you could make some side rails, they lay slats across them, or get some Metal L Brackets.

These are all wonderful ideas, thank you!! Mitchdesj, thanks so much for your ideas. Although I do own a sewing machine and have done a couple of projects in the past (made DH's wedding vest, and made a bunch of curtains), life isn't going to allow me the relative luxury of a sewing project right now. So I will have to go with more immediate solutions. We are sleeping in our guest room on a futon right now, so finding a "right now" solution that we can have in place when we load all the furniture back in is a must!! Les, the colors you suggested are definite contenders. I might like that sage a whole lot ... can't wait to get home and check the quilt to see how that might work! You know, it had never, ever occurred to me to find a way to reuse our current bedskirt as a boxspring cover. Honestly, I have no idea if the color would work, so that gives me something else I can go home and check. Johnatemp, your bedroom is beautiful -- thank you for sharing your idea and your picture. Cameron, thank you for the link. It's great to have this kind of head start on my "research". I do love knowing there are companies out there who make exactly what I need. :-) Again, everyone, thanks for coming through with the great advice and ideas. There's a reason I come here with these kinds of questions! Alice

I'm still undecided. I still love the platform bed and the nightstands that go with it. Ofcourse, when I took the pics of the furniture, I didn't notice that the sleigh bed pieces looked like our old set. (Just the fluted edges remind me of our old set.) I really liked it in the store. It was after I looked at the pics that I noticed it.(The wood is totally different) Guess I'm just going to have to drive down and look at both again. I'll just have to make up my mind and order.

Manufacturers usually will allow about 2 inches around the mattress for this. All consumer mattress have standard dimensions, so check the inside dimensions of the rails to see if they allow for this.