DIY {pallet reading bed for the nursery}

UPDATE: For those following a link directly to this post, you can find pictures of the entire nursery HERE
UPDATE: I recently found out the owner of the bed that inspired mine, check out her incredible site HERE

When we began planning the nursery I really wanted a spot I could read with our kids and snuggle with them. Since I won’t be working as much, I have great hopes that maybe every once and a while I could cuddle down for a nap with one of them. So in working on the nursery, I began working on a ‘reading bed’ for us. Granted this will be a great bed for naps and for kids, but it is not designed to be an adult bed. I was inspired by this picture and then made it my own.

Materials:

Wood pallets (ours a bit smaller than the standard size)

Palm Sander

80 grit, 200 grit sandpaper

5 large caster wheels

4 hinges

Thick foam for the ‘mattress’ – mine is from a fabric store then covered in a down comforter and soft bedding

The instructions are a simple as can be: Sand the pallets good and smooth. Bolt the two together on the tops and bottoms. Add caster wheels to all 4 corners and one in the very center. The wheels on mine are locked, except for the center one. I used an old door to sit behind it – just because I liked how it looked. Simple enough.

Before & After

I began building it when Chris was in Egypt. Before he left he told C to help me out while he was gone. I was in the garage sanding and C said, “Mommy I don’t think you should be doing that. I can do it.” Thus, he had his first experience with a palm sander. He did a great job. My dad helped me attach the hinges and wheels. Thanks dad.

The quilt was made by my Aunt Sandy, the monkey was mine when I was a little girl, the pillows are from Amy Butler fabric and the white blanket is from Ikea…

Thanks Sandy for the quilt! My mom made the cute stacking rings in the basket by the bed. Yes, I come from a great family.

A few close up shots. I choose not to sand all the markings off the pallets. The last shot is a reflection, not a framed picture.

I also need to thank Tom & Weston for finding me pallets and delivering them. Those suckers were heavy. Thank you!

Now I just need a sweet baby girl to cuddle up with on it….

Eventually I’ll get pictures of the rest of the room posted…

by AshleyAnn

show hide 37 comments

Jenny - So cute Ashley! Where did you find the round lanterns?

Aunt Sandy - WOW, WOW, WOW. The room is amazing, I love it. I can’t wait to see it in person with the sweet little baby girl in it. Love the reading bed, what a great idea. It’s so neat to see Corbett in there working on the room with you. He’s such a good helper.
Great room and great pics. Love it, love it, love it.
Aunt Sandy

leslie - wow, so pretty ashley! i posted about your room today. thanks for letting me share!

Carol - Everytime you create something, I’m just blown away by your talent. You are proof that breaking all the “rules” works just beautifully. Love the room and can’t wait to see the baby in it and me preferably holding her!!!Love you!!

Jeannette - I expect amazing things from you!! This is so awesome, I love it. Everything is wonderful!

christina larsen - So creative. My oldest is wanting a platform bed in her room. We saw pics in pottery barn and I said, surely you could make one on your own, it couldn’t be that hard. Well, you proved to me it’s not. Not sure when that project will get started, but thanks for the directions and motivation.

Lauren - As I look as this, I can see the talent goes deep in your family! I love the quilt from your Aunt and the ring toy from your Mom! And your bed is awesome, of course :) You guys are very gifted!

kayla - freaking adorable! what a beautifully wonderfully DIYully fantastic idea! baby girl will undoubtedly love it.

