The Chesterfield headboards, for over two centuries, have furnished the most elegant rooms with a perfect mix of craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Its name derives from the flock: the “waste” of silk. What remained from the processing of the cocoons was used to make the padding. Hence the flocking fabric technique, which provided for the subdivision of the padding material into sections of equal size: this is how the flocking fabric was born, with its diamond-shaped lozenges with a great decorative effect and capable of offering excellent non-deformable support.
Coming to us directly from the 18th century, let’s see the classic upholstered bed: how it is made and how it is interpreted today.
How the Upholstery padding is made
Two centuries have passed but the technique has remained unchanged, it can only be made by hand and only by expert upholsterers.
The padding on which the lozenge is outlined is superimposed on the bed structure. We proceed by drilling the padding at the vertices of the rhombuses and then spreading the coating on this surface.
The leather, eco-leather or fabric must be well stretched as the upholsterer shapes the surface by hand as he proceeds with the stitching and insertion of the typical buttons, which takes place with long needles. The wire is fixed in the rear part of the panel with the accessory aid of a soft disk that avoids excessive tension between the knot and the rigid structure.
It all started with the Chesterfield sofa
Historically, the upholstery has a diamond-shaped structure that is repeated over the entire padded surface, be it the headboard of a bed, the back of an armchair or the back of a Chesterfield sofa.
One of the furnishings that made this work famous is the Chesterfield headboard: a symbol of good British society, this elegant and refined sofa still represents a British icon today, a symbol of the best living rooms of the upper-middle class and aristocracy.
The legend tells that it was Lord Phillip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773) who asked his craftsmen to build a sofa that would allow gentlemen to sit neatly with their backs straight, supported by a comfortable but enough support. rigid so as not to crease the clothes of the noble guests and to keep its shape intact without the need to constantly fluff back and seat cushions.
Here comes the Chesterfield sofa with padding: always in order, always in shape and always with a great visual effect.
It took a short time for this type of padding to pass to beautifully padded chairs, armchairs and beds covered in the best leathers, velvets and precious fabrics. With a clear and precise connotation: the upholstery and the handmade Chesterfield headboards are a status symbol of the elite, synonymous with elegance and comfort.
Types of upholstered headboard
The 18th and 19th centuries saw a progressive improvement in living conditions: the bourgeoisie was increasingly wealthy and wanted houses furnished on the model of aristocratic palaces, but more comfortable and functional. The same attention paid to the living room is applied to the aesthetics of the bedroom and the quilted bed quickly replaces the older four-poster beds and the more sober solid wood beds. Just like the nobles, the bourgeois also wants to read in bed and have breakfast comfortably leaning against a soft and beautiful headboard.
Technologies and production methods evolve, but the upholstery remains the same. Let’s see some of the more typical headboards that have arrived unchanged to the present day.
Chesterfield headboards for beds: upholstery with a British accent
From its cousin sofa, it takes the rounded shape of the armrest and backrest: the chesterfield bed proposes these soft shapes in the “curl” headboard, for a piece of furniture to be placed in the centre of the room.
Princely style: the classic upholstery with gold frame
It seems that Marie Antoinette ate brioche in bed, beautifully framed by a back decorated with flowers, enclosed in a gold leaf frame. If yours is a princess bedroom, the tufted bed for you is the one with a meticulously worked and engraved headboard.
Between classic and contemporary: the upholstery
The solid wood frame of the classic remains, but revisited according to the aesthetic canons of contemporary bedrooms. Stylish features of the artisan language blend with modern technology and taste, giving birth to a contemporary upholstered bed, essential but with details studied by virtuous craftsmen equipped with new technologies for woodworking.
Details that make the difference
Match the colour of the handbag and shoes; choose the right ballerina for the short black dress: some details make an item of clothing or an icon of furniture immortal, details that cannot be missing when choosing a certain style. Here’s what to look for when choosing a tufted bed.
The Coating
Leather: Full-grain leather. Fabric: linen, velvet, 100% cotton. The padding in its best version has high-level coverings that can enhance the folds that outline the diamond-shaped lozenge to the maximum and that are meticulously created by hand and if the sheath dress has to be black, the must-have of the upholstery is the one in white leather.
Sabre Foot
If it does not have the container, the classic upholstered bed is made even more refined by onion feet or sabre feet.
The "Bed with Buttons"
The handmade chesterfield headboard comes with buttons. If you are looking for a classic upholstered bed, you have to opt for a model with a headboard embellished with buttons and a diamond-shaped lozenge. The more modern versions offer square quilting, even without buttons, or with buttons replaced by small points of light, by Swarovski crystals or multicoloured applications. One thing is certain: no button, no classic upholstery.
Handmade Chesterfield headboards have evolved with the changing times. You can have the classic Chesterfield and the Chesterfield headboards with modern touch at Ottoman Beds. The royal and classy furniture can become your choice in many different colours of upholstery by checking out a wide range of at Ottoman Beds.