How about if you got some plaid bedding to offset the curls when you need to? I don't know the room's color scheme, but I'm thinking red-and-black plaid would "butch" up the bed quite a bit, LOL...

Here is the bed she means:

I would think you could drop a gathered panel/curtain of fabric between the two posts and over the ornamentation when he's there. Something neutral or handsome. And, if that doesn't fit for some reason, drop it behind but make it low contrast with the iron so it just blends right in.

I would get some non frilly bedding in a pretty blue or green and that would be that. Your hubby is willing for you to go out and buy a new bed so that your FIL or Father who sleep over occasionally in the summer will not feel uncomfortable in that bed?

I think if there's a comfy mattress and a TV to watch, any man wouldn't care about the headboard. Once he climbs in, he won't even see it.

I think your hubby is thinking too much on this one!

I think the bed itself is not a problem at all, even for visiting males. It's only the bedding as shown that "girlies" it up.

Waaaaay too many pillows! Very nice to look at, but I wouldn't want to fight all those to crawl into a bed either.

Adults who are getting a comfortable bed in a room of their own in which they can stay for free, would have the nerve to complain about a headboard, and would run in fear? Someone has issues with security about their masculinity, methinks! LOL

Most men don't notice things like that in the first place, and as caroleoh said, once they get into the bed they won't notice anything except whether the mattress is comfortable and they have gas-passing room under the covers...

My recollection is that you have already painted the room in a green? Just have simple matelasse bedding in a darker green for when they come.

If they really do say anything about the bed, tell them to pretend they are out bird hunting as they lie there. ;^)

Put something like this on the bed:

{{!gwi}}

... and then put some magazines on the bedside table: Popular Mechanics, Field & Stream, Handyman...

They will love it.

I think the bed itself is not a problem at all, even for visiting males. It's only the bedding as shown that "girlies" it up.

I agree, and I'm a middle-aged man. I also think that no one expects a guest room to be custom-decorated for them. The last guest room that I stayed in was decorated for the hosts' granddaughters.

However, in addition to choosing the bedding carefully, you can use other decoration to shift the balance a bit. How about

{{!gwi}}or

{{!gwi}}Both from art.com.

Yes -- simply have a couple of sets of bedding for the room. One set could be simple but elegant for male visitors and another set could be charming and feminine. Keep the window treatments simple too -- sheers with panels? Or a cornice board above the window with sheers.

Other items in the room could be simple and clean-lined. A couple of night tables -- one could be a classic night table with storage -- and other one could be a round table covered with a tablecloth.

Add handy things like a full-length mirror on the back of the door. And if possible -- perhaps a small TV. Good lighting -- I like swing-arm lamps if possible -- will work for any guest!

I think that bed is lovely and very gender neutral.

I think green would be lovely with natural linen, olive, moss and ivory colors in the room and bedding.

Also, subtle stripe pale green wall paper would look very nice along with botanical/woodland/landscape prints.

"Adults who are getting a comfortable bed in a room of their own in which they can stay for free,"
Les, thats how I feel in a nut shell, especially living here in Florida, You'd be surprised how many guest we get especially the first year we moved here it was like once a month, Gee, I wonder if it has anything to do with being an hour away from the theme parks or MAYBE because we're 15 minutes from the beach, regardless we do enjoy it when company comes but we do advise our guest to rent a car (if they flew)

My husband doesn't even know if there is a bed IN the guest room! Lol.
I have two guest rooms and each is comfortable and has everything a guest would need.
Never for a second did I give any thought to whether a man or woman would be using that room.
Neither is pink nor has lace.

Both are decorated to suit me. I live here. They are just visiting.

You decorate that room like you want .
Don't tell your DH how you are going to do it. Just do it.

I am over 60 and believe me when you reach 60 you will have learned not to show him wallpaper, draperies, bedding and such.
It really cuts down on the anxiety level.

Now there is advice, which you didn't ask for , from an old woman. who has been there done that.

Thanks guys for the vote of confidence. His FIL rarely stays long (a blessing) because we didn't have a guest room before and he doesn't want to sleep in the kids' room. If I make the new guest room to his liking, he may end up staying longer and I don't know if I can handle that. :-)

To be fair to DH, I'd sold him on the concept of making the guest room into a coastal B&B room - creamy white painted furniture, white bedding with blue/green accent, etc...then I met this bed and things changed. :-) Ah well.. he mellowed a bit and said we could give it a try. If we see another bed then we can always switch.

I am going to do it in old English cottage style - I found some great insipirational pictures on Ralph Lauren home website. I spent the whole day yesterday cleaned out DH's office. This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful guest room! (I hope)

Lil home: Sage advice. Every time I asked DH for opinion, it seems we always ends up a bit closer to divorce court!

While I, also being in my 60th year, would agree with the wisdom of keeping decorating ideas and decisions rather close to the chest, in this case the sharing has already occurred so it's a little hard to turn back now.

The only part of the bed I find *girly* is the leaves on the headboard. My thought - similar to Squirrel's - was to create a padded/thick (for comfort - no leaves sticking into one's head) slipcover for the bedhead area with the leaves to go with the 'masculine' bedding. Just store it with the masc bedding and whip it on when your doing 'that style' in the room for a male guest.

Just another thot for ya. :-))

The bed is beautiful, putting a curtain over the headboard just wouldn't look right. Guests would wonder what your hiding. I agree with those that said a guest isn't going to fret about what the headboard looks like. The problem here is your husband, If it was my DH acting like that I would put a curtain over his head when company comes. Maybe he would change his mind if the two of you slept in there once or twice.