TRANSFORMERS! Bulk-Storage-Bed into a Lounge!

Transformable EXPEDIT Bed to Lounge set | IKEA Hackers

Beds with a lot of bulk storage is a classic Ikea hack. Our bed design is SO easy that anyone can do it. No alteration of the original Ikea furniture, virtually no work, it’s THAT easy! But when we made our bed, we would never have guessed that our hack came with a bonus. We live in a tiny apartment, so when my husband invited 15 people to his birthday, we knew that the bedroom had to be a supplement to the living room. That was when we discovered that it was so easy to convert our bed into a lounge with two sofas. This bed is a must for people who live in a tiny apartment but loooove to invite guests over for a party!

What you need:

2x old Expedit bookcases, 185×44 cm
2x Box mattresses with a wooden frame, 200×90 cm
4x Bestå frames, 60x40x38 cm
16x wheels for furniture, round but no bigger than 4 cm tall
Throws for the bed

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The box mattresses rest on the two Expedit bookcases, placed underneath the head and the feet. When the wheels are put underneath the Bestå frames, they function as huge “bed rollers” that roll in from the sides of the bed. The wheels must be short enough for the Bestå units to be shorter than the Expedit. This construction leaves a huge empty space under the bed that is great for bulk storage, easily accessible by rolling out the Bestå frames. When put together, the measurements of the units fit the size of a double bed absolutely perfectly, even without the slightest alteration! This is by far the easiest way to make a clean looking tall bulk-storage bed.

Transformable EXPEDIT Bed to Lounge set | IKEA Hackers

Transforming the bed into a lounge is super easy too. Just lift off the mattresses, put them up against the walls, and place the Expedit bookcases in front of them. Done! The Expedit bookcases have a fine hight for sitting, and the mattresses make a comfy backrest. Just cover it all with pillows and throws. The Bestå “bed rollers” even make flexible tables. The empty space underneath the bed is also great for keeping extra foldable chairs that give extra seats for the lounge.

Transformable EXPEDIT Bed to Lounge set | IKEA Hackers

This is a great way to convert your bedroom into a place to entertain your guests. While I would not personally recommend this for people who want to convert between bedroom and living room, you may be able to build even further upon the hack and improve on it. Who knows? 🙂

~ Jakob Illum