Elevated Malm

Jules Yap·
Bedroom
··19 Comments
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Materials: Malm Bed Frame, LACK bookshelf

Description: My wife and I just moved to a small apartment, and the Malm bed frame doesn’t have much (read: 4 inches) of storage underneath it. By setting the bed frame atop two LACK bookshelves laid on their sides, we gained a ton of storage AND as an added bonus, this raised the low Malm bed up a bit.

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~ Ben, Chicago, IL

Note: I would recommend checking the load bearing capacity of the Lack shelf before placing such a heavy item on it. And is the bed frame fastened to the shelf? Would it be stable should there be … er … “movement” in bed? ~ Jules 

Jules Yap
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19 Responses

  1. I was the original poster of this over 9 years ago, and we are still rocking this design. The bed rests on the shelves that have been more than adequately strong over the last 9 years. Two kiddos later and the bed hasn’t fallen, broken, or slipped off yet. The shelf is more than strong enough as all of the weight is directed downwards onto the shelves.

    Reply

  2. For the 2 two LACK bookshelves, where these the IKEA Kallax Shelving Units?
    http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90275844/#/90275844

    For the width of your bookshelves, do they align well with the width of the Malam headboard and footboard (do they overhang beyond the end of base of the bed)? It appears so align in one of your photos, but I can’t see the opposite side to tell for sure.

    Thanks for any help – John

    Reply

  4. My son has this bed and has a tenancy to just flop on it (he’s 17) and he totally ripped the screws from the headboard… luckily it has two sets of screw holes, one lower and one higher, so i was able to just raise it but the bed isn’t invincible…. I can see the desire to have a support underneath.
    Jennifer

    Reply

  5. I love this Idea and keep coming back. I suffer from arthritis in my knees which I did not have when I got my MALM bed and find it hard to get up from the low bed. I am not adverse to the Lack Shelves but am looking for something with a smaller food print like stacked 2X4 at each corner and attached with L brackets to the foot/head boards. thanks for the idea will be using it soon.

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  7. My question involves the L brackets. If the footboard and headboard are essentially hollow, how would you secure the L bracket to the bed frame without risk of the screws just ripping out?

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  8. Do you think that each vertical block of wood could support 100 lbs.? Their are 5 at each end. This means that the shelve units would support the weight of the bed and its occupants totaling 1000 lbs. I think that is plenty strong enough.

    The bed by itself (I have one) sits on the ends i.e. the headboard and the footer. THere is no need for any support in the middle with or without raising it.

    Reply

  10. i haven’t seen the lack bookshelf in french stores.
    But if it is as fragile as the lack table is, i don’t think it is a very good idea to put the weight of the bed plus the weight of the sleepers upon it… except if they are hobbits!
    And yes, i don’t even think i could have some fun with my wife on a such fragile hack 🙂

    Reply

  11. You’d probably just need to run a 2*2 along the inside of the shelves, across the bed so they wouldn’t be seen too much from the outside to sure up the shelf. The only way it would collapse is side to side and not long ways. As for the “sliding off the shelves” do to motion in the bed, you could stop at the hardware store and put couple L-brackets from the back(top) of the shelf to the inside of the bed frame. That should solve anyone’s concerns for stability. I like this idea.

    Reply

  13. The Malm bed is entirely supported by the headboard and footboard when it’s resting on the floor. Raising it up shouldn’t make it any more likely to buckle. Provided the LACK shelves don’t topple, why would it need any additional support in the middle?

    Reply

  14. I would put some anti-skid shelf-liner (kitchen drawer liner) between the bed and the “risers”

    if possible, try putting something underneath the midpoint of the bed too

    Reply

  17. How about using Expedit, the 4 x 1 form? That would come naturally to that shape, and if using on both/all sides, it would be built-in more sturdy, and raise it about 15″.

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  18. Ha! Will there be any “movement in the bed” that’s hilarious! I think it’s a practical way to raise the bed, perhaps you can raise it with something more sturdy? I know there are bed risers in some home improvement stores….I would be worried about the weight, I am sure other readers are thinking the same.

    Reply

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