In many bedrooms, it’s often what goes on the bed that adds personality to a space. Bold-patterned sheets, colorful comforters, punchy pillows — all of these are used as aesthetic signifiers while the bed itself often falls into the background. But, as we saw in Milan this year, there’s a resurging trend for fun iterations of headboards, bases, and frames — whether they’re unusually shaped, exaggeratedly oversized, expressively crafted, or just pretty to look at. While exciting experiments in bed design have largely been left to emerging designers until now, the big brands are finally waking up(!) to the power of imaginative designs for a furniture piece with which we spend such a significant portion of our time.

One such brand driving this resurgence is the Italian bed specialists Bolzan. For the Milan fair, the 30-year-old family-run company made a splash by asking four top talents, including India Mahdavi and Martino Gamper, to reflect on the concept of the headboard, and they’ve carried that design-forward spirit through to their two most recent launches as well. Called Dora and Milo, both feature headboards and frames that make an impact, ensuring the bed becomes the focal point of the sleeping quarters — as it should be.

In Dora’s case, a padded and upholstered base extends a few inches beyond the mattress and continues at a gentle slant as a headboard. A minimalist, slender metal frame hides underneath, allowing the simple, soft line of the base to stand out as the defining element. The pairing of lustrous velvet fabric and a pop of bright orange on the frame is just one example of the playful combinations available. Equally eye-catching, Milo was designed by Zanellato/Bortotto in collaboration with Bolzan Lab’s research and development team, and forms an evolution of the brand’s popular Jill model. Its cocooning headboard extends out at the sides and gently curves to hug the mattress and pillows. The generous padding is repeated around the base, and both elements are upholstered in matching textile to create a bold statement. Dreamy!