Saturday, March 19, 2011

Platform bed with angled legs



I built this bed for a couple in Arizona. It's a borrowed design, with a few modifications. It presented quite a few challenges, such as engineering it in such that it could be taken apart, shipped, and reassembled by someone else. Also, figuring out how to support the headboard panels on a cantilevered edge was quite the task. And most importantly, figuring how to make it properly supportive with 45 degree-angled legs. Plus, everything is mitered (2 45 degree angles to make a right angle), which leaves little margin for error. I asked my furniture design professor (highly regarded builder Todd Ouwehand) for advice and, after thinking it over for a few moments, simply said 'I don't like mitered corners very much.' Indeed- they look great, but are a pain. Well I think it was all worth the trouble, because the bed looks fantastic. It's built from solid walnut.