Remember when we removed the top rails from Ed The Bed and mentioned we still needed finials to finish the look? That kicked off a little finial fashion show. I ran out to Home Depot and Lowe’s and came home with four contenders to try on Ed. I set them on each post to see what would feel right for the room.
One option I grabbed was actually a set of long wood chair legs from Lowe’s. I was curious whether something tall and slim would suit the bed—after all, we love repurposing odd things. That idea died quickly once John joked they looked like “man parts.” I couldn’t get past the visual, so those were out before the rest of the contenders really got a fair shot.
The other three choices all came from Home Depot. The first was a simple round finial designed for curtain rods; the little screw on its base fit right into the predrilled holes on Ed’s posts. They could work, especially if painted white to match the bed, and they echoed the round shape of our dandelion-style light. But to me they read a bit too much like banister caps—functional and a little “builder-basic”—so while they wouldn’t look wrong, they didn’t feel special enough for the four-poster look I wanted.
Another option was a set of ornate curtain finials that felt heavier and more formal—almost pineapple-like in shape. At first glance they seemed too traditional for Ed’s clean, modern lines, but we’re planning to introduce a curvy, antique-style dresser into the room to balance the chandelier’s modern feel. Painted white, these darker finials actually tied in nicely with the mirror above the sink and could bridge the modern bed and more classic pieces.
The third Home Depot option felt like a compromise between the plain round caps and the ornate pineapple ones. These finials were already white (not an exact match, but close enough to visualize), and they included round-orb details that subtly echoed the light fixture while still leaning a bit old-fashioned. That combination made them versatile—able to complement a potential curvy dresser while still working with Ed’s simpler profile.
After stepping back and studying the options in place, the third set felt like the winner. From a distance they looked like they were meant for Ed—proportionally right and visually balanced. For now we’re keeping our existing lamps and nightstands while we shop for upgrades, but the finials gave the bed a much more finished appearance.
We returned the other finials to the store. I was oddly proud that I could slip one finial back into its original packaging without cutting or unstapling anything, so each piece could be returned in mint condition. Little victories like that make errands feel satisfying.
Attaching the chosen finials revealed a small snag: the screws that came with the finials fit through Ed’s predrilled post holes, but the holes were slightly oversized so the finials wobbled when the posts were nudged. Replacing the screws with thicker ones felt like a fiddly job, so I opted for a quicker, reversible fix—poster putty. I rolled a bit of putty, pushed the finial screw through it, and used the putty to bulk up the connection so the finial would sit snugly.
It worked beautifully—the finials no longer wavered. Best of all, the solution is reversible: poster putty peels away easily, so we can remove the finials later without damaging the bed or the caps themselves. Next step is painting the finials to match Ed’s exact shade of white; I’ll bring home several paint swatches and grab a small test pot to blend things in seamlessly.
We also experimented with wall art above the bed. We tried hanging the ceramic ram and two thrift-store pieces up there—fun, quirky choices—but they felt a bit small for that space. For now the ram is staying because I like the whimsy of waking up under it, but we’re thinking about a larger canvas or statement piece down the road to better fill the scale of the wall.
Finally, here’s one of my favorite corners of the room. I love how the chair and curtains look framed by the finial-topped posts—especially first thing in the morning. It’s a small scene that feels cozy, and it’s one more reason the finials made the bed feel finished and intentional.
Seeing that little vignette through the posts makes me smile when I wake up—right after I glance up at my ram, of course.