Wanted to make a loft bed for my 4-year-old son's room that could accommodate a toddler bed beneath it for when my 1-year-old daughter eventually starts sleeping on her own. I was torn between the Chelsea and Cabin bed plans, but eventually settled on the Chelsea because I liked the look of the headboard better.
I looked through all the brag posts to get modification ideas. I ended up mostly stealing ideas from "chadwickstafin", and like him took the great idea from "groovymom2000" to use chalkboard paint (though I only used it to paint the side of the desk end, since I knew the bookshelf end would be mostly blocked by a ladder). I decided to skip the decorative feet and just extend my 2x2s to the floor for extra strength, a mod that most people appear to be doing with this plan. I saw some people using 2x3s in place of 2x2s for added strength, but I can confirm that 2x2s are plenty strong enough on their own (2x2s are stronger than people give them credit for, and there's 8 of them here to distribute the load).
Like chadwickstafin, I cut my headboard a little differently, and I used short lengths of scrap 2x2s cut at 45-degrees to brace the top and bottom corners of both end units. There is no wiggle to the bed at all, it's stabilized so well. I also added a middle support to the short rail, just for a little extra safety, and secured the inside ends of the railings to the headboard/footer with pocket screws. I skipped the filler pieces for the railing, and just did a little extra sanding to make sure all exposed corners were smooth and splinter-free. I made the opening to the bed a bit wider than the plans, 15" instead of 13". I used 2x3s for the ladder, which gave me the sturdiness I wanted without the full bulk of using 2x4s, which looked especially chunky next to a loft unit made with mostly 1x boards. I played with some different angles, but eventually went with a 15-degree ladder. There were some leftover plastic handles sitting in my garage (originally from an outdoor playset ladder before I replaced it with a climbing wall), so I added those near the top of the ladder for some extra safety. I put some color-changing strip lighting under the bed, so there would be plenty of light for the desk and bookshelves (my little guy loves to just plop down on the ground beneath his bed and read).
I spaced the 1x3 slats about 3.5" apart (used scrap 2x4 blocks as spacers). Because my wife or I will lay in bed and read to our son at night, I easily added a couple 2x2 support rails under the 1x3 slats for extra mattress support. I'm a big dude at 6'3 and 250 lbs, and the slats alone WERE strong enough to hold me when I did a test, but they bowed just enough in the center (unnoticeable to me up on the mattress, but I had my wife watching the slats for me below) that I felt I should add a bit more support. Now there's no bowing at all.
I also used Ana's Top Bunk Organizer plans to give my son a little extra storage up top (and a place to set a glass of water during the night), and painted it to match the bed's color scheme. Everything was sanded, painted, sanded again, repainted, and then given a couple coats of polycrylic (the painting process took longer than the cutting & assembly!).
Cost-wise I was extraordinarily lucky. We have a Habitat For Humanity ReStore near us, so I was able to get my paints and a 3x6 sheet of MDF for $15 total. I also had some rebate cards from Menards (regional hardware store, similar to Lowes or Home Depot), plus happened to go there on a week when pine wood was on sale, so I got all my lumber for less than $60.
I could not be happier with the end results, and my son absolutely loves his new bed.
Comments
margjack
Sun, 12/18/2011 - 09:26
Amazing!
this is so amazing! Great job!
Cindy from Indiana (not verified)
Sun, 12/18/2011 - 19:00
Wow! That is awesome!
Wow! That is awesome!
You really did a great job on that! So imaginative, too. WTG!
Guest (not verified)
Sun, 12/18/2011 - 19:58
That is so stinkin' adorable!
That is so stinkin' adorable! Fantastic job. I love everything about it. Your kids (and grandkids) will remember the playhouse under that stairs forever!
loniwolfe
Sun, 12/18/2011 - 20:51
That is so cool!!!
That is so cool!!!
Pam the Goatherd
Mon, 12/19/2011 - 06:28
What fun!
What fun!
spiceylg
Mon, 12/19/2011 - 06:54
Great idea!
Wow, this is too cool! They are going to love love love this! Can't wait to see the kitchen reveal!
kmatt55
Mon, 12/19/2011 - 07:40
This is dope!! Great Job!!
This is dope!! Great Job!!
bhoppy
Mon, 12/19/2011 - 08:43
Awesome!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!! It looks amazing! Makes me want to buy a new house with stairs. LOL
Guest (not verified)
Wed, 12/28/2011 - 16:58
So Cool!
So Cool!
birdsandsoap
Sat, 12/31/2011 - 18:26
too cool for words!
You did an amazing job on this. I'm planning a bunkbed with a similar facade. I love how cozy it looks without having to make an actual pitched roof. The shingles are such a nice touch that I may have to copy you! And it's wired for lights; you've really outdone yourself.
Guest (not verified)
Mon, 02/27/2012 - 21:14
door
I love this playroom you created. We are currently in the process of building a playroom under the stairs for our girls. Where did you find the door...it is exactly what I am looking for! What a wonderful job you did!!!
kdins31
Mon, 03/19/2012 - 14:26
Door
Thanks to all of you for the nice comments! Re: the door, I just cut a plain 18x80 door slab ($21 from orange) and trimmed it out. I still need to put the window grille over the open space, and was hoping to find a cool 'speak easy' grille that fits the space.
Thanks again!
megan_m
Fri, 04/27/2012 - 09:07
wow
this is such an amazing little space! great work!
MicheleInAlabama (not verified)
Thu, 05/03/2012 - 23:38
Soooo Cute!!
This has to be one of the most adorable things I've ever seen! What an awesome idea......how cool is that for the kids??! Love the lighting and the laminate (or is it hardwood) flooring inside. Even the stove is gorgeous! Such fond memories will be made there and remembered forever. Kudos!!
Shirlee (not verified)
Fri, 07/13/2012 - 22:10
kid's playhouse under the stairs
I love this. I was just wondering about the little red kitchen. It looks like something I remember as a little girl back in the 60s. Did you make it or buy it somewhere?
Amanda Rhoads (not verified)
Wed, 12/05/2012 - 15:34
Oh my goodness this is such
Oh my goodness this is such an inspiration! However, as a beginning tool user, I don't think I could get my finishes so nice. How much experience had you had at this kind of stuff before? Was the area closed in before this project or did you do that too? I've got an open stairway into our basement and would be starting from scratch with ceiling, walls, etc. and have no experience hanging drywall or anything. I think it would take me a year. Great job, and thanks for sharing!
maggieasselin
Sat, 06/21/2014 - 12:51
How to - play house door
Hi there!
I was just wondering how you made the door for your play house? We're basically stuck at this level in ours right now... ;) Thanks for any tips!!!