When the Amish craftsman first made this bed I was very impressed for several reasons.
First it was a big departure for this builder from his more traditional designs
Second because of how well it’s built.
Third because of how contemporary the design is.
After marveling at the design my first concern was how strong the supports were on the sides. From what I’ve seen a design like this can be kinda weak if it’s not properly designed. So I set about checking and testing this bed out to make sure it was something I could stand behind.
After much looking, pushing, pulling & bouncing it’s more than obvious that the supports on the sides of the bed are plenty strong. I weight about 215 pounds & it didn’t even make a sound as I proceeded to bounce on top of the mattress right above each support, trying to make them give way. That is the sign of a very well thought out design both in style and strength.
I have to say that it didn’t surprise me much knowing this builders attention to detail and penchant for making bedroom furniture that is very heavy and strong.
In the picture the gateway bed is made of solid cherry with a very light stain. The actual bed is a queen size though you can get it in a twin, full or king sizes as well.
It is a platform bed so all you need is the mattress which makes it pretty nice.
The platform itself is about 4″ off the floor so it’s overall height is reasonable. In most cases you wont need steps to get into it like many platform beds I’ve seen.
You can have this bed made in a surprising range of woods including, Oak, Maple, Brown Maple, Hickory, 1/4 sawn white oak and Walnut. Again it’s pictured in Cherry.
Personally I think it would be absolutely gorgeous in a natural walnut.
Getting it without a headboard would make it even more contemporary, though I don’t know if this is an option.
Overall this is a true breakout design for the Amish and it’s nice to see them looking into the more contemporary and adventurous design. Especially in beds.
Author: admin, February 26, 2009
I came across this article in NY times today and thought that is was a really great idea. Allowing children to sit or stand at taller desks with stools (if they want to use them) is brilliant. It gives the kids some control over being comfortable & what works best for them. I know being crammed into that dinky little rock hard desk when i went through school really sucked!
After reading the article it became apparent that the kids liked the idea of being able to sit or stand. The idea came from Dr. James Levine, a prof at the Mayo clinic, and what he calls a activity permissive classroom. The whole thing is basically being looked at as an experiment in some classrooms in Minnesota & Wisconsin. Overall they’re hoping to see an improvement in both health and academic achievement from the use of these desks. The study is being conducted through the Uni of Minnesota.
You can read the rest of the article here