Welcome back to another DIY blog series where I will be sharing the step-by-step process of how easy it was to make this stunning scalloped bed!

Earlier this year, our toddler officially decided to jump ship from his crib, prompting me to start on a search for the perfect bed. And let me tell you, I was I humbled quickly. Sure, while there were cheaper options available, I’m just simply not a fan of having to replace furniture often, especially fast made furniture.

I turned to Pinterest where I fell in LOVE with the look of a scalloped bed. They are timeless and fun, and I could see my son evolving around it for years to come. One big problem…the price tags attached to these beds were exorbitant, ranging from $1,200 to $3,500.

So, when something you really want is out of budget, put on your thinking cap and get creative. After all, how difficult could it be to create our own version of the scalloped bed (she says optimistically)?

As it turns out, not difficult at all. And the most exciting part? This entire project only cost us $250.

Okay, let’s dive right in. I’ve compiled a list on my LTK of everything you’re going to need to complete this project.

*NOTE* that the measurements provided are for a double/full-sized bed. If you are constructing a bed of a different size (such as twin, queen, or king), make sure to adjust your measurements accordingly.

TO ACCESS MY FREE SHOPPABLE GUIDE

CHECKLIST

Three 2x8x8 for the side rails & footboard

Two 4x8 sheets of plywood
Two 2x2x8 to support the slats
A bundle of 1x3’s as the slats
Furniture brackets
Screws (1 1/2 inch construction and 4 inch construction screws)
Circular saw (OR you can have home depot make cuts for you if you don’t have one)
Jigsaw to make the scallops
Upholstery staple gun
Edge banging
Hair dryer
Exacto knife
Quilt batting or foam (we used batting as it was more cost efficient, but for a fuller look, use foam)
Fabric you’ve selected

STEP ONE

Determine the desired size of the bed you wish to create and make any adjustments to the provided measurements.

STEP TWO

Head on over to your local Home Depot and gather the required lumber. I highly recommend having the lumber department cut your plywood (which will serve as your headboard) to size. The reason you need two sheets of plywood is to “beef” up the headboard and give it some dimension. In our case, the plywood was cut to 48" in height and 57" in width, side rails were cut to 75" and footboard was cut to 57”. The support slats should match the size of your mattress, which in this instance is 53".

To determine these measurements, we took into account that a double size mattress measures 53" x 75". We added an additional 2 inches to each side to accommodate the side supports, hence the width of 57". Repeat this process to determine the measurements for mattresses of other sizes.

STEP THREE

Grab the remaining necessary supplies as listed in the provided checklist.

STEP FOUR

Buy your fabric! I recommend choosing fabric in person rather than online, as the fabric you select will greatly influence the overall aesthetic of the project. I purchased mine at Fabricland. Ensure that the chosen fabric has a minimum of 2" overhang to facilitate the upholstery process.

STEP FIVE

Now it's time for assembly! We began by constructing the base, but later realized that we needed to disassemble everything when it came time to upholster (sigh), so don’t do that yet.

Assembly order:

1. Attach the support rails to the side boards.

2. Take a piece of cardboard and use it as a stencil to mark the desired shape of your scallops. Repeat this process twice on each piece of plywood.

Video Block