Black Metal Bed:
The Best Black Iron Bed For Your Style

A black metal bed is perfect for bedroom decorating styles like
French Provincial / Tuscan / Victorian / Mediterranean / European Country ... and many, many more.

On this page you'll find black 'wrought iron' beds, cast iron beds, as well as black beds made from other metals. For the size you want, just click on the images - most merchants offer their black metal bed frames in a variety of sizes. [Read More]

(Clicking "Next" will give you more choices from the above merchants' product feeds. Because these feeds are automatic, you will find that some non-black metal beds tend to sneak into the lineup. There's no way to prevent this from happening - just ignore ;-)

Black Iron Bed vs. "Metal" Bed

A genuine, black wrought iron bed, hand forged by a blacksmith, is pretty much a thing of the past. You can still get new wrought iron beds made from recycled wrought iron - as well as reproductions of antique wrought iron beds - but be prepared to pay a steep price for one of those!

When industrial production of wrought iron ended in the 1970s, the material was replaced by plain carbon steel, which was about half as expensive to produce and had similar properties. So when you buy a black 'iron' bed these days, the likelihood is that it's made of plain carbon ("mild") steel, not of iron.

The beauty of wrought iron is that it is not very pure - it has mineral and metal inclusions (known as 'slag') that give it a grainy surface and an 'antique' look.

This look can be imitated, of course, but not every black metal bed looks like a black wrought iron bed. Actually, most of them don't - which is really perfectly fine when you're decorating a contemporary Tuscan-style or 'French country' bedroom.

Apart from plain carbon steel, metal bed furniture - or parts of it - may be made of

heavy gauge tubular steel
cast brass
cast aluminum
cast iron.

Cast Iron Bed vs. Wrought Iron Bed

A full metal bed often consists of a steel frame and steel scrollwork, with added cast-iron or cast-aluminum detail.

Cast iron is more brittle than wrought iron; it bears up well under pressure, while wrought iron (and plain carbon steel) is better at dealing with tension. (If wrought iron were wood, cast iron would be stone).

So while steel is great for a strong bedframe, as well as for the scrollwork on a black metal bed, cast metals would be used for molded headboard (and/or footboard) ornaments with beautifully detailed relief surfaces.

Black Metal Bed Style: Which Look Is Right For You?

For a rustic Italian/Tuscan style, choose a black 'iron' bed frame that looks like the ones in Tuscan farmhouses - with simple shapes and 'cannonball' finials.

For a Tuscan 'palazzo' look, opt for finer scrollwork and some cast iron detailing - and maybe add a bit of gilding as well, the way it was done on these Tuscan palazzo beds.

Similarly, French-style metal bed furniture should be kept simple when decorating an austere French Provincial Bedroom, but you can definitely add more flourish and detail for a playful and luxurious take on Country French bedroom decor.

And when it comes to contemporary decorating styles, a full metal bed will provide heaps of decorating possibilities, from 'zen' simplicity to delicate, sophisticated elegance.

Complement a Mediterranean-style black metal bed with white Matelassé Bed Linens - they are the perfect Mediterranean bedroom ingredient.
For a more colorful and luxurious bedroom look, combine your black wrought iron bed with Tuscan Bedding!
Alternatives to a black metal bed: an elegant French Country Bed, a Tuscan Bed, a White Metal Bed, or a Canopy Iron Bed.
Complement your iron bed frame with a Tuscan Armoire!
For pictures of Tuscan style bedrooms and Tuscan bed styles, check out the pages on
Rustic Tuscan Bedrooms and
Contemporary Tuscan Bedroom Decor.
Neutral Color Schemes - The Book:
Learn about using neutral color palettes with a black iron bed (and everywhere else in the house, too!) Understand what makes neutral color schemes look their best, and what happens when you inject 'real' color into neutral color palettes. It's FREE!!