New Design project...Bed for night tables Opinions Please!

[Mark Singer]

Joe,

Welcome to the conversation....You are correct the nightstands are lighter in feeling . There is a couple of differences though...the bed must support people as well as itself. Also the mass of the legs will be somewhat hidden by the nightstands. The sleigh back visually need the mass of the legs to justify the curved back. The front of the bed is actually very much like the nightstands...it is light...metal legs...floats over the ground with cantilevers. In this room you approach the foot of the bed and view it on the nightstands....one of the most important aspects of a design is where the object is viewed from and how it is seen ...upward, downward, oblique angle. So as the bed will be viewedin the room there appear to be strong visual connections. The heavyness of the legs is related to the back which is for comfort and will give the design a timeless character since it is taken from traditional sources. Your point is well taken...I may just lighten the leg profile.
A little side bar: during the construction of the bath cabinet...I kept a ladder nearby at all times. The reason was to view the cabinet and door alignment as it will be view in the room. I was constantly on the ladder to make sure the curves and proportions were very good from the angle they would be viewed in the room. As an architect if you approach a home from a higher street...the design of the roof may be more important than the wall elevations that are typically shown and labored over in the drawings,

[Ted Shrader]

Mark -

".SKP" is the file extension for SketchUp files.
(Don't know if this was answered deeper in the thread or not. . . . )

Regards,
Ted

[Mark Singer]

This forum on design is really working...I came in to this thread thinking I pretty much knew what I wanted to do , but wanted opinions...and the design is really different...I listened to Joe and was influenced by rays sketches...let me know what you think...it may not be there yet...Definitley is more in the spirit of the nightstands....and thanks too all

[Kevin Arceneaux]

Wow, the bed looks like it will match right up to the nightstands. I cannot wait till it is built and see how far you have pushed the envelope.

I think this is one of the few times, in anything I have been involved with, that something was done by a group that didn't have the usual sniping going on. Congrats on that folks.

[Mark Singer]

Kevin....it is unbelievable the response and number of posts and how everybodys input was valuable! I don't think the Design Forum has been used this effectivley before...You are all helping a great deal....you see design is a subject that can be discussed and has an important place in this forum! I am excited about all the future projects...a lot of wonderful talented people here!

Wow, the bed looks like it will match right up to the nightstands. I cannot wait till it is built and see how far you have pushed the envelope.

I think this is one of the few times, in anything I have been involved with, that something was done by a group that didn't have the usual sniping going on. Congrats on that folks.

[Dave Richards]

Mark, I like your new design. I'm curious about what's going on between the top and bottom parts of the rail.

It looks to me as if you've got tubular legs now. These seem more in line with the nightstands but I think they need to be larger in diameter. Not too much or they'll look kind of squat. I'm also wondering about the stability on those legs.

I have an idea of a way to improve the stability and still leave the skinny legs but I hate to bring it up. I'm afraid it would spoil the light look of the piece.

[Jim Becker]

Hmmm...I like the direction you're going, Mark. It still has the hint of the traditional sleigh bed but has now moved much closer to "family" with the tables. Very kewel...

[Joe Mioux]

Mark:

I really like your drawing. I see continuity between the legs of the night stand and the bed. Additionally, you have a very good - strong and solid - foundation for the bed.

this is fun!
Joe

[Dave Richards]

With Mark's permission I'm posting the drawing I worked out from his dimensions. I think he'd still like input on it.

Here is a side view:


Mark, I have lowered the top edge of the headboard by 2" from the drawing I sent you earlier. It now extends 13" above the top of the mattress.

I don't think it was ever mentioned but this is for a queen-sized mattress. Perhaps that will help with the scale of the bed. The legs are 1" dia stainless as are the supports for the headboard.

[Joe Mioux]

Dave:

I think you have refined Mark's drawing. You made the bed lighter in appearance. The night stand is light and your bed is also light. Your drawing of the bed compliments the night stand, while not copying its structure. When I use the word compliment, I mean that the weight (in appearance) of the bed is in scale with the weight of the night stand.

.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Joe, this is really coming together. 'Wish we could bottle this!!

[Mark Singer]

Great job Dave, I hope I can find a thinner mattress that is comfortable...that is the one thing that seems heavy and awkward. I measured ours and it is very thick(Chathum and Wells) and that uis where I got the dimension. Your comments have been real helpful and this thread has been very productive. I have gained a lot of insight and as you can see the design evolved in a positive way. It has been a real team effort and I feel my part has just been to listen to all the voices that emerged in response to my initial design sketch. Dave's drawings have been very helpful as well as the commentary from all the members. I think a bit of tweaking is in order, but that can happen during the construction phase.

I did make it to Austin Hardwoods today and purchased some very nice curly maple! I had to buy 4/4 to get more figure and a much better price. I did buy 1 nice piece of 8/4 for the back. So I will need to laminate the bed rails from 4/4...the backer piece is plain hard maple. (Doesn't show) I don't know how much will get done tomorrow, I have a wedding to attend and a very messy shop full of very dull tools. The hard maple will probably seem soft after the Shedua! I am planning to document the construction as with the bath cabinet....It should be pretty informative since it is multi media using the stainless. There is also the opportunity for unusual joinery...I am not quite sure where that will go. The beauty of these projects is that the SMC community can see them start as an idea, evolve to a final design and then all the details, connections choice of tools and order of tasks can be observed as construction begins.
I think this should help and encouage many of you to think about planning your own projects....and if you have questions...there is quite the team here to lend assistance...Thanks again!

[Joe Mioux]

Mark:

Great job Dave, I hope I can find a thinner mattress that is comfortable...that is the one thing that seems heavy and awkward. I measured ours and it is very thick(Chathum and Wells) and that uis where I got the dimension.

From Dave's drawing, I see that the mattress is recessed slightly. Can the mattress be lowered deeper into the bed frame without weakening the bed frame? Lowering the mattress would hide some of its mass.

Also, in Dave's drawing he colored the mattress blue. I realize that the blue color was for reference with regards to the drawing, but it also makes the mattress look heavier in the drawing. Lighter colored linens will also lighten the mass of the bed mattress.

[Dave Richards]

Mark, thank you.

Joe, blue might not have been the best color for the mattress. How about a light green?


As to setting the mattress deeper, there's not much room. I drew the mattress to Mark's dimensions with 8" of mattress exposed. I don' know if the mattress as drawn is right. As far as dropping it into the frame farther, there's not much left.

I drew a 1x1 rail on the inside on which 1x2 slats sit to support the mattress. So the bottom of the mattress is 2" from the bottom edge of the side rails.

[Joe Mioux]

Dave: Now the bed looks like a big Chicklet. How about Celedon green. Mint green reminds of '70's style rainbow wedding dresses, lol