Let’s face it, one of the most expensive things within our bedroom decorating is the bed. A cool bed becomes the focal point of the room, so you want to make sure it looks up to date, stylish and, best case scenario, totally awesome! Best way to do that, on a budget? DIY bed frames! Yes, you can build bed frames that rival the high end stores, and that also save you money. And we have a bunch of DIY bed frame tutorials for you to prove it. So get ready for your bedroom makeover, because once you have one of these beds in your room, you won’t be able to stop decorating. If you landed here looking for bed frames to buy, scroll on down to the end of the post where we have some great recommendations for you.
Pretty much all of these DIY bed frames are platform style. So you will only need a top mattress. No box springs needed. Want an amazingly comfortable memory foam type mattress? Be sure and head over to Nectar and check out what they have available. Chances are, there will be a sale going on! I personally can’t sleep well on anything BUT memory foam now. And you don’t even have to get some huge box… It shows up vacuum sealed in an easy to manage package!
Let’s start with the basics! These are the easiest, most straightforward builds on the list. These DIY Bed Frames are for beginner woodworkers and require minimal tools and materials. These are for you if you’re not looking to overcomplicate things, you just need a nice, stylish DIY bed frame
If you are a beginning DIY’er (or even if you aren’t!) this minimal DIY bed frame from Patricia at ‘No Glitter, No Glory‘ is a really simple to follow tutorial. This bed frame is made with pine cut to size, and a drill! You could even have the lumber cut at the home improvement store.
This design by Woodshop Diaries is a nice basic option that checks the trendy “midcentury modern” box.
You have to love this rustic modern platform DIY bed from ‘Ana White‘. It’s the best of both worlds! Such a cool bed frame. Lots of drawings, supply list and complete instructions and photos.
Let’s get back to basics. This bed frame by “5 minutes for Mom” is perfect if you really just need a basic solution and want to DIY a bed frame either to save money or just to have a good project. Check it out for a great simple tutorial on building a bed frame.
Last we have the bed that Chris made, a DIY bed frame from ‘Something is Done‘. I love this bed because it is simple enough to be used in any style, but can have a headboard added on if you wanted. Great project!
A perfect midcentury modern look, this platform bed is beautifully minimalist. Theplans are available on DIY Candy.
Ok, this one’s for you if these other ones just looked a bit too easy. Nat Andrews posted this DIY bed frame to ‘Instructables‘, and it is incredibly awesome. High quality wood beds are hard enough to find and afford as it is, but add in some cool details like integrated lighting, and this is a very cool DIY project. Yes, it’s a bit more complex than the bed frames above, bit it has a great tutorial and lots of instructions to help.
I love bed frames with storage built in. They are just so practical and free up so much space in your closets and cabinets. It would be easy to assume that storage beds are tricky to DIY, but they’re really not! Check out all these DIY storage bed frames and you will be ready to DIY one yourself!
Platform beds are always a good idea. This one I found on Instructables has storage drawers built in, too!
This storage bed only features two drawers at the end of the bed, which doesn’t seem like a lot of storage at first. However, that’s the perfect amount of storage space for things that may not have home- like you extra sheets and towels.
I love a storage bed, especially if you’re working with a small bedroom. that extra space goes a long way! This king size storage bed frame allows you to save space on storage without compromising on your bed size. Love it!
Another Ana White design… can’t help it, they are so good! ‘The Happy Huntsman‘ made this DIY storage bed… This is a great choice for a small home, or for kids rooms! You can find the plans for this bed on Ana White. If you want to see more storage bed tutorials, jump on over to ur post on DIY Storage Beds!
I love upholstered bed frames. I think they just add an extra coziness to bedroom decor with an extra layer of softness. They seem like they might be a bit trickier to DIY, but they’re really not that difficult! Check out these great DIY projects for proof, and then move on to another reupholstery project- chairs!
Looking to include a headboard in your DIY plans? We’ve got you covered. This bed frame by “Handmade Weekly” includes detailed plans on their blog.
If you want a luxe look, this upholstered DIY bed frame tutorial from ‘The Handy Homemaker‘ is for you! Lots of photos make this tutorial a “no fail” project. Don’t forget to look for part two of this tutorial at the bottom of the post that leads into the upholstery side of the bed. They have a tutorial for an upholstered headboard too!
