A New Look for the “New” Bed

“Yesterday” I came home from the hospital with a bundle of baby boy in my arms that was so beautiful and precious that I could barely breath. Somehow it is today, and he is huge! Really not sure how that happened but I am forced to roll with it I guess! The white crib that he moved into when he outgrew the cradle that my father made for my children transitioned into a daybed this winter for him, but even that has begun to look comically small for such a big boy. A new bed was in order.

Becca and Spencer share a perfect cozy room and I wasn’t wanting to squeeze a second twin bed in. The answer was an IKEA toddler bed, which is bigger than a crib and still smaller than a standard twin. Plus, we were able to pick one up for free locally on craigslist. The size was just perfect…but the look was off…but that just makes it more fun…and since everything I needed to “remake” the bed we already had on hand the bed stayed in the “free” zone!

The first thing to go was those funny little elastic basket things that look messy and bizarre…though I have to say the kids loved them. Oh well! I wanted to build up the headboard/sideboard with thin slats of wood to give it the look I wanted. I cut the boards to length and used liquid nails to attach them to the board. With lots of books and weight (#10 cans of wheat and rice storage!) the slats are adhered really well and I have no worry of them coming off…ever!

After a light sanding I was ready to paint. I went with a classic white because I love the look and wanted it to coordinate with his sisters bed which I plan to paint white this summer. We are so happy with the results.

The bed looks great and he love love loves it. And just so you don’t get any misconceptions under the bed is never empty aside from this photo, but is instead used for an enormous bin of cars and trucks of all sorts of sizes, and a second bin holding our precious collection of duplo legos…a most favorite toy! Oh, and one more tender thing…the funny blue pillow is Spencer’s “Shark-friend”…a pillow made by my husband in junior high home-ec. I just love it…partly because the pillow sewing days of my husband are defnitely gone, and because the little man cub just loves it so much!

Now the only project ahead of us is what to do with the blank wall above the bed. We’re thinking of something along the lines of this…but we’ll see!

Here’s a little before and after!

Before:

After: