Building an Asian-Style Bed Frame

Design

• Prior to buying materials and constructing an Asian-style bed, you'll need to produce detailed plans. An Asian-style bed is similar to a platform bed in that it consists of a shallow frame and a flat surface made of solid wood or wooden planks. This surface accept the mattress, thus eliminating the need for a traditional box spring. While some Asian-style beds feature headboards, footboards and posts for a canopy, others consists of four simple rails and four corner posts that raise the frame a few inches off the ground. The dimensions should be based on the mattress you plan to use with the frame. Custom Asian-style beds can accommodate any standard mattress size.

Materials

• The materials you use for an Asian-style bed are largely a matter of personal preference. Most types of wood are suitable for the job, including conventional furniture materials such as oak, pine and cedar. You can also use plywood and wood veneer for a more modern look and cost-saving construction. Since the frame will need to support a mattress and one or two sleepers, any metal brackets or nails that are part of the frame's structure should be heavy-duty.

Construction

• The basic construction process for an Asian-style bed consists of building a four-sided box frame with vertical planks of wood and then applying a platform or series of wood slats over an inner frame that supports the platform and the mattress. The inner frame is nailed to the outer box frame, which can be assembled with nails, metal brackets or wooden joints. An Asian-style bed's legs serve as corner posts and are typically attached from the inside of the frame box. More complex versions of an Asian-style bed extend portions of the frame box upward to form headboards and footboards.

Decor and Room Design

• An Asian-style bed can be the central design element in many types of bedrooms. It will, of course, complement an Asian-inspired room that makes use of floral prints, Asian artifacts and other simple, low furniture. However, an Asian-style bed will also appear at home in a more contemporary setting. Modern bedrooms that feature arts-and-crafts or midcentury decor are often suitable for Asian-style beds, since both styles share simplicity, geometric forms and the use of natural wood.