Floating bed frames are so cool! They instantly help to modernize a room. Since they have fewer lines to break up your space, they can also help a room to feel more open.
This example of a floating bed from The Spruce is just perfect inspiration for a modern minimalist floating bed project. They have a full guide on building floating bed frames for you to check out!
Looking for a queen size floating bed frame to DIY? This one’s for you. “The DIY Plan” design is complete with attached nightstands and a headboard. And the plans are available for free!
Kids would love this idea. Add LED strip lights to the base of the bed to really lean into the floating effect. This plan on instructables looks SO cool!
These were our favorite king size DIY’s. We wanted them to have their own section because we thought these were the best options if you are looking to DIY a bed frame for your primary bedroom. King size bed frames can be quite pricey, so this is a great place to save some money with a DIY.
This classic, very pretty white bed frame is king size- perfect if you’re looking to DIY a bed frame for your primary bedroom. Of course, you can paint it any color you like, but I think the white gives this DIY bed frame a classic, timeless look.
Ana White is one of our favorite bloggers because she puts out these amazing woodworking plans for free, including DIY bed frames! And ‘Bower Power‘ used one of those plans to build this bed, and it’s king size. They built this bed for around $150… not bad! I love the painted white cottage look. Remember though, it could also be painted a darker color of a more traditional look.
If you’re looking for a more rustic leaning modern farmhouse look, this one should do the trick. Plans are available on Etsy, but it’s really just that beautiful weathered looking stain that gives it a rustic touch.
This is another farmhouse look, but with a darker wood stain. “Shanty 2 Chic” provides wonderfully detailed plans for this DIY king size bed frame. And the plans are complete with the headboard, too.
This Pottery Barn inspired king bed and DIY headboard by Kristen at ‘Lipstick and Sawdust‘ is a more traditional bed, but with a really fresh feel. You could stain it a lighter color, or even paint it white for a different feel. Tutorial is in several parts, so make sure you visit them all. Also, she does a great job of helping you learn from her mistakes, so read the tutorial all the way through! Lovin’ these bed frames!
Kids’ bed frames are a great choice to DIY for several reasons. First of all, they probably won’t care if it isn’t perfect, and these are likely to be temporary solutions anyway. Later on you can upgrade them to a larger bed, so why not save a bit of money? And, they get to see you create something awesome just for them. They will think that’s so cool.
This lofted bed frame is such a fun idea for a kids room! It frees up some extra floor space, perfect for a play area. And it’s from Ana White, so you know there’s a good plan to go along with it.
Tight on space in a kids room? Here’s a great Ikea hack for a DIY frame with storage! This DIY by TyLynn is a great solution to save space on storage for toys and other items that inevitable clutter up kids’ rooms.
This Montessori bed frame shaped like a little house is TOO cute! I would have been absolutely obsessed with my room if this were my bed when I was little. The plans are available for purchase form Etsy.
Ok, this one’s my favorite. It’s got everything you could possibly be looking for in a fun kids bed frame diy. First off, it looks like a little cottage, complete with a window. AND it has storage? Yep, it’s perfect.
I thought about grouping these into the kids bed frame section, but decided to keep all the fun ones together in the kids section. These next twin beds are more basic. These are perfect if you need a small guest room solution- or perhaps somethings that could double as a daybed in an office/guest room combination. You know, for those midday work-from-home naps?
Looking for a basic twin bed frame for a small guest room or kids room? This is the one for you. Jen followed a simple Ana white plan and managed to only spend $30 on this project!
Another basic twin bed idea, this one would work great for a kids room or just a small guest room. And she’s put together clear and coscise instructions with diagrams to show each step.
I had to create a separate section for these bed frames because there are just so many great tutorials out there. Metal legs add a wonderful stylish touch to a DIY bed frame that make it look even more store-bought. The right legs can make a bed look industrial, modern or minimalist. Take your pick!
We’ll start with the simplest of the bunch. If you’re looking for an easy bed frame project, but want a unique touch, try this 3-Tool DIY bed from ‘Home Made Modern‘. Not only did they truly only use 3 tools to create this bed, but they did it for $75! This bed was made using plywood and Ikea brackets…. Simple! Such a cool idea for this DIY bed frame.
