This is my biggest project to date; I put it together with a few modifications to the plans on this website (as I'm sure everyone does!) It will be my wife and my bed for quite some time and hopefully I can pass it along in the future. Seems sturdy as a rock and the additional storage will benefit us as our home has minimal closet space. The finish is a waxed-stained-sanded painted surface.
I broke this project into 3 phases: headboard, benches, and footboard. Juggling two kids and a wife, its hard to be able focus completely on a project without some (often welcome) interruptions.
One final note: this website introduced me to and this project confirmed that my favorite tool in my tool shed is the Kreg Pocket hole Jig; bought it thinking I would use it on a buffett table I built and have used it on every project since!