Wall Unit/Canopy (with a secret)

This is a hybrid of to types of beds. A http://wwbeds.com/WallUnits/WallUnits.htm, not the murphy wall beds I normally build, and a canopy. Both of these styles I have built before but never together.

The accent wall unit named because of the accent lights is one of my favorite. The lights is the first thing you’ll notice. The lights are hidden behind the back support for the lights. I cut a groove into the board for the shelf to slide in. In the center I cut it all the way through. This allows the light to shine through the edge of the glass with a fiber optic effect. I also added some metal tape on the back side to help reflect the light and illuminate the back. I did this on the four shelves. The light bar also has can lights.

Piers
The piers on this one have a top section that slope inward and break up that boxed, square look. The piers also have a little different door. It is a wood/Plexiglas door. I connected ¼” Plexiglas to a small wooden section and connected a custom handle which is the full length of the door. The dark tint of the glass works well with the dark color of the wood.

Canopy
If that wasn’t enough we added a canopy. I’ve build canopies before for waterbeds. They’ve always been built form pine and looked bulky. On this one I lightened the look my making the boards a little streamlined. All the canopy components sit on top of another part. This way screws aren’t the only thing holding it up. The mirrors used on this are ¼” Plexiglas mirrors. They were a little more expensive than regular mirrors, but a lot safer and lighter.

Pedestal
The pedestal is all doors, fourteen in all. This allows access to the entire area under the bed. I built it just like I would a drawer unit and just added doors instead.

It’s A Secret:
There are a total of six secret compartments on this bed. Two in the upper piers section, accessed from inside and to the back. Two under the lower drawer, accessed by removing the drawer and lifting a panel. The last pair are in the headboard center storage compartment. They are access by pulling on the false side wall inside. It is actually the drawer front and a drawer can be slide out from either side.

This bed was completed in July 2009 and a very fun one to build. It is built in oak wood with a multi step finish of dye, wiping stain, and pre-cat. lacquer. The overall size is 125”w x 78”h x 94”d. Mattress starts at 18 ¾” and is used without a box springs.

Here is some raw video of the build:
Platform
Pier sides
Pier Build
Headboard Build
Canopy
Canopy Grid

Building pictures

See the blog (Click Here)

For more building pictures see my Current Projects link at wwbeds.com or poggyskids.com. See what we are doing live:

-- Watch live video from our shop. http://wwbeds.com/live.htm