Today this idea may seem claustrophobic, extravagant and even a little disturbing, but a few centuries ago, sleeping locked in a closet was the best guarantee of a pleasant night. Nice, cozy and comfortable. Our ancestors had so many good reasons to curl up in some kind of wooden closet full of sheets that the strange thing is not that they did it, but that we (since the 20th century) have abandoned the habit.

There are even those who argue that the concept should be revived in the 21st century. But yes, it has a technological edge and bets on a much more modern aesthetic than what was popular in the times of our great-great-grandparents.

Are the beds in the closets? Exactly the same. It may seem strange to us today. Not so for our ancestors. As the BBC recently recalled, there was a fairly long period between the Middle Ages and the beginning of the 20th century, when wardrobe beds were popular throughout Europe. Such a piece may seem interesting to us in the 21st century, but the names we give to these furniture (some bed or closed bed) could not be more descriptive than that. Although the more or less elegant models and details differed, these items were nothing more or less than that: chests of drawers with a bed inside.

Popular… and widespread. Wardrobe beds were so popular that even today we can find some notable examples or references. For example, in a museum in Wick in the north of Scotland, an interesting pine bedside wardrobe, which helps set the scene, is kept in one of the rooms where the fishermen who came to the region at that time stayed, along with other period furniture. Herring season remained in the 19th century.

It is possible to find equally interesting examples in places as diverse as Austria, the Netherlands and France. There, in the territory of Brittany they were known as: lit-close. Even in the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam today you can see a “some bed” similar to the one used by the painter and his wife Saskia.

The list goes on and on.. Writers Emily Brontë, Thomas Adolphus and Frances Eleanor Trollope told us about them, and even Pieter de Hooch and Jacob Vrel showed us with their brushes. Not to mention the numerous references to this type of furniture in both stories and written texts. Drawings show that details may vary, but the philosophy is always the same: Raised cabinets with legs and often doors, or a small window that can be covered with curtains. Sometimes they even had two different levels. And there were always beds for the owners to rest.

“It is the resting place of the servant or any member of the family. The opening left as the only means of access to the interior of this retreat is usually provided by sliding doors (as well as the entire front of the house. The bed, as described by Thomas and Frances Trollope around 1840) is beautifully It is carved in. So the person can completely cover himself up if he wants.

From peasants to aristocrats. If it is possible to find so many references today, it is because, as the BBC explains, such structures were hugely popular in homes across Europe, both in Great Britain and on the continent, from medieval times to the beginning of the 20th century. . The British network also points out that families of all kinds use them. From peasants looking to relax after long days in the countryside, to fishermen or distinguished members of the nobility.

After all, its purpose could always be the same, but there were some differences between furniture beds (just like today’s furniture). There were simple ones. And some were filled with engravings worthy of a palace.

But… Why did they use these? The right question might be another: Why do we stop using them? Over time, they went out of fashion and became rare, but for centuries they guaranteed a comfortable stay at night. Reason? They offered privacy, were versatile, made it possible to make good use of space and complete service records; As historian Roger Ekircj recalls, they helped to provide warm evenings in homes, which was not uncommon for sap from logs. to freeze in the fireplace and even in inkwells.

The professor recalls that between the 14th and 19th centuries, Europe and parts of North America suffered from the Little Ice Age, which froze the waters of the River Thames almost twenty times. In such a hot environment, the idea of ​​locking yourself in a box at night didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Especially if you take into account that it can be shared with others.

A smart design. Perhaps it’s overrated in the eyes of 21st century families; but box spring beds were smart too. The most elaborate ones offered a seat and drawers for storing clothes, just like today’s folding sofas. Not to mention they’re a great option for converting spaces previously intended for other purposes into bedrooms.

For example, the Wick Society says that in 1980 a family from the Scottish Highlands placed one of these beds in a barn so some members could sleep there. The room intended for family rest had become too small, and the design of the wardrobe bed offered them a great solution.

against freezing. It was also not uncommon for these to be offered to seasonal workers and immigrants and divided among several family members or co-workers. Maybe they would have been less comfortable this way – not to mention privacy – but during one of the nights of the Little Ice Age, which hit Europe with freezing temperatures in the 17th century, these wooden sarcophagi were an effective way to shelter from the cold. Or at least more bearable.

Maybe that’s why even today, in 2024, there are people who look at the concept with interest. Not to go back to sleeping in pine closets with sheets and mattresses, but to rethink whether there are other ways to design the places where we relax for hours every day. Hi-Interiors’ smart bed or Japan’s capsule hotels are two good examples of this.

Pictures | Wolfgang Sauber (Wikipedia), Wikipedia 2 and NGA

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