How To Make a DIY Captain's Bed
Good Questions

Q: I love Ohdeedoh and have picked up some great suggestions from your readers. Wondering if you have space to put this question to them: How can I hack a captain's bed for my son? He's in a small bedroom (2.5 metres x 2 metres) which he will soon share with his little sister. If I could get the high boy out of there and move the drawers to under his bed it would save us a TON of space. Has anyone done this?

Sent by Jillian

Editor: One place to start is this post on Apartment Therapy San Francisco about making a captain's bed on the cheap. Readers - have you done this? Advice for Jillian?

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Categories: Family, Good Questions

Posted by Carrie McBride

As Apartment Therapy's Family Editor, Carrie covers design and modern homelife with children. A lapsed librarian, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two kids and is in contention to break the record for most hours spent at the playground.
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Comments (6)

Jillian,

I haven't built anything from this website myself, but have lots of friends that have. They have plans for beds much like this and many variations. I think it would be a great starting point for you.

http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/

Not really a captain's bed, but we took Kid Kraft train table trundle drawers and put them under our daughter's twin size bed for storage. A standard twin bed will accommodate three with a little extra room. We use them for toys but it would work for clothes, blankets, etc. just fine. They're really deep and on wheels, which makes it easier for her to pull out and get into. http://www.kidkraftinc.com/toys-and-playsets/trains/train-tables/17701

Remember way back when the waterbeds were popular?? The thrift stores had an abundance of drawer pedestals for waterbeds. We got two sets, and hacked them to fit under our king size bed. Good Luck!

I had a student friend who wanted drawers under her bed, and what she ended up doing was super inexpensive. She got old wooden dresser drawers (that were a good height to fit underneath) and put casters on the bottoms. I think she also put rope loops on them instead of the drawer knobs, so they were easier to pull out from underneath. She had a double bed, so had these drawers on each side.

I second codachroma - we just built the king-sized captain's bed, and it wasn't too hard (and we are BEGINNER builders). Check out Knock Off Wood!

Knock off wood thirded! They really do have AMAZING plans. Heck, even my husband can follow theirs!

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