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Jennifer Aniston's Platform Bed - Create the Look

by Kathy Price-Robinson, Posted Feb 2nd 2011 4:00PM

Filed Under: Crafts, Bedrooms, Living Spaces, Crafts & Celebrations

By Kathy Price-Robinson of Kathy's Remodeling Blog

Jennifer Aniston, platform bedThis platform bed closely resembles the one in Jennifer Aniston's bedroom, as featured in Architectural Digest. Photo: Apartment Therapy Chicago

Most of us are wealthy like Jennifer Aniston. And we may not have her killer figure or her movie star status. But we can sleep in a gorgeous platform bed like Aniston's -- was featured in Architectural Digest -- and for a lot less than she likely paid for hers.

 So how can we afford such a luxurious bed? We can make it ourselves.

What makes this bed frame extra special is its generous size. The platform extends past the mattress on all sides, providing ample surface to rest things like books, drinks, and your cell phone. The end tables that flank the bed are actually extensions of the bed frame itself. Extra space at the foot of the bed allows for other luxuries, like a cushion for seating.

Of course, you need a fairly large room to accommodates a bed this size. But if you build such a bed yourself, you can scale down its proportions to suit your room size.

For inspiration on how to build this bed, we turned to carpentry guru Gary Katz, publisher of the popular site This is Carpentry. (He also created these outstanding digital illustrations!)

"This bed design is a great one," says Katz. "The bed seems to float above the floor, and the top of the bed floats above the bed frame. Both details are easy to accomplish," he adds. "And the materials are simple to collect, too." The dimensions shown here focus on a king-size mattress. Here's how Katz breaks it down for us:

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http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

This platform bed, featured in the March 2010 issue of Architectural Digest, is built with attached "ears" -- side tables that are big enough to hold oversize lamps.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

The bed's platform has a groove at its base that makes it appear to float above the floor.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

Following the instructions below, you'll make the frame of the platform first, using 1-by-8-inch pine boards standing vertically. Then you'll make the top of the platform with 1-by-8-inch pine boards lying flat.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

As you see above, a strip of thin molding, called an edge banding, is applied around the edge of the platform. This covers up the ends of the boards that have been cut, giving it a cleaner finish. On the facing of the bed frame, 1-by-6-inch pine boards are installed. These details are what create the shadow line (also called a reglet); this recessed line gives the bed a classy edge. It's all in the details.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

Before staining a soft and porous wood like pine, you should use a conditioner that will help the stain go on smoother and without blotches. Minwax makes a good Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner, which you apply with a cloth or a brush. You may want to stain with a honey oak or dark oak stain. After that, seal with a water-based polyurethane coating, which you apply with a bristle or foam brush.

Build a floor frame exactly the same dimensions as the interior frame; in this case, 106.5 inches by 94.5 inches, using 2-by-4s installed flat on the floor.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

It should be exactly the same dimensions as the interior frame; in this case, 106.5 inches by 94.5 inches, using 2-by-4s installed flat on the floor.
Then build the interior frame on top using a series of 1-by-8-inch pine boards standing on edge (vertically), spaced 16 inches apart, measured from the center of each board. Use drywall screws to fasten all the boards together.
Then build the interior frame on top using a series of 1-by-8-inch pine boards standing on edge (vertically), spaced 16 inches apart, measured from the center of each board. Use drywall screws to fasten all the boards together.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

Then install 1-by-6-inch trim boards on the face of the entire frame with small finish nails. Extend those 1-by-6 boards around the entire perimeter of the frame

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

...including the end table extensions, as shown above. Then install the finished platform boards on top of the frame, also shown above. Use a saw and cutting guide to be sure the platform boards are perfectly flush.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

As you can see in the illustration above, the chamfered edge on this molding is cut at a 45-degree angle. This gives it more of a polished, rounded look, which is better than just a square piece of molding. Apply with finish nails, with tiny little heads, or with trim-head screws, which look nicer than your average screw.

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed

Then make up the bed, take photos, and email them to us at DIYLifeMail@aol.com. We'd love to see your results!

Create the Look: Jen Aniston Platform Bed



Once you have the platform bed, check out this video for some luxurious bedding ideas:




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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

  • Natalie
    Vote upVote downReport
    2-07-2011 @9:17PM
    Natalie said...

    I like the platform bed look, but it's a little too minimalistic for me in this particular picture. It just doesn't have that cozy, warm, bedroom kind of feel to it. But maybe that's just me. Whatever style you go for bed wise, there was a super deal I saw earlier on a cotton queen size sheet set that was1200 thread count cotton! the set was only $25 bucks. I'm thinking I can't even find 300 thread count for that price! It was on the Savings Shop part of HTtP://BiT.ly/couponclippers I've been looking at TJ Maxx and Ross and haven't even found anything that good.

    Reply
  • 1 Comments / 1 Pages
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