Sleep in Style, Get Max Function
Whether your bedroom is a large suite, or a cozy retreat, you need all the basics—a comfortable bed, storage space, and a proper bedside table—but it is also nice to add in a few extras for a little charm and style, if space allows. We’ve put together a collection of our best step-by-step building projects to outfit your boudoir.
Upholstered Headboard
To up the coziness factor of your bed, make an upholstered headboard. You can customize the fabric pattern and color to match your decor. All you need is a piece of plywood cut to size, plus 1-inch foam, batting, fabric, and nailhead trim. No more leaning up against that hard wall.
Storage Bed
Build a bed every bit as practical as it is handsome. We asked This Old House contributor and furniture maker Christopher Beidel, owner of Pernt, in Brooklyn, New York, to re-create this bed from a photo featured in the magazine using DIY-friendly construction techniques.
Wood Hamper
A clothes hamper is not the sexiest piece of furniture you’ll ever own. But that’s no excuse for using a tired old canvas bag or an open-top basket to stash your dirty duds. Construct your own hamper with furniture-like details, like the one shown here. The straightforward design is very flexible, and you can customize it according to your bedroom’s style.
Shutter-Door Cabinet
It is difficult to find a handy, compact cabinet for stowing essentials on a limited budget. We turned to TOH general contractor Tom Silva for some DIY advice. He demonstrated how to attach off-the-shelf fixed-louver shutters to an inexpensive, ready-to-assemble bookcase to make a charming cabinet that’s easy on the wallet. With a few finishing touches, like trim and bun feet, this piece will spiff up your bedroom.
Hairpin-Leg Coffee Table
Blending rustic wood with industrial metal, this coffee table has a high-end look—but cost less than $70 to make. The secret: vintage hairpin legs, often found on mid-century furniture, now easily available and affordable from online auction sites and marketplaces.
Trimmed-Out Bedside Table
Once a nondescript catchall for books, photos, and knickknacks, this bedside perch now boasts one-of-a-kind style, thanks to strips of decorative molding. Lengths of stock molding are available at home centers for $5 to $8 for a 6-foot piece. Cut pieces to size, and use wood glue to adhere them to your table.