Construct a Cozy Homemade Built-in Bed

By Steve Maxwell
Published on October 31, 2008
article image
by Len Churchill
Construct a cozy homemade built-in bed using this design and you can create space for bookshelves and convenient storage all at the same time.

Use this hands-on know-how to build a one-of-a-kind homemade built-in-bed.

Imagine waking up nestled in a snug alcove designed especially for sleeping. It’s a place where wood and fabrics come together to create a protective nook that’s also a great place to spend time reading, knitting, sketching or thinking. This is the allure of a built-in bed, and it’s a surprisingly easy feature to add to any home. It’s also something that you’ll never find in stores. True built-ins aren’t for sale — they’re one-of-a-kind home improvement projects, requiring site-specific woodworking and renovation skills. Sound difficult? It’s not. Follow the principles here and your built-in bed will make your home a cozier place, while also delivering some efficient storage space.

Every built-in bed is like a tiny room the size of your mattress. That’s why it makes sense to begin planning with two things in mind: the size and shape of the space you have available for your built-in, and the size of the mattress you intend to use. Every other design detail orbits around these two starting points. During this project, you might even want to turn your bedroom into a temporary workshop. That way you’ll never have any doubt about the size of parts required. Simply cut them to fit the various openings and spaces. If necessary, you could cut parts outdoors or in a workshop, but this requires a lot more trouble carrying wood to your saw.

Success with a built-in bed involves three main phases: creating a rough framework, establishing a mattress support surface, then adding decorative details and storage features. Take a close look at the illustrations below. They show the universal construction details necessary to make your built-in bed a reality.

Step #1: Frame the Walls

This bed requires two walls — one at each end. You can create a built-in bed anywhere you like, though the work is easier and more economical if you make use of existing interior walls and corners wherever possible. This approach reduces the amount of framing required, while also making it easier to create a solid enclosure.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368