A sleigh bed has a certain weight to it: It’s ornate, Empire-style, and dark, solid wood. Traditionally, the headboard is a backward-curving silhouette with a matching, curling footboard, ornate finials, and a regal height. In modern parlance, sleigh beds have adapted to something a bit less ornamented. Many brands have iterations that maintain the curved framework in ways less pronounced, like Arhaus and West Elm, who invert the old school curves. Instead of heavy and hardwood, the contemporary counterparts are often upholstered, the edges still rounded, but softened. We’ll leave the grandeur of traditional sleigh beds to historic homes and Christmas villages. Our list, while still channelling timeless elegance, is less Santa, more stylish.
Our Top Picks
For a Lived-In Look
Loved by the likes of Dakota Johnson and Emma Roberts for their romantic approach to minimalism, AD100 firm Pierce & Ward designed this upholstered sleigh style for West Elm. This piece would make for a grounding statement in a wallpapered bedroom if you’re looking to move towards the maximalist styles dominating the designscape, or the focal point in a more pared-back space. The slight curve of the headboard gives it a comforting touch, almost like it’s welcoming you in for a cuddle. Choose your upholstery from 22 fabrics and four textures: linen, chenille, boucle, and velvet.
Mid-Century Standout
The clean lines and sleek joinery set this Lawson-Fenning design comfortably in the landscape of mid-century bedroom furniture, but not too literally. The woven texture creates a grounding and bohemian effect, while the palette and silhouette lean contemporary. We’d go with the Archer colorway here, pairing it with a neutral woven rug for a bohemian vibe, or a Turkish rug to warm up the understated colorway.
A Sculptural Sleigh Bed
Arhaus delivers a low-profile and elegant take on the traditional sleigh bed with a curved headboard and footboard that bookend the frame. The “cinnamon” upholstery allows the rest of your bedroom decor to take a backseat, and the sheltered headboard encourages cozy moments of reprieve, not to mention a posture-proof backrest for reading.
For a Modern Look
With 40 fabric options to choose from, this upholstered bed can anchor a bright bedroom with shades like navy chenille and espresso, or serve as a cozy focal point in a minimalist guest room with oatmeal basketweave or white linen. Rounded edges relay a sense of comfort while ash veneer creates a strong and sophisticated frame—and the exaggerated height lends a certain stateliness.
Minimalist Pick
This piece combines a supporting character palette with a leading lady frame to make something perfect for those who have a hankering to whitewash but know better. The natural and black ash veneers both make for great contemporary canvases when putting together your dream bedscape.
Farmhouse Favorite
Farmhouse looks very elegant in this piece from Amber Interiors that features both a padded head and footboard to offset the intensity of the iron frame. At just over five feet, the headboard extends dramatically above the frame, giving it an instinctively authoritative silhouette—this is a bed for a primary suite. Its tapered legs and subtle ornamentation give it an old world quality that still looks right at home in a contemporary designscape.