Comfort, Elegance & Craftmanship - our conversation with Turnpost beds
A great bed is more than just a place to sleep – it's the cornerstone of a luxurious bedroom experience.
For those who seek both comfort and elegance, the craftsmanship behind a high-end bed is paramount. To explore what makes a truly exceptional bed, we sat down with Vanessa Rhodes, Head of Design at Turnpost, a renowned luxury bed manufacturer known for their unique British designs, craftmanship and commitment to responsible manufacturing.
Having worked with Turnpost to incorporate their beautiful beds into our projects, we discuss their design philosophy, the materials they use, and what sets their creations apart in the world of luxury interior design. Whether you're a design enthusiast or looking to elevate your own bedroom, this conversation is sure to inspire.
About Turnpost and Craftsmanship
Can you tell us about the history of Turnpost and how you started making luxury beds?
About twelve years ago whilst working as an interior designer, I was asked to source a four-poster bed for one of my clients. I quickly realised that there was a gap in the market for high quality British made poster beds and I found a local cabinet maker and woodturner to take on the challenge. The client adored her new bed and being an entrepreneur herself, encouraged me to launch the business. Over the last eleven years we have grown the business to ten poster beds as well as eight upholstered bed designs and a range of custom-made mattresses. We regularly work closely with interior designers to create one off bespoke designs in a variety of finishes.
What makes your beds unique compared to other luxury bed makers?
We make every bed to order in Yorkshire which allows us to tweak the designs if needed at no extra cost to our customers. We carefully source sustainable solid ash to manufacture our beds and use no veneers. We also have relatively short lead times of 6-8 weeks and deliver and install across the UK as well as shipping overseas.
How has your approach to bed making evolved over the years?
Our continuous aim is the responsible sourcing of all our products. We use eco-friendly waterborne stains in our standard range of colours and plant based hard wax oils in our specialist finishes, all of which are finished by hand. We no longer use plastic wrapping but reusable blankets to protect our beds for transportation. We are in the process of changing from foam-based fillings to sustainable British wool for all our upholstered beds.
The Bed-Making Process
Could you walk us through the process of creating one of your four-poster or upholstered beds?
When we are creating a bespoke bed, it always starts with a concept drawing and supporting visuals. Once approved by the customer we then provide samples of finishes or bespoke colours. We then carefully source the materials and begin to handcraft each bed, involving hand turning of the four posts and templating/prototyping if required. We then assemble each finished bed with thorough quality control before it leaves the workshop for delivery to the customer.
How much of the process is handcrafted versus machine-assisted?
We use very traditional methods to handcraft our beds and mattresses, such as hand turning of our posts, hand sanding and hand finishing. We only use machined steel brackets to assemble the beds together for strength, which also ensures they can be dismantled and moved to new premises when necessary.
Design & Style Advice
How can a statement bed like a four-poster fit into both traditional and contemporary interiors?
All our beds work well in both modern and traditional settings depending on the choice of colour and finish, together with the decoration and furnishings chosen. A four-poster bed will always be the statement piece in a bedroom but needn’t be too bold if finished in paler woods or painted finishes in a room with lots of light and natural textiles.
Do you offer customisation options for your beds? If so, how can clients personalise their design?
On many occasions we have made the posts on our standard designs taller or shorter so the beds can sit effortlessly in unusually shaped rooms, sloping ceilings etc. Since we make all our beds to order, it is not a problem to achieve the perfect bed size for our customers. We can also adapt the standard bed width and length together with bespoke size mattresses to accommodate taller individuals.
Current Trends & Inspiration
What bed styles or finishes are particularly popular right now?
Over the last ten years we have seen a move towards paler woods and limed finishes with a Scandinavian feel. However, we continue to handcraft our beds in our ever-popular ebony and dark ash finishes, which inevitably stand the test of time.
Where do you draw inspiration for your designs?
Many of our designs take inspiration from classically wood turned furniture, such as our bobbin inspired Coniston bed. The intricacy of our Kingston showcases the many shapes which can be achieved with chisel and lathe by our time served woodturners.
Collaboration & Projects
What do you enjoy most about collaborating with interior designers?
We love collaborating with Designers such as Alexandra Young, who make the whole process both enjoyable and rewarding. It is wonderful when designers send us their appreciation and photos of completed projects with our beds at the heart of their design.