my son has reeeeeally been wanting a bunk bed for a while now - so over the last few weekends i've been working on making him one.
about 10 years ago our daughter arrived and my dad and i made baby room furniture (crib, dresser, storage bench/change table). my wife said that the length of the baby mattress is the same as the width of a double bed - so maybe we can reuse the headboard of the crib 'down the road'. so that was the plan - to reuse/repurpose the headboard from the crib my dad an i made as the headboard for the lower part of the bunk.
so this is what i started with....
IMG_7882 by
bc-chris, on Flickr
i built a lower cabinet with 3 huge drawers (22" sliders!), made a foot board and then changed up the crib head board a bunch... drilled some big holes, made up some LED lights and voila (yea... if only it was THAT simple!! ha! ha!)
IMG_0225 by
bc-chris, on Flickr
IMG_0224 by
bc-chris, on Flickr
the reused head board ***note the button on the left side just peaking out above the tan coloured pillow....
IMG_0226 by
bc-chris, on Flickr
IMG_0228 by
bc-chris, on Flickr
the lights are 4" sewer end caps that i drilled a hole in and then wrapped some leftover white LEDs in. then used some white coroplast (it's like corrugated cardboard but made out of plastic), then a couple translucent flames logos, then a piece of clear plexi). my little guy absolutely LOVES it!!
IMG_0231 by
bc-chris, on Flickr
next on the list will be making the top bunk - which should be pretty easy. i've got some crazy ideas for that and i'll share pics once it's installed.
then he wants a bridge going over his book case with a ladder at the end. i also need a ladder at the foot of his bed.
he's been "helping" me a ton - which is fantastic... but it definitely adds to the build time! ha! but it's totally worth it. i have so many memories of building stuff with my dad (both as a kid and an adult) - and that's the stuff you cherish forever - especially after your dad is gone. it's just too bad he wasn't still here to see this becuz dad would have loved it and been right their with us building it too!