I think you are answering your own question. The style no longer fits with your aesthetic, it's a lot of look for the size of your room, and you really want something else.

You are finished with this bed. So sell it.

Love,
Miss Mother

While I like the bed, and it would look good painted, I think it takes up too much visual space in your room.
I agree with Miss Mother!

It's a gorgeous bed, but I agree it is very large for the room. We have a white iron headboard only because I feel footboard crowd the small BR. It was hard to find one that was not too tall.

Thank you for giving me the oomph to do what I thought was probably best!

In this case, Mother knows best.

Sell.

And buy or create a bed that really works with the size of the room .....

Well, SOMEONE has to disagree! I also love your bed, and bought an antique one on CL just yesterday that is a bit less ornate. If you're sticking with a king bed, won't the solid oak pediment, no matter how low, form a solid 'wall' at the head of the bed? If you were to paint this one, either in the wall or ceiling color, I think it would disappear.

Do you ever open the window at the head of the bed for a cool breeze? I have my bed in front of two window just for that reason, and it's an open metal design that lets me peek out at the river before I get up. How tall would the pediment head board end up being?

That open work bed in front of that window would drive me crazy...
For me the oak sounds much better...but for a different reason than you are thinking of. I would be sure a boogie man would come into that window at night!!

my3dogs - The pediment is one of those molded ones so it's not wood. I have to paint it white. I've also switched to smaller scale lower antique pine bedside tables swapped from the LR.

I would figure out how to mount it so that it is only a few inches higher than my pillows, ultimately about 6" above the window sill over all.

I do open the window at the head of the bed occasionally but I don't get too much of a breeze anyways since the curtains are closed at night. Living in town and all w/ noise and the like. I keep our other 2 windows open for a cross breeze and leave the window in the alcove Commando. No nekkid bodies there and it's just a bright white area w/ 1 huge gold mirror and the purple and green stained glass window. No fancy views for me except the patio view which is on my side of the bed.

There are many things that I like about an open metal bed, the most being that I had something to hold onto for leverage when I was 18 months pregnant w/ each child and needed to roll over. I'm pretty sure I head the gestation time of a whale w/ the last one.

Can't wait for a view like yours someday! I also like my bed in front of the window. I'm like a kid in the Winter. If they are calling for snow overnight I keep the curtain open just a hair so that I can hurry up and see the snowfall.

BTW - my fabric came today for DD's room and it's beautiful! DH even commented on it when I pulled it out of the envelope!

Oh and yes, the window is a total PIA to open w/ that headboard! I'm totally trained to only ever open a window by the handles at the bottom - NEVER lift from the top of the frame or you might be grounded for life! Ooops - sorry that was a flashback from my childhood. Oh yeah, and DH will look at me crazy if I open from the top.

I'm SO glad your fabric came! I'm still waiting for mine. Are you going to make a pillow with it?

I use my headboard to lever myself when I'm trying to get out from under a dog who doesn't want to move away from his 'mum'. It does come in handy that way!

It's such a beautiful bed.... is there any chance of rearranging the room? I have an iron bed but the design of yours is just lovely. I'd have a hard time parting with it.

I love your bed...the openness of it. Could you buy a bed frame and use the foot part as your headboard? Mother did that on a wooden bed she had and it worked perfectly. I wouldn't paint your bed...I would paint the nightstands white and get clear glass lamps with white shades.

I think your bed is super pretty...but yes...a little bit large for the room as some have already mentioned...

Cool idea about using the footboard as a headboard if possible, or rearranging your room? I also wouldn't paint it white...I like it the way it is if you decide to keep it.

I have to ask where your shams and coverlet are from? I'm the crazy lady over-posting about bedding lately!

I was also thinking about using the footboard as the headboard, but once you put the pillows in place, I think you won't see much of a headboard at all - you might as well just put the bed on a frame.

I was thinking about the idea of slipcovers for the headboard in a textural white or pale grey fabric that would give you the presence of the headboard, but essentially visually blend into the room.

Sorry if it is repetitive, I purposely answer before I read other's responses.

!. I am not crazy about footboards, esp so in small rooms. Whatever you choose id def lose the footboard.

IMHO, if you need to put a bed in front of a window, the bed should be a simple and solid mass. The scrollwork is not well served by having the window behind it. The headboard should be solid.

Sorry, meant to write slipcovers for the headboard AND footboard.

Ajc9 - all of the quilts, shams and duvet are from TJ Maxx or Marshall's. Usually the only place I ever buy bedding. The bedskirt is Martha Stewart from Macy's which I would never recommend to anyone in a million years! Color fade began as soon as I put it on the bed. Putting on and taking off any bedskirt is a real pain let alone one on a bed w/ a king memory foam matttress. By the time I got around to wash it, it had faded from Aqua to nearly white. It still makes me want to spit when I think about it!

Well I could tell DH was not really on the bed bandwagon. Pitched the suggetsion and he said "I really like our bed, but whatever you want to do will be fine w/ me. I'll be happy either way." Why do I bother? LOL!

It has been suggested to me in the past to slip it. I really didn't want to break out my sewing machine but I'm really liking the suggestions of slipping it as well as getting a new frame (looking at one on CL for $15) and using the footboard as a headboard. I've thought about slipping it a few times but I would still have had the height and then it would end up blocking a window. The only 2 places for my bed are in front of the window.

Washability is of utmost concern to me so I think I may try checking out dropcloths. SHoot - if I can draw a straight line and sew a straight line, how hard can it be?!

I just bought this bedding:

{{!gwi}}

Source: google.com via Tiffani on Pinterest

No advice, but I had to smile about you watching for snow. I'm the same way! Kids at heart, huh? :)

It's a beautiful bed but I'm with you on the taking up space issue. I do like the idea of using the footboard at the head w/a frame only. The style works well in your room and I'm a sucker for iron beds! You could sell the headboard only on CL.

I just sold my DS's relatively new Wesley Allen full iron bed and replaced it with a queen bed w/frame only for now. With DS at college, the room is now used primarily as a guestroom. The queen size is more useful for visitors but a footboard will take up too much space in the smaller room. I'll eventually find an iron headboard to use with the frame.

It sounds as though you've already decided to move on from this bed-- but I would be inclined to paint it-- BUT-- I'd not go the high gloss white route. I had a custom finish done on my bed..now I will say right up front, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it is unique and soft and it doesn't really command the focus of the room (I had wanted that--but I have a large room). Unfortunately, I don't have great photos of it and none with it's current bedding (Arianne organic from PB). One of the cool things about it though is that it looks great with many of the quilts from TJ Maxx.. so when I have a wild hair to change something up, I can just swap out a quilt.

The finish is in acrylic paints which they added in layers-- there are a few shades of green, browns ivory and pink.

I currently have the duvet/shams below on it but I may switch back to an ivory linen duvet for summer:

I wish I lived near you. I would save you the craiglist energy and get that bed in a heartbeat. I have been wanting an iron bed JUST LIKE THAT for a long time.

Hey Bumblebeez,
I don't live too far from Foxes and I vacation in South Carolina, where I think you live?, so maybe I can be the middle man. I'll swing by and pick up the bed then drop it off for you.

Oh, hhireno, thank you!! You are a sweetheart!
But I just went back to read the details and it is a king. :-( I need a queen.

This is my dilemna with my headboard right now if I should paint it or see what I can get for it with the matching iron table. I will create a post later on.