Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Rhett's Kentwood Bed

Here's another build that took place over weeks.
I actually bought the wood this summer, but I'm blaming the pregnancy that it took so long to actually get done.
I just made the head and foot board, and attached them to a metal bed frame we already were using, so this project could really take you an afternoon, not half a year.

I finally forced myself to build and finish the bed because we need it for when the baby comes.
We are moving this summer, so we'll only be in our current home 6 months or less with three kids, and rather than move the sewing room/ office for the baby, I decided to shove all three kids in one room and two beds.
We'll see if it works, but right now my plan is: 
Rhett (RJ 4 years old) and Ellaria (2) will share this twin bed and just sleep on each end with their feet toward each other (like the grandparent's in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
So I needed a footboard so Ellie wouldn't fall off the end in the night.
Then the baby can have the crib.
Which also means I need to build a ladder/ fence so Ellie won't fall out of the bed to the side.

I hope it all works out, it would only have to last less than six months.
But if these sleeping arrangements flop, at least Rhett will have a nicer looking room with a bed rather than just a mattress!
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The plans come from ana-white.com for the Kentwood Bed.
It's a knock off plan from Pottery Barn's Camp Bed.
View In Room
Here's Ana's version and a more detailed post about making the bed from Brook.

I wanted a lighter wood stain for this piece.  Most of the furniture I've built has been painted or stained a dark red mahogony.   So I wanted to do something different, but I don't like warm, golden wood tones like honey oak, so for this bed I used:
4 parts Cherry stain with 
1 part Red Mahogany stain, 
both Minwax brands.
I found my polyurethane had dried up, so I used a rub-on polyurethane I had that sealed the wood but remained more of a matte natural look rather than the glossy plastic finish.

I think I'd like to re-decorate Rhett's room once we move.  
Right now he has the airplane quilt mixed with animal stuff I made when he was a baby. 

The plan actually called for a bed wider than our metal frame, so I had to adjust it for a more narrow design.
I also made the foot board taller, as mine will have to function as a backwards headboard.
One tip that was helpful was taking time to sand all the wood individually before constructing the bed.
It's much easier to sand cheap pine boards individually rather than a big finished piece of furniture.

You attach the main board to the 2x4 legs with Kreg Jig pocket holes, and rather than fill all the holes, I just attached thin lathe strips from our junk pile which stained really dark, but at least it looks better than holes on the back where Ellie's head will sleep as a backwards headboard soon. 

Getting closer to checking all my pre-baby projects off and feel so liberated knowing this one is done!

11 comments:

  1. I love the color of stain you used, it looks great with everything else in the room. I hope that the bed sharing works well for your kids, especially with you moving soon. Furniture is a pain to move!

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    1. Thanks, we'll see how the bed sharing works out, it could fail with two kids kicking each other and never sleeping, and then there's the whole dilemma of the older kids sleeping through the baby crying in the night. My back up plan is to keep the baby in our room in the bassinet, but I don't sleep well when the baby is too close and I can here every peep. Who knows, maybe in the end I'll kick out the desk and have a sewing room/ nursery for a little while.

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  2. Wonderful work! Looks really wonderful. Hope the sleeping arrangements work out. We kept ours in our room until they were sleeping through the night, but you are right about not getting much sleep. That Mama with a newborn high alert system always seems to kick into gear with me.

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  3. This came out beautifully! I love the stain color too. =) I also like how you finished the edges of the foot/headboard, with the lathe strips. Much better than a series of holes! =)

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  4. Love this:) you are amazing!!!!

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  5. Beautiful! I love using Ana-white's plans! I have done four of the projects from her site so far and all of them turned out great!
    You made a great looking bed for your kids.
    ~Michelle

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    1. I love them too. Her site is what got me into building/ wood working. I'm hoping to eventually get to where I could plan something cool on my own...maybe some day!

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  6. I like everything about thia. The stain is perfect- no yellow and the combo produced something not too dark or too red. And I would imagine that your wheels are already turning for the bed you want to build for Elle.
    Merry Christmas

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  7. Growing up, I remember having to share a twin bed with my brother when we lived in a rental home! I don't think we always got along, but I do know we ganged up on our older sister who slept on the bunk above us. We kicked her mattress from underneath just to make her mad. Oh the joys of growing up!

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  8. Growing up, I remember having to share a twin bed with my brother when we lived in a rental home! I don't think we always got along, but I do know we ganged up on our older sister who slept on the bunk above us. We kicked her mattress from underneath just to make her mad. Oh the joys of growing up!

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  9. Wow! I can't believe you found the energy to do this while pregnant. Kudos! It's awesome. My sis, cousins and I used to sleep feet to feet when we were all together. We found it funny. Hope it works for you!

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