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How To: Make a Captain's Bed on the Cheap

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This is a small space DIY that's clever, easy, and cheap. AT:SF reader Killorn wrote to us and told us how she turned an IKEA LACK shelf into under-bed storage.
 
 

She says: I could not find a suitable storage bed in my budget that fit in the 64" x 88" alcove in my tiny apartment (450 sq. ft.), so I decided to build a plywood stage around a rolling LACK shelf to give the bed the appearance of a built-in.

Captains_before.jpg
before
Captains_after1.jpg
after

Killorn continues: GREAT for additional storage, I just pull the LACK shelf out to access seasonal clothes, larger office supplies, resource books, even my vacuum!

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2007_04_19_sideview.jpg

Total cost including LACK shelf: $130

Thanks, Killorn!

(Re-edited from 04.19.07 - CB)

Tags

How To..., beds & mattresses, shelving & storage, DIY, bedroom, captain's bed, LACK

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Comments (27)

Um, that's awesome. I really love the little front and side view graphics!

posted by Shannon in SF on April 19th 2007 at 11:38am
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I agree with Shannon -- this is super cool. And I didn't initially realize that the shelving unit is on castors. Even better!

Makes me wonder what other brilliant things Killorn has come up with for the rest of the apartment ...

posted by anh-minh on April 19th 2007 at 11:56am
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Love this but the mirror over the bed made me cringe. I hope at the very least you're using earthquake safe picture hangers.

posted by Li on April 19th 2007 at 12:16pm
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Another vote for totally cool.

posted by arin on April 19th 2007 at 2:19pm
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I agree that it looks a little dangerous in there. But very very nice solution with the lack shelving, and a great job with the visual descriptions!

posted by Sea on April 19th 2007 at 2:28pm
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The mirror is wonderful.

posted by erinorea on April 19th 2007 at 5:43pm
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I absolutely love that ruffled bedspread! Where did you find it?

posted by pignolia on April 23rd 2007 at 5:43pm
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The comforter cover is DKNY "Pure Snow" - Picked it up on eBay for $25!

posted by killorn on April 23rd 2007 at 9:05pm
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Very smart use of the lack. I was planning on doing a simular thing myself! I think it looks great- and I like the mirror!

posted by robj98168 on August 31st 2007 at 5:10pm
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Killorn - I love this design. What size bed is that?

posted by cancan on September 6th 2007 at 9:43am
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I love this! You really just used plywood?! I want to make something similar. How high off the ground is your bed and what did you use to hold it together?

posted by jmedavis on September 18th 2007 at 12:38am
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i'm in love with this 'cos it solves so many problems in one. it meets and surpasses the marks on storage, efficiency, attractiveness, and luxury. it's a sumptuous bed and a super use of the bookshelf and i can't get over how great it looks framed by the curtains! is that bedspread from UO?

posted by SD913 on September 18th 2007 at 6:38pm
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nevermind i see it's a dkny bedspread, but recently i saw a very similar spread and i think it was from UO. i'd like to know the size of the mattress too. looks like a full to me, which is what i plan on using in my b/r.

posted by SD913 on September 18th 2007 at 6:41pm
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I love the look of this, and it makes excellent use of an alcove! My only concern would be warping. Plywood tends to warp with time (sometimes only a few months) and it could become bad for your back. I'd love to try this with my antique mahogany headboard, which came with my grandmother's wedding set, sans bed frame. Right now it's just propped behind the bed, against the wall, and I think this would be a great solution for me! If I did it, I would add an addition support beam at the midpoint, under the mattress board. Thanks for the great idea!

posted by ami_l on May 10th 2008 at 10:15am
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clever

posted by cityofparis on May 10th 2008 at 4:13pm
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That mirror may make other people cringe, but I am in love with it!! Where did you get it??

posted by azaleasmoke on May 11th 2008 at 8:39am
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super cool, I love it all...esp the mirror!

posted by hanako66 on August 29th 2008 at 2:54pm
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this is awesome!!!



P.S. I was caught off guard by the "cringe" comment also, but she means for safety reasons not style.

posted by joss on August 29th 2008 at 3:46pm
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i live in ohio never gave the mirror a thought. it is a fabulous on a small budget as far as i am concerned!

posted by sunnyshelle on August 29th 2008 at 4:38pm
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This may possibly be the most comfy, most inviting captain's bed ever.

posted by Seaside on August 29th 2008 at 4:59pm
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I've always wanted a bed in an alcove with curtains like that.

That would be the best place to read, ever!

posted by Valerie on August 30th 2008 at 2:17am
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wow

i'm totally doing that

posted by parisienish on August 30th 2008 at 6:21am
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I love this bed - I wish I had a similar alcove to create something like this.

Re: Mirror - If it's gonna fall off the wall, it would slide straight down the wall between the mattress and the wall - I wouldn't worry about it.

posted by bepsf on August 31st 2008 at 7:44am
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Please help me find a similar duvet cover or quilt! Ever since the first time this bed was posted, I have SCOURED eBay for DKNY "pure snow". Nothing!! Then I found a similar quilt on Brocade Home and was waiting for the price to come down...and they closed!!

posted by Doogle on September 2nd 2008 at 6:52am
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Would a second Lack shelf fit under there for yet more storage?

posted by kelleyk on December 29th 2008 at 3:52pm
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Wow! How cool - Cruising through AT to see what I missed over the last month and I see my bed, the very one I am sitting on now!

The plywood DID warp, which I remedied by taking the original two boards and cutting them in half then nailing each piece onto their own legs, essentially creating 4 little "tables" that nest around the Lack shelf. This has prevented further warping so far, and added additional reinforcement to the overall structure.

The mirror was a CL score - $10! I just spray painted the original gold plastic frame ivory.

The mattress is queen size, which fits perfectly into the alcove with a 3" gap by the wall, allowing that pesky mirror an escape hatch if it were ever to decide to leap off the wall to kill me in my sleep.

Please click my name to send an email if you are interested in the structural dimensions.

posted by killorn on January 3rd 2009 at 6:10am
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Genius, love the use of the ikea shelving unit...

posted by click4beds on November 2nd 2009 at 10:41am
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