For this project, I wanted to make a simple dollhouse bed mostly from cardboard and leftover materials I already had at home. The basic structure itself is actually very easy to make, and most of the charm comes later from adding bedding, pillows, and small decorative details.
The bed shown here is roughly 1:12 scale. Part 2 for the bedding will come soon!
Part 2 of the bed is ready; would you like to step straight to the bed linen? Click here!
Materials I Used
I used pretty straightforward materials and tools; this is all there is to it:
- Thick cardboard
- Craft knife
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Cutting mat
- Strong craft glue
- Masking tape
- Wallpaper sample
- White cardstock
- Fabric scraps for the bedding
- Lace trim for decoration
Bed Measurements
These are the measurements I used for the bed structure:
- Base: 13 × 17.5 cm
- Back/headboard piece: 13 × 17 cm
- Front footboard piece: 6 × 13 cm
You can easily resize these measurements if you want to make a larger or smaller dollhouse bed.
If you are not sure how to resize something, feel free to check out my FREE scale converter!
Part 1: Step-by-step tutorial of the bed frame
Step 1: Make the basic bed base
Start with a piece of sturdy cardboard for the main bed base. For this bed, the base measures 13 cm x 17.5 cm.
To make the base look cleaner and more finished, place the cardboard on a piece of white cardstock or thick paper. Add glue around the cardboard, then fold the paper around the back, almost like wrapping a little present.
Press the paper down well on the back so it sticks flat. The front does not need to look perfect yet, because this part will be covered later. The most important thing is that the cardboard base becomes stronger, neater, and has clean white edges.
Fold the next white paper neatly around the back and glue it down.
Step 2: Shape the headboard pieces
Now it is time to create the curved shape for the headboard.
Take your two cardboard pieces measuring 13 × 17 cm. These will become the front and back layers of the headboard.