Repurposing a Crib Mattress into a Kids Daybed

I found this image via a friend on Pinterest. I had never thought about using a crib mattress for anything other than...well, a crib or toddler bed. But when I saw this image, I got all giddy inside....it's a daybed for a reading nook!


(Image via Pinterest )


Eighteen months ago, we added a room over the garage to be a shared bedroom for our older 2 boys. It's a large room with fantastic light. I know you readers think I can revamp furniture really well, but what you don't know is that I absolutely struggle to decorate an entire room and have it look pulled together. It gives me hives just trying!

This is a space in the boys room that, obviously needed love. When I saw the above image, I hauled our extra crib mattress (that we use during transitioning our kids from crib to bed) out of the closet and threw it in that space. It fit perfectly...however, it sat on a heating vent, so I knew it needed to be raised.

Enter my father-in-law...Bill. Fabulous man! Helps me with anything power tool related. I know I could learn these tools, but he says he enjoys doing it so....

Anyway, I had 4 old table legs that I'd gotten at an estate sale awhile back for fifty cents each. They were waiting for a purpose...and now they had one.


My FIL sawed them in half to make them just the right size for a daybed. He got longer screws to go in the top of them so that they would attach safely and make the bed sturdy...since there would be adults and kids sitting on this. He took a really thick piece of plywood and cut it to the dimensions of a crib mattress. I painted it Colonial Red by Rustoleum, and here my friends, is the beginning of a reading nook!




I've got plans for curtains, book holders (another creation that my FIL made...I painted them but need to re-paint...they look B-A-D) and more pillows. Stay tuned!

And I'm completely geeking out over THIS that I picked up today. It need LOTS o' work...right now, I'm going out to the garage to find out why there is a huge piece of plywood WITH contact paper on it, nailed to the original top. What if the top is perfect?!


~Allison

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