Natasha Perryman - Super cute.
I have been on the lookout for some cute bedding for when Avi Joy moves to a big bed. Did you make your quilt or where did it come from? If you have a minute I would love to know.
Thank you for Always inspiring me to be a better and more creative mommmy!
Natasha
(natasha.tobefree@gmail.com)
or facebook Natasha Perryman

Cate O’Malley - Ok, in the great minds think alike category, love it! But no, not the bed (although I love that too!), but the pink tissue paper pom-poms over the bed. Martha Stewart yes? I used those exact things (love them!) as decoration for my daughter’s first birthday party in February, and after the party, I couldn’t decide what to do with them… then I had the brainstorm to hang them over her crib, like a much prettier mobile, or just something fun and girly and swirly for her to look at. The problem? I can’t get those suckers to stay up! They’re strung on fishing line – tape to the ceiling (even lots of it) didn’t work, and I hate to use something more permanent or less pretty than the poms themselves. Help!

jill - VERY neat…this belongs in a magazine! :)

Natalie Jane - LOVE! It makes me want to do my new baby’s room all over again!

meg duerksen - you are amazing ashley. this is so industrial and pretty.
i love it.
the prettiest room around. it’s gorgeous!

Laura Casey - I stumbled across your blog through a link. Such a beautiful room – and I LOVE the lanterns and paper flowers above the bed. Inspiring. Please share where you found those great white lanterns and the others as well. Thanks – and congratulations on your baby. My fourth babe just turned 16 months and I am sad I won’t have great nurseries to decorate anymore.

patti - love this idea! i saw your link posted on “whatever”. you have a beautiful nursery! thanks for sharing!

Jesse - Super cute Ashley, I love it!

ashlee - amazing!!! i also love your painted wood floors! what kind of paint did you use and how does it hold up to so many little people?

bopha - you never cease to amaze, it all looks awesome.

Lisa - wow. it’s perfect! this is like something out of a dream. you are so stinkin’ talented. I do think the reflection picture SHOULD be a framed photo :-)

Melissa - I adore what you have done here – It is sweet, and girly but in an elegant, sophisticated way – the door was a great idea. And the painted floor – I want to do that so bad at my house.
Melissa marie

Ryan - I just saw your bed made it onto Design Star! Awesome! Congrats! :)

Rachel - Wow-this is gorgeous! I just found this via Design Star. I’ll be linking to this post if you don’t mind. What a stunning room!

Rachel - Oh how funny! I got swept up in your photos and kept reading. A few pages in, I remembered I’d been here before. I linked to your gorgeous organizers! Your blog is so, so beautiful. I think I’ll put on another cup of tea and read the entire thing this afternoon.

Stacy - I would like a little more detail on the hinges. How are they used and where were they placed? This is such a cute idea! Would be a great solution to the cruddy futon in our office.

GABRIELA CARO - WAT KIND OF HINGES AND WHERE CAN I BUY THE STUFF AT MY BOX SPRING IS RETIRING THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT IM IN LOVE WITH IT IM USING IT FOR MY BED

apparentlyjessy - Gorgeous reading bed, and I love the art work on the wall, and the paper lantern arrangement above! You have great style!

wendy - Holy Toledo! I love it! Where oh where could I put that?…

sonal - Love the reading bed pallet – we actually made one for our nursery – just a bit smaller since we didn’t need one quite as big. We made our own pallet since we couldn’t find one that was in good shape. BUT, I love the white blanket you have – you stated that it’s from IKEA but I can’t find it at the IKEA we have here. Do you remember the name of the blanket? THANKS for the idea!!

nadia rezende - Dear Ashley
I’m brazilian and don’t speak english…
Your photgraphys are lovely, congratulations.

Nadia

Kristy - this is so great. i love the look, the colors, everything about it. i love the frames, LOVE IT!!!

Jan Niekamp - Amazing room, I am working on a room for my young son, he loves the outdoors. So thrift shops and garage sales for me because we are very broke and its better to recycle anyway.

Ruthie - I stumbled on this post from Apartment Therapy! I love everything about this room (esp. the picture of you taking a picture of yourself). I was trying to find your IKEA blanket on-line. Is it the OFELIA throw? http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30139623

Also, what kind of camera do you shoot with?

Thanks!

Becca - After seeing a coffee table made from palletts I decided to make my son a bed as well and finding this has made me sure that it will work – our variation will be to put 3 high (a total of 6 pallets) for more height and I play to paint them, and put a piece of trimmed out plywood on top just to finish it off before putting the mattress down! We plan to use the cubby holes for books and school supplies!

Sammi - Sooo pretty!!!

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