The DIY Secret To Making A Romantic, Layered Canopy That Really Stuns

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What more is there to ask from a bedroom than being a room with a bed? Many homeowners would probably agree that it's really as simple as that: a quiet and simple room where you can get a good night of sleep. Maybe it features some decorative pieces, a black-out curtain, and even a few fancy pillows. But with a canopy, a bedroom can transform into a dreamy romantic retreat, something that feels warm and cozy like a hug, layered with fabrics and veils. And don't assume this kind of makeover requires a large budget. In many cases, you can pull it off with affordable fabrics and a bit of creativity. It's an old-school bedroom trend that you can adapt to your personal style while letting you experiment. 

The idea, which comes from Instagram creator @nikkshae, is to use thrifted curtains, table cloths, bed skirts and safety pins to create a luxurious canopy bed that looks straight out of a fairytale. The main skill you need for this is an eye for aesthetics, and some serious patience. When draping, you'll need to carefully adjust pieces until they look just right, which can take several hours.

And sure, you can also buy pre-made canopy bed curtains. But these are typically thin and made in a veil material, which may not exactly bring the romantic dream bed vibes. But if you find any of these while looking through thrift stores and yard sales, or if you have one left from when you decorated your kid's bedroom in princess theme, you can also use them as one layer for your DIY layered canopy bed. With layering, the more the merrier.

For this DIY, you need tons of fabric layers that look different but cohesive. Pair a few heavier fabrics that block light with thinner ones that let the light in but add dimension. Play with materials that are shiny and light-reflecting, like satin, and contrast with mat ones like cotton. And when it comes to size, have a few full-length pieces, like curtains, as well as a few shorter ones, like table cloths. Finally, to cover the entire canopy, get a bed skirt. This final layer is the one that you'll see in full, so choose something that you like, whether it's dainty lace or fancy ruffles.

To attach everything, you need a base structure. It's not clear what the original creator used, though curtain tracks would work well. For this, attach two ceiling mount rails with roller hooks from Felidesign on both sides of the bed. Then, hang simple curtains from both tracks, and using safety pins, add more layers to the curtain. For the head section, hang a piece from both sides, and add some nails to hold it up against the wall at the center. For the foot section, you can either use another curtain track, or hang the pieces from both side curtains (the bed skirt layer will hide any drooping from being visible on the outside). 

When it comes to color, you can use all white and cream colors, like the original creator. You can also experiment with pastels, like light pinks or baby blues, for something airy but colorful. There's also the option of using dark jewel tones like red or green, though it might make your canopy bed look outdated or straight out of a baroque-era movie. But some people like that period-piece aesthetic, so don't let that stop you.