ensure that the gilded colour as close as possible matched the original, and this required several samples before we were happy with the colour.

The depth of the tester was also crucial as it needed to be deep enough to accommodate a linen voile curtain, dress curtains and pelmet, but not so deep that it looked unsightly.

The shape of the pelmet and serpentine headboard were sketched by hand by Moghul director Charlie White onto a paper template – to mirror as close as possible the shape of the headboard and pelmet in the magazine photograph.

In addition we were also tasked with making a bespoke bed valance, with corner kick pleats for the super king sized bed.