I forgot to add ONE HUGE DETAIL!!! The mattress height from the top of the mattress to the floor is 29" with a steel frame that is 8" from the floor. Boxspring is 9", mattress is 12." So the bottom of the bottom of the mattress sits 8" from the floor. Most complete beds with a head and footboard are 10+" from the bottom of the boxspring. I would be adding at least two additionalinches to the bed height! That is my DILEMMA! This is what happens when I peruse the forum prior to having my morning coffee!!! Sorry I inadvertently left out this big detail. That is the reason I do not think I can use a foot-board. I don't want a step stool (or ladder -haha) to get into the bed! I know the style of bed I want, but the challenges lies in trying to find that bed with a frame that is less than 10" from the floor.

You might ask your carpenter what it would take to make them less expensively. You've got a lot of functionality (mobile, full extension, lovely looking, etc.). That will have its price. If you have a carpenter, is there a reason he's not making them? What would he charge? And you might consider a place like CabParts.com--they're wholesale only and sell to businesses, but your carpenter might qualify. Or there's a company that sells ready-to-assemble (RTA) kitchen cabinets (Scherr's) that's very popular over on the Kitchens forum--ask around there. They were pretty cheap. And definitely check out a local cabinet maker! In some areas, those guys don't have as much work as they once did, and they may be able to come through for less. Here is a link that might be useful: review of Scherr's and CabParts.com

I've linked below my favourite bedroom set from a pine & oak shop near us - we purchased new livingroom furniture from them this past spring and plan on buying the bedroom set from them in a year or two (need to save some money first!). I just love this set because of the high headboard and low footboard - it's a queen shown in the pic but easily imagined with a king which is what we have and our bed is screaming for some height as it too looks really wide in our room. tess Here is a link that might be useful: bedroom set

Our bed is of substantial construction with tall wood side rails that attached to both the headboard and footboard. Even so, I had to strengthen the rail to board connection with steel "L" brackets. That completely solved the problem and now there is no movement or vertical wobble. I do think I would shy away from a metal frame though.