I’m still working on the bedroom and foyer and doing my best to cross all of these small (and mostly boring) projects off my list before I can call these areas complete. The only major project that still needs to be completed is sewing the curtains. Yesterday I finished another piece (except for the hem), so I still have one more piece left. Then I have to hem all four. The other lamp is also almost finished. So things are progressing well, but at this point they are not fun and exciting blog-worthy projects.
The project I’m most proud of in this bedroom is of course the upholstered bed. The new one hasn’t worn out yet and I can’t tell you how many times I walk into the bedroom just to look at this bed. It’s also visible from the music room when the bedroom doors are open (which is almost always), so I stop on the way through the music room just to admire the bed.
I was curious how much my DIY upholstered bed cost me, so I took a few minutes to add up the cost. Note that it cost ME so much as a DIYer and often have leftover materials on hand from previous projects. So it wouldn’t cost that much if you’re just starting out and don’t have any more materials on hand. But when you DIY almost everything, you always have a stockpile of leftover materials that you’ve already factored into the cost of a previous project. So if you can use these leftovers, it’s almost like it’s free! This is how the costs for my upholstered bed are distributed:
- 5 yards of extra wide fabric – $345
- Plywood for headboard – $45
- Additional wood for the headboard frame – $0 (in stock)
- 2″ foam – $70
- Spray Adhesive – $13
- 3 Packs of High Loft Padding – $54
- Cord – $0 (available)
- Staples – $0 (in stock)
- Cardboard strips – $0 (available)
- Plywood for base – $0 (on hand – remnants of closet cabinets)
- Screws for base – $0 (available – remnants of closet cabinets)
- Additional wood for base frame and slatted frames – $88 (some is from bedroom paneling)
- Furniture Feet for Base – $31
- TOTAL COST – $646
More than half of these costs were for the fabric. I could have used fabric I had on hand to cut the cost in half. (I have 13 yards of cream Crypton upholstery fabric that I’ve saved for years.) But a solid cream bed wouldn’t have had the same impact as the fabric I purchased. That’s why I was willing to pay more for a completely custom look.
I found several other places that offer upholstered beds where you can choose from a range of fabrics, but the prices were all pretty comparable to these. So I saved at least $1,000 by building it myself. Additionally, I’m pretty sure I’ll have a completely custom, one-of-a-kind bed since my fabric choices weren’t limited. And I also have the satisfaction of knowing that I made this with my own hands. There’s really nothing like it.
