PHOTOS AT THE BOTTOM!

This is part ONE of decorating our master bedroom. Detailed photos at the bottom of the article. Check out our next two posts for our sew-along Ruffled Duvet Cover and quick Bar Chair Side Tables!

We finally made the jump to a king sized bed! Best decision ever, but the downside is that such large beds take up a LOT of space. For this reason, and because storage was such a problem at the New England Townhome, we decided to have our bed double as a storage piece. We shopped around and found that the hydraulic lift frames seemed to be the best option for us because everything is in one accessible layer. However, the king size frames were a rare find and impossibly expensive - $3000+ at the time we were looking (there seem to be more options now if you’re not picky about design). So we turned to the only possible solution… a Kaitlin and Chandler DIY!

The Design

Making this bed frame ourselves gave us more decision-making power over the dimensions, the weight it could support, and the fabric quality. All of the exact products are listed in the shopping list, and here are some additional comments on our project during the design phase:

The dimensions are made to store eight of these Sterilite totes. Currently, our bed stores six totes, a 7 ft. pencil tree, seasonal wreaths, and extra throw pillows. It is the perfect option for those things we need to access seasonally and/or want in a temperature controlled location.

We carefully selected our fabric to be durable, washable, waterproof, and germ resistant (it is linked in the shopping list). I have to recommend not scrimping on the fabric. This is a daily use item and is at risk of coming in contact with all sorts of things (ie: newborn baby hazmat).

Lastly, because we are transients by way of my job, we wanted easy assembly/disassembly while maintaining tightly-fitting joints. Ordering the right hardware in the mail was a game changer. Our recent move proved its convenience, as the bed reassembled successfully within about 30 minutes!

Shopping List

Two 3/4” 4x8 Plywood sheets
Two 1x3 common boards
10 yards upholstery fabric
13 yards batting by the yard
Two 1” mattress pads (NOTE: I bought the cheapest option on Amazon at the time. You may want to double up or buy thicker foam for the headboard based on your preferences, but that will require extra. Do not use memory foam because when it is used vertically it will start to settle/sag within a few days).
Craft glue
Staple gun and staples
Bunkie Board (like a box spring or platform but flat and no legs)
Platform Bed Lift Mechanism
Bed Rail Brackets for easy assembly
Two bolts with nuts
1” screws

Optional:

New King Mattress!
Sterilite Containers

Tools

***Remember to borrow before you buy!!! The payout on tools takes a very long time to break even.

Circular saw
Drill with Phillips head bits and metal bits
Scissors
Serrated knife
Staple gun and staples
Pen/Pencil

Cut List

Bed base:

Right/Left Sides: Cut (2) 82 1/2 x 18
Center Support: Cut (1) 82 1/2 x 16 3/8
Head/Foot: Cut (2) 77 1/2 x 18

Headboard:

Headboard: Cut (1) 77 1/2 x 34
Headboard vertical supports: Cut (6) 64 x 7 1/4

Steps

1) Cut all the wood. Have the store cut your plywood and boards to size if possible. They should be able to make every cut except the angled corner on the center support. (This is a huge convenience! If you think you need greater precision than the “Home Headquarters” can provide, you are a greater carpenter than I and should not be taking advice from me. Do your thing, cut your own wood and manage your own dust. Otherwise, convenience all the way!). Mark each piece to indicate headboard/footboard/sides/center.

2) Upholstery time! In order, you will be handling foam, batting, then upholstery fabric.

Foam: I recommend cutting the largest pieces of foam first, then piecing together the sides with smaller remnants. This means cut the headboard, then headboard side supports, then the base pieces. You do NOT need foam for the headboard base or center support. Once your pieces are cut, lay down craft glue, then the foam, then books to hold it firmly in place. Allow time to dry before proceeding to batting.
- Headboard: Using the edge of the wood to guide your serrated knife, cut a piece of foam the same size as the headboard.
- Headboard side supports: (cut at the end, glue not needed) Staple a flat edge of the foam along the inside edge, then wrap all the way across to the outside and staple on the opposite edge. Being paranoid and pregnant, I also left excess foam along the top that I folded/stapled over the top corner. Use the serrated knife to cut the excess away from the back and bottom.
- Base: upholster the sides and footboard. Using the same method as the headboard, lay down the foam and cut to size. Don’t apply foam to the six inches closest to the headboard.
Batting: Don’t cut the batting to size yet. You want there to be excess so you can pull on it as you staple.
- Lay the batting down on your work surface with the smoother side facing down. Place your board on top of it with the foam side facing down, with a few inches of batting peeking out of two sides and leave the remainder uncut.
- Starting on a short edge, pull the batting up and over the edge of the wood, and staple in place about 1” from the edge.
- Then work the opposite side, stretching the batting snugly across the foam, and staple it about 1” from the edge. Now you can cut the excess off!
- Then work the longer ends. Try using your palm instead of your fingers to fold the fabric over the edge of the wood - you want even tension or your batting will look bunchy. Fold the corners any way you like. As a new mom, I went a bit overkill on padding the corners; try folding them like a present or trimming the batting with scissors on an inconspicuous corner to see what you like.
Fabric: In the same manner as the batting, apply the fabric. Fold the corners like you are wrapping a present and cut away the layers you can’t see to reduce bulk. See photos for suggested folds.

3) Hardware and assembly! Get your drill and screws ready.

Headboard: attach the headboard to the headboard side supports with screws, making sure everything is square at the top edge
Base: Attach the corner brackets according to the instructions. We attached the headboard and footboard hardware, then held the sideboards up to them to get a perfect square fit before screwing the coordinating pieces in. Same concept with the center support. Assemble your base (5 pieces: head, foot, two sides, and center).
IMPORTANT: The bed frame bears weight on the sides. This is what holds the bed rail brackets in place. Make sure you install the brackets oriented so that the pressure falls on the sides of the base, not the head and foot.
Lift: Attach the lift hardware directly to the sides according to instructions. Do NOT engage the lift yet and do not use the bolts it came with - they are too fat for the bunkie board in my design.
Bunkie Board: Assemble the bunkie board according to the package directions. Place the bunkie board into the base (you may need to push the frame one way or another if it doesn’t fit squarely, as that indicates the corners aren’t 90 degrees). Pull the bunkie board all the way forward to the footboard. Mark where the holes for the bolts should be in the bunkie board. Remove the bunkie board and drill the holes on a safe surface. Set aside until final assembly.
Final assembly: Push the assembled base into the space between the headboard vertical supports. This should be a VERY snug fit with the added fabric layers. Screw the headboard base to the headboard vertical pieces. Place the bunkie board in the base and attach it using the nuts and bolts, then engage the hydraulic lifts. Last, throw the mattress on top!