Although not a hard and fast rule, common design practices dictate that the bed most often is placed against a wall. This not only hides the unsightly back of the headboard, but also provides a bit of physical stability for this important piece of furniture. Designer Alain Gilles, working with Belgian bed makers Magnitude, has turned the bed into much more than a heavy object to be shoved into the corner.


The Area Bed is a combination bed headboard and room divider. Its modular pieces come together to create a sort of low wall, behind which can exist any number of hidden items – inventing a kind of a room within a room.


The wall can also conceal a dressing area, low bookshelves, or even a decadent freestanding bathtub. Its dual purposes mean that it functions as part of the room’s overall architecture rather than simply a piece of furniture.


For shared living spaces, the wall can serve to block out the rest of the room, hiding the bed as well as a desk to create an entirely private area. The project, according to Gilles, is a study of the multi-functionality of the bedroom.

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The wall is made of wood covered in a layer of foam and then upholstered in fabric. The Area Bed collection also includes a bench, a lamp, and two little bedside tables.