Box-bed

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A box-bed is an enclosed bed that looks like a cupboard. It’s closed on all sides with wood panels and you enter it by curtains or a door. It sits on short legs to stay dry from a dirt floor. In front is often a large oak chest, the same length as the bed. The chest is a seat of honor, a step into the bed, and it also stores clothing and bedding.

In Brittany, the lit-clos is a traditional box-bed. In single-room homes, it gave privacy and helped keep people warm in winter. It was the main piece of furniture in rural Brittany until the 20th century, often carved and decorated. Some box-beds were built one above the other in a double-decker, with the top area for young people. They were about 1.6 to 1.7 meters long.

Box-beds protected people from animals living in the house and, in Breton folklore, were said to protect against wolves. Similar enclosed beds were found in western Britain. They fell out of fashion because they were expensive to make, and many were replaced in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some now live in museums, while others became bookshelves, dressers, or TV cabinets. In the 21st century, some rental companies offer nights in authentic box-beds.

Breton designers Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec reinterpreted the lit-clos in 2000.

In the Netherlands, the closet-bed or bedstede was common into the 19th century, especially in farmhouses. It could be built into a living room and closed during the day, so a separate bedroom wasn’t needed. In winter, the small bed space stayed warm from body heat. In the 16th and 17th centuries, these beds were smaller, and sleeping was sometimes semi-upright. They could hold two people, and drawers called rolkkeoetsen often pulled out beneath them to make beds for children.