I was asked to come up with a bed frame design that features an angled headboard to accommodate reading in bed in a comfortable position. While this is not a unique concept, I also wanted to create a sturdy bed that would last for years to come.

In traditional timber framing, joints are cut from the wood to make the intersecting joints stronger, as opposed to only relying on metal hardware. I took inspiration from the large wood beams in the mills around Providence, with their large timber beams that have endured centuries.

There are many times when I admire the engineering resources of a larger company, and choose to outsource parts. The bent-laminated bed base with silicone springs and a low profile latex mattress were purchased from Ikea and fitted to our bed frame design. The total combined height of the flexible base and mattress is only 8", leaving lots of room for under bed storage.

I combined two traditional timber frame joints, the Bridle joint and the Birdsmouth joint to create a sturdy central intersection of the bedpost. The side rails intersects the bedpost with twin half-lap joints. The rails are also mortised into the front legs to create another physical connection. All of the joints are finished with a large-headed bolt and steel cross dowel which draws the parts together firmly. Even the metal center rail is mortised in, to avoid shear load on the fasteners.

It could be said that this bed is overbuilt, with its use of dense Ash wood and steel tubing. However, this bed is built to last a lifetime and can be dis-assembled and re-assembled over and over again with off the shelf hardware and the use of machine screws and inserts.

The Timber Framed Bed is shown in a Queen size, and is finished with a white wiping stain and non yellowing  water based spar-polyurathane.