So if you have one of those ugly metal bed frames that you hide with a bed skirt, this blogger feels ya. Tanya at ‘Dans le Lakehouse‘ made this walnut plywood DIY bed frame with welded legs and has a great tutorial for it. What an improvement! You have to jump on over and see a photo of the bed “before”. This bed frame transforms the room to a high end look! Love!
The end result doesn’t look DIY’d at all, and it does such a good job of tidying the look and hiding the box spring!
Try this Japanese inspired DIY modern bed frame from ‘Modern Builds‘. The hair pin legs are perfection, and that walnut stain on the headboard? Great project. And remember, if you are looking for a really comfortable mattress, check out Nectar. They have great sales going on all the time!
If you love dupes this is a great one. Yes it’s similar to the last featured bed frame, but we still had to include it. I thought this one was super cool because it was inspired by a George Nelson Case Study bed from Modernica, and made DIY by ‘Mid Century Modern‘. They only spent $350 building their bed! Nice job.
From Erich Mcvey on ‘Design Sponge‘, this very cool barn wood DIY bed has a short tutorial. I love that they built lighting into the headboard! If you like this bed and its metal legs, make sure you check out the next project as well…
As promised, we found what looks like a bed inspired by the last one…except this one looks just as cool with a complete step by step tutorial! ‘Mrs Fancy Pantz‘ did an amazing job on this DIY bed frame and headboard! They used piping and accompanying flanges to build the legs, and I love the modern industrial look it creates.
I love a good up cycling project, and pallets are one of the best and most common upcycling materials. They make so much sense to use in a DIY bed frame. The best part about pallets is that you can usually find them for free if you look!
From ‘Santiago DIY‘, create a pallet DIY bed. This is a repurposed bed that you see all the time on Pinterest, but few actual tutorials. This one is really good, and tells you exactly how to turn cheap or free pallets into platform DIY bed frames.
This easy pallet DIY bed frame was made by ‘The Wonder Forest‘. We love the bohemian look of this bedroom! And how much did this cost? A local shop gave her the pallets for free.
Now that you have a good pallet bed tutorial, here are a few inspirational ideas on what you can do with pallets and DIY bed frames! Photo by ‘Style at Home‘.
We can’t find a source for this photo, but wanted to include it for it’s Scandinavian style. Just goes to show it’s what accents you decorate with, not the base materials you use that makes a room.
We have so much fun finding great DIY projects for our readers that will save them money! So do you have a favorite of these DIY bed frames? And don’t forget, check out Nectar memory foam mattresses, even if you just need a replacement for your existing bed! They have one of the highest rated mattresses out there, and a 365 night money back guarantee!
If DIY’ing these bed frames isn’t what you are looking for right now, we have a couple of options here for where to buy bed frames. First, if a budget bed is what you need, then check out all the budget bed frames from Wayfair.
We think the Maxen Wood Platform Bed Frame is a great option to check out. It is sturdy, doesn’t require a box spring, has tons of great reviews, and is easy to assemble! One of the reviewers mentioned that it doesn’t squeak at all, which is a problem many cheaper metal bed frames can have.
The Hampton Bed Frame is made of sturdy black metal, has a sleek and minimal look, and has plenty of room underneath for storage. It’s a platform bed, so it does not require a box spring. Did we mention inexpensive and free shipping?
The heavy duty Hanley bed frame starts at $100, has a squeak resistant steel frame, and looks sleek and modern.
If building a DIY bed frame is not your thing, then here’s a cool bed frame for you made from wood, that we really like from Joss & Main. This bed is quite affordable and we love the little hints of mid-century design and the natural wood.
If you are wanting a slightly higher end bed frame for your home, then check out bed frames from West Elm. The Mod Upholstered Platform Bed Frame is exactly what we envision as the perfect timeless bed frame. Love this look! The wood legs are solid oak, and this is a contract grade piece of furniture. Which means, it’s made tough enough to be used in hotels!
If you are looking for another type of bed project, get inspired with our post on Boho Bedrooms or our Nectar Mattress Review, or check out our posts on DIY Murphy Beds and Modern DIY Nightstands on our sister site – OhMeOhMy.
And don’t forget to join our Home & Garden DIY Facebook group and our Pinterest page so you see right away when we post new ideas and advice!
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