diy: bed

There is a saying: “If you want it done right, do it yourself”. I don’t think this can be universally applied, but in this case, it just had to be. Namely, I prefer a hard surface to sleep on; all my mattresses were either ultra-hard or super-thin. When I moved to Austria, I needed a new bed and the only one that fit was IKEA’s Grankulla futon bed.

The thing was as simple as it gets – wood, a couple of screws and an inch-thick mattress. However, you’re sleeping only inches from floor, which doesn’t seem healthy at all. So it got me thinking…

IKEA GRANKULLA futon

…if I could only elevate this construction some 30cm or so…

IKEA GRANKULLA futon

…but it must not be expensive…

product sketch

…maybe a headboard and a couple of night tables…

product sketch

…yep, that’s the one.

product sketch

After a couple of hours of detailed planning in Google SketchUp, I went to the hardware store and got the boards, one 2×4, a couple of big screws and some paint. Success!

The photos underneath were taken more than five years later. In the meantime I bought an excellent mattress and converted the “headboard/night stand combo” into a large jardinière, for my wife to plant cherry tomatoes and green peppers.

finished product (after 5 years in use)