How do you choose a colour for restraint furniture?

Colour changes how a piece sits in a room more than any other choice you'll make. The same four-poster can be the first thing anyone sees or almost the last, depending on its finish. The same cross can look like sculpture or like equipment. Choosing well means thinking about the room, the light and how often you want to notice the piece, as much as the colour itself.

Every piece we make comes in five finishes, Obsidian, Oxblood, Gilt, Chalk and Forge Clear, or any RAL colour, and each does something different in a room.

The five finishes

Obsidian

Obsidian is black, and it gives a piece the strongest silhouette in the library: the shape of a frame or a cut pattern becomes unmistakable. Against a pale wall it makes a piece the focus of the room; against a dark wall it all but disappears. A cross in Obsidian, seen from the door, reads as pure outline.

Oxblood

Oxblood is a deep, warm red. It carries weight without the severity of black, so a piece in Oxblood feels rich and deliberate. On a cage seen from all round, it gives the bars a warmth that steel alone doesn't have. Against a dark wall it settles in further than you might expect.

Gilt

Gilt is gold, and it responds to light: lamps bring out its warmth; daylight makes it brighter and crisper. It suits a room with a sense of occasion, and a piece whose pattern or form you want to catch the eye.

Chalk

Chalk is white. It lets a piece recede into pale walls and makes steel look light. Against a deep wall colour it reads as a clean line drawing. It suits bright rooms, shared bedrooms and anyone who'd like a piece to feel calm and understated.

Forge Clear

Forge Clear is a clear coat over the steel, so it keeps the look of the steel itself. It suits rooms with an industrial or architectural character, where other materials are left to speak for themselves. Like every finish we offer, it's a coated finish.

Any RAL colour

If none of the five suits your room, any RAL colour is available. RAL is a standard colour system in which each colour has its own reference number, so you can choose a colour by its number to sit with a paint, fabric or scheme you already have. Send us the reference and we'll confirm it before you order. Our guide to what a RAL colour is explains how to choose one.

How to choose

Start with the wall behind it

The wall behind a piece decides how its colour reads. A strong contrast between frame and wall draws the outline sharply. A close match lets the frame settle in. Decide which you want before you choose the colour.

Think about how often you want to notice it

A bed you sleep in every night, in a room friends sometimes see, may suit a quieter finish than a cross in a dedicated room. Ask yourselves whether the piece should be the first thing anyone sees or the last.

Look at the light

Colour changes with the light. A finish that looks deep in daylight can look almost black under lamps; Gilt that glows in the evening can look brighter at noon. Think about the room at the times you'll use it most.

Consider the rest of the room

Bedding, rugs, curtains and other furniture all sit beside the piece. A finish that picks up one colour already in the room ties everything together.

Plan for a second piece

If you might add a cross or a cage to a room with a bed, or the other way round, choose a finish that would suit both. Every piece comes in the same five finishes and the full RAL range, so a pair can be ordered in the same finish.

Colour and the kind of piece

Each kind of piece asks something slightly different of its colour.

A bed is seen every day, so its colour has the most influence on how ordinary the room feels. Pale or warm finishes keep a bedroom calm; dark finishes make the bed the room's centre.

A cross stands upright and catches the eye from the door. Its colour decides whether it reads as sculpture or as equipment, and a strong contrast with the wall draws its outline sharply.

A cage is seen from all round, and so is the person inside it. A finish close to the wall colour lets it settle into a room between scenes; a contrasting finish makes it a centrepiece.

Colour and discretion

If discretion matters, choose a colour that belongs to the room. A finish that picks up the wall or the woodwork draws less attention than one that stands apart. For the most discreet result, pair a quiet finish with a well-chosen position; our guides to using a restraint bed as your everyday bed and discreet delivery cover the rest.

Colour on screen

Colour on a screen is never quite the same as colour in a room. Screens vary, and photographs are lit in their own way. If you're unsure how a finish will look in your room, ask us before you decide. Our materials and finishes page describes each finish.

Looking after the finish

Every finish is coated. Obsidian, Oxblood, Gilt, Chalk and any RAL colour are powder coat, applied as a dry powder and cured into a hard, even coat, and Forge Clear is a clear coat over the steel. Each wipes clean with warm water and mild soap, dried with a soft cloth. Avoid abrasives and harsh chemicals. Our care guide covers the routine, and our guide to checking your furniture before each scene covers what to look for.

Questions about colour

Can I change my mind about the colour after ordering?

Contact us as early as you can. Because the finish is applied to your piece after you order, the sooner you ask, the more we can do.

Does Forge Clear have a coat?

Yes. Forge Clear is a clear coat over the steel, and every finish we offer is coated.

Does the colour affect the lead time?

Your lead time is confirmed with your order; the current range is 8–14 weeks.

See every finish across our BDSM beds, St Andrew's crosses and BDSM cages.