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DIY: Bed In A Box Upcycle
In this genius before and after, Alex creates a foldaway bed perfect for small spaces.
Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, making the best use of a spare room can be tricky. Do you have a bed, a sofa bed, or just use it for storage?
In our flat we have put together a combination study and spare bedroom and maximised storage space of typical attic items (archived paperwork, Christmas decorations) by building floor to ceiling bookcases. A bookcase is kinder to walls than installing individual shelves, as it is mainly supported by the floor and only needs to be anchored to the wall here and there with a few screws.
In the middle of the walls of books and boxes is one of our proudest up-cycling achievements, what we grandly and erroneously call the daybed. It is, in fact, a converted sofa bed.
What you'll need
- Sofabed
- MDF board
- Plywood
- Skirting
- Paint
- Foam
- Fabric
Step 1
I bought the sofabed from a Salvation Army charity shop about ten years ago. The sofa itself had become very battered over the years, but the sofabed mechanism was still in good condition. Rather than chuck the whole thing out, I wondered if there was a way we could make use of the bed part by removing it from the rest.
After some very satisfying tearing and dismantling, we discovered that the bed mechanism was conveniently housed in a wooden box, around which the sofa had been built.
Step 2
We clad the box in some tongue and groove effect MDF board, added skirting and a hinged lid made from plywood and painted the whole thing white.
Step 3
I ordered a piece of foam for the top, found some striped upholstery linen on ebay and made a cover and two bolster pillowcases for the new seating. The cushions are a mix of cheap and cheerful Ikea and custom made gorgeousness by Helkat Designs on Etsy.
The finished product
We made ours to be part of a built-in arrangement with the bookcases, but if you wanted to try it yourself there are any number of ways you could adapt it.
