Let’s play house! A bunk bed converted to playhouse

This is a hack of the IKEA KURA into a playhouse bunk bed. It offers a neat space beneath the bed for play, with the ladder converted for additional storage shelves.

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY

IKEA items used:

  • IKEA Kura bunk bed

Other materials used:

  • Wooden beams
  • Wooden slats
  • MDF
  • Screws
  • Paint – white high gloss and pink
  • Decorative frame moulding
  • Decorative bracket
  • Hinges x 2
  • Door knob
  • Flower basket

Steps:

1. Build the IKEA KURA Bed.

IKEA KURA reversible bed
Photo: IKEA.com

2. Mirror the ladder on the other side of the bed.

3. Put bookshelves on the ladder steps

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY

4. Create doorpost. I secured a door post with long screws diagonally into the KURA bed frame. You only need to install one door post, as the other one is a beam from the KURA bed.

5. Install the door. I made the door from regular MDF. Add two hinges to the door and fix it onto the door post.

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY
6. Create the front of the playhouse including the window frame.

First I made a skeleton frame out of wooden beams (see frame drawing) then I attached wooden slats onto the frame to make the front wall panel. In the middle, I left a gap for the decorative moulding for the window, which I secured onto the frame.

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY

7. Once you complete making the front of the playhouse, you can install it onto the KURA bed. I just secured the frame with the front wall panel onto the KURA bed using screws.

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY

IKEA KURA Playhouse bunk bed DIY

8. Paint. I used RAL 9016 white high gloss for all the main areas of the bed. Pink for the door and window parts.

9. Decorate. On the inside, I stuck on wallpaper for the inside of the front wall. Above the window I added a railing for curtains. I added a flower basket below the window sill. On the side, a victorian style bracket to hang up a pot of flowers.  And that’s it!

~ by Anton Wierenga