My room is the complete embodiment of everything that makes my heart sing.
I was lucky enough (and by “lucky,” I mean, fortunate enough to be the loving recipient of some divine intervention. S/O to God!) to snag a completely updated, two bedroom condo in a mega quiet neighborhood in Hilliard, right off the river, with my high school bestie, Elizabeth. She and I have inhabited the space since the end of June—but have yet to truly finish “moving in,” unfortunately. Our kitchen and living space are pretty sparse…
But the one place I have unleashed my creative magic on has been my boudoir.
I had the brilliant idea, a little over a year ago, to craft a bed made out of pallets instead of purchasing a tradition bed frame. It came after the realization that my ex had held onto every piece of furniture I had ever purchased in my adult life and that I didn’t own an actual bed. Further—I didn’t want to drop $300 on a new one. I posted this idea on Facebook, and one of my friends who works in construction immediately stepped up to the plate. He picked out the nicest looking pallets he could find at work and laid them out into a bed-shape. He snapped a photo and sent it to me, and a couple of weeks later, was unloading the neglected pieces of wood into my, then, basement bedroom. I love my pallet-bed, dearly, because it’s so unique and speaks to my very eclectic taste…
But also because it has a story behind it and represents a specific time in my life. If you’re thinking of crafting your own pallet-bed… please consider the following:
It takes getting used to. I pride myself on being one of those people who can sleep anywhere. A loveseat. A futon. Fetal-position-with-a-blanket-on-the-floor. I’m not hard to accommodate. But, the pallet-bed took an adjustment period. It creaks and squeaks and I do take the time to “rotate” the pallets to make sure they’re all wearing, evenly. Also, mine is low to the ground and makes it weird to climb out of. Once you get used to it, it’s muscle-memory and no problem. It’s not a traditional bed, so don’t expect it to be. Mkay?
You will stub your toe. I am still, to this day, stubbing my toe on this damn thing. My pallet-bed is almost platform-y? So it extends out past my mattress and takes up quite a bit of space. Oh, and it’s 100% wood… so… when the lights are off and I’m drunk-crawling into bed… my toes, often, have to pay the price. Ouch.
Splinters. You can avoid these by sanding your PB down (and maybe even staining/painting it?) but the pallets my friend provided were very new and clean and nice and I didn’t think sanding was necessary. 14,000 splinters later, I’m re-thinking that. Not to say that I just roll out of bed in the morning with a million splinters in my body. But when I’m barefoot and walking all over the pallets to change my sheets or to reach something tall… a rando-piece-of-wood likes to find its way into my skin. Sand, sand, sand!!!
Not everyone will love it like you do. I was pretty geeked about my bed once it all came together. I was Instagramming the shit out of it and I got a lot of positive feedback from friends. But, occasionally, I would run into someone who would mention that they saw I was sleeping on pile of wooden slats or “popsicle sticks.” Your pallet-bed is a very inexpensive option and has a rustic look that your haters will be very quick to spin into you being broke af. I counter this with dressing my bed up with décor pieces and comfy/colorful linens. Make your pallet-bed look like it was custom made for your space and your haters will have no choice but to shush!
So that’s it, friends. I keep my room bright and colorful cause it makes me happy. Simple as that. I have photos of the people I love everywhere you turn so that I remember to give thanks for them and to give them the attention and love they deserve. (And because their smiles are the best décor!!) There are a lot of random pieces that have kind of come together on their own, in my room, that all tell the story of Kelsea. From Target finds I picked up on a late-night run with Brittnee, to thrift-store pieces my Mom and I would collect on our weekly shopping trips, to a hand-made, clay vase that was a Christmas gift from my best friend’s Mom. But the largest thing that screams ME is my functional, comfy, rough-around-the-edges, unconventional, attention-getting Pallet Bed.
-K
kelseagunner 