Temple Town's Design Handbook

A four poster bed changes the rules for everything beside it. Height, width, the posts themselves, and whether to match or contrast — how to choose bedside tables that hold their own next to the most commanding piece in the room.

The Nalukettu is Kerala's great contribution to domestic architecture: four wings around an open courtyard. What it is, how it works, and how to furnish one for contemporary life without losing what makes it remarkable.

Ceiling height, open versus canopy, headboard, post carving and the questions worth asking any maker — a practical guide to commissioning a four poster bed.