In this blog we take an in-depth look at our latest bed design – the Camden handcrafted solid wood bed. This beautiful bed has proven popular in a wide range of timbers, so we’ll take a look at the different looks that can be achieved depending on the selected timber – from pale ash, to popular oak and rich, dark solid walnut.

About the Camden Solid Wood Bed

The Camden bed is a beautiful, handmade, solid wood bed with shaped legs and soft curves to the edges. The Camden is designed so the mattress sits within the frame, but as the frame is slender the frame has a compact footprint perfect for smaller bedrooms. The Camden bed has the style credentials for any master bedroom though, with a tall headboard panel that sits within a gently curved frame.

The Camden was inspired by a ‘mid century modern’ sensibility – elegant in proportion with a lightness of touch to the design (think of designs like the Han Wegner Wish Bone chair).

overall length: 208cm for a 200cm long mattress; 198cm for a 190cm long mattress.
overall width: 6cm wider than nominal size, e.g. a Camden bed that accommodates a 150 x 200cm mattress is 156cm wide
height to top of bed slats: 33cm
under-bed clearance: 27cm
height to top of headboard: 94cm

The Camden in Solid Ash

Ash is a light colour timber with a cream cast and usually shows a strong figure in the grain. Some darker areas of grain can occur as you can see represented in these photographs – an area of deep swirling grain can be seen across the headboard panel of this stunning Camden bed. The vibrant grain is part pf the beauty of solid ash, and is why it’s such a good choice for the Camden where the tall headboard panel makes the perfect showcase. The direction of the grain will also vary depending on the section of the bed – this also adds interest (take a look at the detail image of the footboard) and ensures every bed is unique.

This bed has been made from solid American ash. The timber has come from the eastern coastal forests of the USA and Canada. These large forests are among the best managed in the world and, due to careful management, are increasing in size. The colour variations in different parts of the bed and differences in grain pattern reflect the differences between the original trees. Small knots or burrs may be present even in the most carefully selected timber – these are just part of the natural beauty of the wood. Over time ash will deepen a little in colour, becoming a pale gold shade.

The Camden in Solid Oak

Oak seen in isolation has a fairly consistent colour, but when you put several pieces together you may notice some variations in lightness and darkness and perhaps also in colour cast. Generally oak is a mid tone timber, a rich golden shade with a deeper tone to the grain and areas of pale wood. This Camden bed has been made from solid American oak, the timber again is from the eastern coastal forests of the USA and Canada. All are managed under strict guidelines from Federal Government and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and therefore we are confident the timber supplied is sustainable, and they employ natural, non-invasive methods that have served them and the ecosystem well for may years.

Oak is the most popular choice for the Camden bed, possibly as we have so much other bedroom furniture available to order in oak perfect for those who want a complete new bedroom scheme. Ethnicraft oak is a very slightly paler/cooler hue than our oak – so it tends to look as good with ash and maple as it does with oak. The Black Lotus collection of oak furniture is a deeper tone, generally a good match to our solid oak beds. Oak deepens in colour over time becoming warmer and richer in tone.

The Camden in Solid Walnut

Walnut has a dramatic grain, a rich chocolate coloured grain with lighter stripes at times. The Black American Walnut used for our beds is also sourced from forests in north America. Walnut is the darkest timber we offer and has a beautiful, vibrant grain incoporating a variety of shed from dark espresso, to warm chocolate colours to cooler areas of paler, creamy sapwood. This is a dramatic timber perfect for a statement bed like the Camden.

Walnut, unlike most of our other timbers, tends to get lighter in colour over time, it can also warm up in hue. The walnut range of Black Lotus furniture is a good match for our walnut and works well with the walnut furniture from Ethnicraft (the Frame dressing table and Osso stool have been popular additions). The walnut furniture from Ethnicraft is a similar colour, just subtly cooler in tone.

For more information about the wood we use to make our beds and bedroom furniture please take a look at Our Timbers page.