Arts & Crafts Bed
White-oak bed is loaded with Stickley style and topped off with traditional inlay
Synopsis: Designed after a four-post bed by Gustav Stickley, this queen-size version features a Glasgow-style inlay and can be adapted to suit any mattress height. The construction is mortise-and-tenon, the posts are tapered, and the head- and foot-boards are curved. Kevin Rodel made this Arts and Crafts classic in the traditional white oak.
This bed design is a close copy of an original Gustav Stickley bed. My only changes were to stretch it out to a queen size and add a Glasgowstyle inlay embellishment to the head- and footboards. Now, you all know that mattress sizes are standardized for length and width: designated as full through king sizes. However, the thickness of mattresses and box springs varies considerably, too, meaning the distance from the mattress top to the floor can be different. I always recommend a floor-to-mattress height of 26 in. to 28 in., as that works well with most bedside furnishings, which are usually 27 in. to 30 in. high. You may wish to change the post mortise locations given in the plans to accommodate the mattress height that you prefer. But I believe these plans, as drawn, will work with about 80% of available mattress and box spring thicknesses. Make the posts first Mill the posts to 21⁄2 in. square and cut them to length. If you must glue them up from 6/4 or 8/4 stock, I suggest orienting the glue seam from side to side so it will be less noticeable. Lay all four posts on a flat surface, bottoms flush, and lay out the side rail mortises. Now take the two footboard posts and lay out the footboard rail mortises, four mortises in all. Do the same for the headboard posts, laying out six mortises, as there are three headboard rails. All of the mortises are centered on the posts and 1⁄2 in. wide. Except for the 9⁄16-in.-deep side rail mortises, all other mortises are 11⁄4 in. deep. Once the mortises have been cut, taper the posts. For consistent tapers from post to post, I used a 1⁄4-in. Masonite template of the post’s top with the desired curve shaped on it. Place it over each post, draw on the curve, then bandsaw and sand to the pencil line.
For the full article, download the PDF below:
Want more? Check out the video workshop of Kevin building this beautiful bed here.
More on FineWoodworking.com:
- Nancy Hiller: Original Arts and Crafts – Five steps to create an aged Arts-and-Crafts finish
- Kelly Dunton: Video – How to Fume Furniture with Ammonia
- Mike Pekovich: Arts and Crafts on Display – Versatile cabinet is a lesson on building in the Stickley style
Comments
Read the article, but can't find the "free plans" anywhere. Am I missing something?
Page 3 and 4 of the article have all of the dimension you need to make this project.
Thanks Ben. Would be so nice to have a metric conversion too.
I really like the coloring of the oak. What stain was used on this project?
No stain. That is from fuming the oak in ammonia.
Love the bed. It's annoying though, that despite the article indicating that expanded plans and cutlists are available for purchase, they are in fact, currently not. Seems like FWW could figure this out.
To download the plans, click the "View PDF" button above these comments.
I received my e-letter from Fine Woodworking Free Plan - Arts & Crafts Bed
The plans aren't really free. The e-letter reading Free Plans is a bit deceiving. Choose your words carefully Fine Woodworking.
Sorry about the confusion Steven. That eLetter went out almost 2 weeks ago. I kept the article free to the public for a week after that.
How would you scale this up to a king size? And should additional support be added underneath for a larger bed?
In response to battlewalrus, I don't know for sure what Mr. Rodel would do but I made a quick modifcation based on common construction for a king-sized bed. A rail down the middle with a central leg. See: https://flic.kr/p/SFH8ez and https://flic.kr/p/Sia1Ty
-Dave Richards
@JVD, the digital plan for the bed is here: https://www.tauntonstore.com/Stickley-Inspired-Bed-Plan-Digital.html
I seem to be going around in circles. Trying to order plans but can't do it. The button just takes me to Taunton Press site which says plans can't be found. I talked to customer service and they don't have a clue.
Thanks but I have the article. I need to know how to order the full size plans. Hitting the "Buy The Plan" button at the bottom of the article just takes me to Taunton Press which does not have the plans. Arggggh! Still going in circles.
https://www.tauntonstore.com/Stickley-Inspired-Bed-Plan-Digital?search=Kevin%20Rodel&description=1
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