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Owner Shabs Kay sources, restores, and sells unique metal, upholstered, wood, cane, antique and vintage beds from her showrooms in Headley, Hampshire. Explore the showroom in person or online to see one of the UK’s largest collections of beautifully restored bedsteads and headboards. In addition, a further 200 beds are in stock awaiting restoration into bespoke pieces, with options for customised sizes, heights, finishes and colour schemes.
Shabs specialises in sourcing rare Super-King and Emperor-size beds and is one of only a handful of artisans in the country with the skills and knowledge to offer a widening service for period metal beds.
And with her expansive collection of original castings, bolts, side rails, spindles and spigots, carvings and mouldings - which can be difficult if not impossible to find, she can also make repairs and alterations. The showrooms are also home to an extensive fabric library, a hand-made-to-measure luxury mattress service and period bedroom furniture.
With an impressive track record spanning over three decades, Shabs works with a refined global network of contacts to source and sell her beds. Among her clientele stand illustrious names like The National Trust, along with a prestigious roster of historic houses, stately homes, interior designers and clientele spanning the UK and across the world.
With these beds having a history spanning decades into centuries from an era where hand-operated and treadle-powered tools and natural glues and dyes reigned supreme, Shabs aims to employ the same time-honoured techniques and materials. This includes using environmentally conscious paints, finishes, and fabrics carefully selected to endorse her commitment to sustainability.
"Shab’s approach to restoring antique and vintage beds is a harmonious blend of comprehensive expertise and sympathetic craftsmanship. She and her team revitalise each prized piece, honouring its authentic charm and original character – with the option of an unexpected twist to complement any interior design and colour palette. Meticulous care extends to every intricate detail, ensuring that the essence of these timeless treasures is preserved in all their beautiful glory."
"Shabs undertook a project, curating beds and curtains for four distinct bedrooms within the confines of an interior designer's own home.
The designer turned to Victorian Dreams Beds, whom she had worked with on a number of occasions, to add a statement bed to each of the four bedrooms. Each bed was requested to be super-king size, which is quite rare for Antique and Vintage beds, which were often made as small double beds unless commissioned by the upper classes. Shabs, drawing upon her extensive network, procured two cane beds and an upholstered bed from France and an iron bed from the UK.
On meeting with Shabs and her team, the client's request was clear – she wanted the restoration that harkened back to the bed’s original allure, eschewing the often-seen shabby chic approach. Shabs blended an array of paint hues, waxes, and lacquers, coupling them with unusual polishing and buffing techniques to create a unique collection of samples in diverse textures, colours, and finishes for the client to choose from.
Turning her focus to the upholstered bed, Shabs selected a collection of fabric swatches along with palettes of coordinating, hand-mixed paint colours and finishes, which harmonised flawlessly with the intricate tonalities of each fabric.
The culmination of this journey produced four truly individualised bedrooms. Each bed was painstakingly restored to a state of newness while retaining the undeniable charm of its history and provenance-rich origins. True to the tradition of all beds by Victorian Dreams, they added a base to each bedstead. And to complete the ensemble, the client opted for one of Victorian Dreams hand-crafted, made-to-measure 2000 nested pocket spring mattresses for each bed, ensuring the best comfort."
Image 1: Design by Christian Bense and photography by Alexander James
