When you’re designing a bedroom, there’s no piece of furniture more important than the bed.

“It’s everything,” said Jake Arnold, a British interior designer based in West Hollywood. “I always focus on what the finish, materials and proportions of the bed are before developing the rest of the space, because it dictates what happens with the night stands, the rug and the rest of the decorative items.”

So which bed to choose? That depends on the architecture of the room and your personal tastes, Mr. Arnold said. But he’s a firm believer that bigger is better, even in small spaces.

“If you have a tight space and want things to look a little more minimal and sophisticated, it’s nice to just fill most of the bed wall with the headboard,” he said. “I’ve had people use four-poster beds in tiny rooms, and it does make the space feel more dramatic.”

Just watch out for high footboards. “There’s nothing worse,” he noted, “than jumping on the bed and whacking your leg.”

• Should a bed be upholstered? Mr. Arnold frequently uses upholstered beds and headboards “so it’s really cozy and comfortable,” he said. “But I might use a wood bed frame in a more modern space.”

• How high should the mattress be? “Typically, the finished height for the mattress should range from 24 to 28 inches,” he said, especially if you plan to have a bench at the foot of the bed. But you can go much lower in a more casual room.

• What if the bed is so large that there’s not enough space left for a dresser? No problem, Mr. Arnold said: “You can add under-bed storage.”

Handmade Wood Bed Frame

Walnut- or ebony-finish bed by Chris Earl

From $2,500 at Parachute: 888-967-8832 or parachutehome.com

Ophelia Bed

Upholstered bed with headboard

From $1,749 at Rove Concepts: 800-705-6217 or roveconcepts.com

Low Fuji Attic Platform Bed

Bed available in numerous wood finishes with optional bedside shelf

From $525 at Get Laid Beds: 646-851-2943 or getlaidbeds.com

Anaise Cane Bed

Wood bed with woven-cane headboard

From $1,799 at Crate and Barrel: 800-967-6696 or crateandbarrel.com

19th C. French Iron Canopy Fabric Bed

Iron canopy bed with upholstered headboard inspired by 19th-century designs

From $2,495 at Restoration Hardware: 800-762-1005 or rh.com

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