Trying to squeeze more storage into a small space can feel like forcing a square peg through a round hole. But with savvy IKEA hacks, like this loft bed from Amber van der Veen @ambervd.veen, stylish storage is more attainable than ever.
Amber created a custom loft bed chock full of accessible storage for their new studio. Now, there’s a place to sleep and enough room to hide away a bunch of stuff, all without taking up any extra floor space.
This loft bed would also be an excellent fix for a child’s room, a teen’s small bedroom, or a college dorm. If you’re eager to give it a try, here’s what you need to do!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 5 IKEA KALLAX 4-cubby shelves (30 ⅛” x 30 ⅛”)
- 7 IKEA KALLAX 2-cubby shelves (30 ⅛” x 16 ⅛”)
- 9 IKEA KALLAX inserts with doors
- 3 IKEA KALLAX inserts with 2 drawers
- Timber for framing
- MDF panels for the middle trolley
- L-brackets/braces
- Acoustic wall panels
- Clothes rod
- Casters
- Slats for the bed base
- 2 Handles
- 15 Knobs
- Ladder and rail
- Full-size mattress
- Basics — Screw gun, drill, saw, tape measure, pencil
Building the Ultimate Storage Loft Bed
1. Assemble and Position the KALLAX Shelves
Put together all of the shelving according to IKEA’s instructions. This will take some time, since there are 12 different shelving units. (Unless you luck out and score a few used ones or find some in IKEA’s as-is section — money saver!)
Position the five larger cubby units to create the bottom structure of your bed. Face the back unit and two side units in and the two front units out. Add a two-cube unit on top of each larger shelf and secure them together.
2. Build the Bed Base
Use timber to create the frame for the bed base. Make sure it fits securely atop the KALLAX shelves and fix it into place with screws.
Add the slats to the frame to hold the mattress. Several commenters worried about the shelves supporting the weight of sleeping adults. But Amber said they’ve had no issues so far, and it’s been about 3 months already.
3. Construct the Pull-Out Closet
This step adds the wow-factor (or an additional wow factor) to this hack — a pull-out closet that hides extra storage. Plus, when you pull it out, you can then access all of the hidden shelves under the bed.
To build the pull-out, connect the two remaining double-cube KALLAX units and install them onto MDF panels cut to size for the front and bottom of the trolley. Add another MDF panel perpendicular to the opposite end to create the trolley’s back wall (use L-brackets for stability).
Install a clothes rod from the front MDF panel to the back one. Add casters to the bottom: Amber mentioned using three wheels, but you might want to use four, depending on how it rolls. Acoustic panels on the front add the finishing, decorative touch.
4. Add the Inserts, Ladder, and Finishing Touches
Assemble and install the KALLAX drawer inserts, door inserts, and knobs. Add the two handles to the acoustic panels to make pulling out the closet easier. Then, attach the ladder — Amber got hers from houtenladders.nl and painted it.
How Much Did This Hack Cost?
Total cost of this hack: Approximately $1,050
(IKEA pieces — $665; Other materials — $385)
If you find some used KALLAX shelves, it could save you a pretty penny. But $1,000 is still pretty good considering how much storage this bed has.
What Would You Hide Under Your Bed?
Amber opted to fit as much storage as she could under her loft bed, but a few commenters really wanted there to be a surprise, secret chill-out space hidden underneath (and, hey, maybe there is).
Really, all you need to do is add some rope LEDs and comfy cushions, and you could always hang out under there after you roll out the trolley. But that’s always something you could incorporate into your own version.
That’s the beauty of DIYs: you get to tweak them to fit your life and unique needs and quirks.
What would you do differently if you made this hack? Share it with us, or send us a hack you’ve already made so you can be the next inspiring project we feature on the site.