Dollhouse Bed

Published: 4/14/2011

Since I built a bed for Evan, I had no choice but to build one for Mia as well. In the years since I built his, I’ve learned a few new skills and bought some new tools, so this one’s a little more refined.

Status: Finished (for now)
Project cost: ~$350 (materials, plans, and paint)
Exterior dimensions: 65″ wide x 43″ deep x 93″ tall (excluding roof overhangs)

Mia’s dollhouse bed is designed for a twin-size bed on the bottom and a small play loft upstairs. There are openings on the right side which can be used to climb to the top level. I built it from plans I purchased from Tanglewood Designs. I can’t wholeheartedly recommend them, as there were quite a few inconsistencies in the plans, but it was still a lot easier than designing from scratch. The guys there called me to help me resolve the issues, and a few tips helped me interpret the plans.

I constructed the bed out of 7 or 8 sheets of 3/4″ “classic birch” plywood from Menards. The plans call for the use of small L-brackets to hold things together, so that you can carry each panel into the bedroom for assembly. The large bookcase assembly on the right side of the bed can fit through doorways in one piece, so I built it using biscuit joinery. I primed and painted each piece in the garage, so assembly only took a couple of hours in Mia’s room. Mia’s aunt painted the artwork on the bed.

There are just a few trim pieces, most of which are painted ivory. The plinth blocks on the gables were cut from the same plywood, as were the shutters and the trim around the large front window. The trim along the eaves is made from chair rail trim, and a small piece of utility trim surrounds the octagon window.

The kids enjoy the bed for playtime. So far, every day they’ve played by tossing stuffed animals out the windows. Mia sleeps in the bed every bit as well as she did her previous bed, which is to say, not that well. Can’t blame the bed for that though!

Tools used: