This is an oldie, but a goodie. Back when Berkeley-based ReadyMade was still just a gleam in Meredith Corp's eye, Shoshana Berger made a splash with a preview issue that included instructions on how to make a "meat cart" platform bed. Sound sexy? Well, it actually was. With just casters and a simple ladder frame as supports, its minimalism rivals that of the Ligne Roset Maly bed -- but for a whole lot less green.
We recently came across David Nunez's blog entry on his own version, and went in search of the original article. Alas, it's not online, but we did discover that ReadyMade now sells a $115 queen size "bed in a box" kit.
Wood for this project will probably cost no more than $200, and you can customize by adding your own fun casters. (Check out this post for caster ideas.) David also added a safety pull bar as a handle, which is a great idea.
Also, apparently the ReadyMade product people will answer emails about adjusting the pattern's measurements, so you can check your specifics with them.
If you build one, let us know!
Related Posts:
• How To: Build a Platform Bed
• Look!: Jeremy's Handmade Platform Bed
• Good Questions: Can I Make a Platform Bed Out of Wooden Pallets?
• How To: Make a Captain's Bed on the Cheap
(Edited from a post originally published 02.06.07 - CB)
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ooooh - i love this. i have a thing for furniture on wheels! and the handle is great!
This is a really nice little idea. I'd love to do something like this for the bed is my guest room. What would really make it perfect is being able to lift one end up and prop it against a wall so that the room would be a little more functional when there are no guests. Could a plaster wall supports that? I'd need to add brackets toward the base as well so that the mattress wouldn't move it the entire frame was lifted.
No way in hell this rivals the Ligne Roset Maly bed.
I'm not a fan of overpaying, but this isn't even stylishly put together. Bunch of two bys held together with drywall screws??? You need a pattern for this??
Geez.
-Bobby
Yeah,
Can you imagine happening upon this? What junk. How is this any different than a mattress on the floor? There's no ventilation for the mattress.
Also, this isn't green at all. A more expensive bed is built with less materials and to last longer. And an Ikea bed costs only $150!
There's plans for another cool bed over on AT:LA right now too:
http://la.apartmenttherapy.com/la/how-to/how-to-lori2s-moms-platform-bed-017385
I'm not a fan - There are much better DIY beds out there.
view bepsf's profile
Don't care for it but I can see some people being into it. It is certainly different for sure.
view Brax's profile
If you had sex on this, would you end up rolling to the other side of the room?
view aladywhoknows's profile
love the look of platform beds but i keep thinking of the bruises i'd have on my ankles/shins
view pvett's profile
I have always been told to never put a mattress down on a solid surface---something to do with air circulation and mold growth. That is why most platform beds come with slats for the mattress to sit on. A mattress soaks up a lot of moisture from our bodies every night---during the day it needs to dry out.
view poptart's profile
I would think I fell asleep somewhere and wake up in a totally different place, just like college.
view La loca's profile
A good platform should not be solid on the bottom as it does not allow the mattress to breathe. If you build this, consider sawing or routing out slots in the platform under the mattress to promote air flow through the mattress. Our bodies perspire and we exhale moisture into the mattress while sleeping (and during sex!). You don't want your mattress getting funked out, let it breathe. Look at commercially available platform beds and you will see they usually are made of wood slats, not solid sheets of wood.
view steveheggie's profile