Historical Box Bed For Daz Studio Iray

While most people associate four-poster beds with the sleeping arrangements made by those of Medieval and Victorian days, these were the preserve of the wealthy. The typical person of the times had neither the money or the space to equip everyone in the household with a glamorous four-poster, and it was far more likely that the entire family would sleep together in a box bed. This was also known as the 'lit clos' or enclosed bed, due to the bed's popularity in the French region of Brittany, where it was still in widespread use well into the twentieth century. The box bed was prevalent across Western Europe and was commonplace in the tiny stone cottages that characterise the Scottish Highlands and remote parts of Wales, and was just as often crammed into overcrowded tenements and city slums.



The bed resembled a large cupboard on small legs, the legs being necessary to keep the bed from absorbing the moisture from what was usually a dirt floor. The bed was enclosed behind sliding doors for warmth, privacy and protection from animals (livestock often shared the home). Many beds had two levels, the upper level being accessible via a trunk or bench placed in front of the bed. It was common for large families to live in a single room, and the bench would be used for seating during the daytime and would also be a place for storage since every inch of space was prized. Beds were a little smaller in Medieval times and could house more people as everyone slept sitting up because of superstitions associating death with lying down.



Very often a cradle (or even an old drawer or fruit crate) would sit on the chest for the newest baby to sleep in, within easy reach of the nursing mother sleeping on the lower level. Once the baby had outgrown the cradle and was probably about to be ousted by the next one, it would sleep on the lower level of the bed with it's parents and perhaps other siblings, and would eventually end up sleeping on the upper level with the older children. A stool would be placed on the bench to help the shortest reach the upper level. Sometimes free-standing candlesticks could be found alongside it, and sometimes candleholders would be attached to the bed.



This particular box bed has two levels, sliding doors and attached candle holders, with 'LIT' and 'UNLIT' material presets for the candles. Also included is a three-legged stool, a cradle, and a storage bench with hinged lid. The beds have mattresses, pillows and blankets, and the cradle has a mattress and blanket. Because box beds were in use for several centuries and there were many changes in textile tastes and production during the period, there is a set of typical medieval bedding textures and a set of typical Victorian textures, both using authentic color palettes from the associated eras. The blankets have basic dForce settings, and raise and slide morphs to help position them.