Bed canopies: how to hang one, and where not to

Canopies are one of the most requested nursery items and one of the few where placement is a genuine safety question rather than a matter of taste. The fabric is simple; the hook and the position are what matter.

Not over a cot

Loose fabric above a sleeping baby is exactly what safe-sleep guidance advises against, and every canopy manufacturer says the same in their own instructions. Canopies belong over a reading corner, a play nook or an older child’s bed.

If you want the look above a cot, a fabric wall hanging fixed flat to the wall behind gives a similar effect without anything hanging over the mattress.

Finding something to fix into

A canopy hangs from a single point, and that point takes the whole weight plus whatever a child adds by pulling on it. A hook screwed into plaster alone will come out. Find a ceiling joist and use a proper screw hook, or use a cavity fixing rated well above the load.

Test it by hanging your own weight briefly from the hook before the canopy goes up. If it moves, stop.

Height and reach

Hang so the lowest edge of the fabric is above head height for the adult using the room, and so a child in the bed cannot reach the hook. Fabric that a child can pull on will eventually be pulled on.

Tie the surplus fabric up rather than letting it pool on the floor, where it becomes a trip hazard and a dust collector.

Keep it away from lights

Fabric near a bulb is a fire risk, and a ceiling hook is often exactly where a light already hangs. Move the canopy sideways rather than the light, and use an LED bulb in any fitting nearby — they run far cooler.

Fairy lights woven through a canopy should be low-voltage LED strings rated for indoor use, and unplugged when nobody is in the room.

Mosquito-net styles

Fine-mesh canopies are sold both as decoration and as insect nets. If you want the insect function, check the mesh size and that the net reaches the floor or tucks in; a decorative version will not do that job.

Either way the fixing requirement is identical.

Washing

Canopies collect dust, which is a good reason to buy one that comes off the hook easily. Most are machine washable on a cool cycle in a mesh bag; check the label, and dry them fully before rehanging.

Anything with a wire hoop should be washed by hand unless the maker says otherwise.

Making a reading nook instead

The most-used canopy in most homes is not over a bed at all — it is over a floor cushion in a corner with a book ledge beside it. There is nothing to fall onto, the fixing is simpler, and it becomes a place a child actually goes.

A shallow shelf, a light and a canopy make a corner that lasts several years.

What we stock and how to choose

Our canopies list drop length, opening diameter and what fixing is supplied. Measure your ceiling height first: a canopy designed for a three-metre ceiling looks entirely different at two and a half. The shop on 5th Avenue can tell you which fixing suits your ceiling if you know what it is made of.

Wall-mounted alternatives

Where the ceiling cannot take a fixing, a canopy can be hung from a bracket on the wall above and behind a bed instead, with the fabric draping forward. It gives most of the effect, the fixing is into a vertical surface which is generally easier, and the fabric hangs behind rather than over.

Half-canopies and simple fabric panels fixed flat to the wall achieve a similar look with no hanging fabric at all, which is the right answer in a room where a younger child sleeps.

Fabric weight and how it hangs

Light voile drapes softly and moves in a draught; heavier cotton hangs straighter and holds its shape. In a room with a radiator or a frequently opened door, the lighter fabric will be in constant motion, which is charming for a week and distracting afterwards.

If you want a canopy in a draughty room, choose the heavier weight or tie the ends back. Our listings state the fabric and the drop, which between them predict how it will behave.

The short version

• Never hang a canopy over a cot or anywhere a baby sleeps.
• Fix into a joist or use a proper cavity anchor; a hook in plaster will not hold.
• Keep the fabric clear of any light fitting.
• Tie the excess up out of reach, not draped to the floor.

From our shelves

• OldPAPA Kids Bed Canopy with Pom Pom Hanging Mosquito Net for Baby Crib Nook Castle Game Tent — $34.99
• AUVON Plug-in LED Backlit Night Light 4 Packs, Motion & Dusk to Dawn Sensor — $22.99

Where to go next

Browse the full range on the shop page, read the frequently asked questions before ordering, or check delivery timing on the Shipping Policy page. If you would rather ask a person, contact us — the phone reaches the counter.