DIY Project: Vintage Suitcase Dog Bed
Save Your Own Furniture With a Comfy Dog Bed You Can Make This Weekend
Back in 2008, I bought a Mid-Century modern starter home and filled it with custom-designed furniture before adopting my ultra-shedding, ultra-white rescue terrier, Gidget. While I totally adore HER, the snowy mess her coat leaves on my dark brown velvet upholstery, notsomuch.
In an attempt to get her off my Danish Modern sofa, I sketched dozens of elegant canine couches certain to impress my friends and industry peers before realizing she is a dog that pees outside and eats rocks. Spending $1K on furniture for my four-footed friend was ludicrous. So I thought long and hard about ways to create something custom that would be fun and comfy without breaking the bank. The result? A repurposed dog bed made from a vintage suitcase. And here's how you do it:
In an attempt to get her off my Danish Modern sofa, I sketched dozens of elegant canine couches certain to impress my friends and industry peers before realizing she is a dog that pees outside and eats rocks. Spending $1K on furniture for my four-footed friend was ludicrous. So I thought long and hard about ways to create something custom that would be fun and comfy without breaking the bank. The result? A repurposed dog bed made from a vintage suitcase. And here's how you do it:
This is Gidget. She bites the neck fur of my other dog, Sebastian, steals his treats, then hides them in corners. Clearly, she was in need of something to call her own. Yes, those are designer dog boots. Yes, I'm embarrassed to admit I purchased them myself. Enough about me, let's talk about the project.
Not just any suitcase will do; it's important to find one with a hard exterior shell made of plastic, wood or metal. Soft fabric suitcases won't structurally support (a) furniture legs or (b) animals with body parts that move.
In addition to vintage luggage, you'll also need a screwdriver, 2 pieces of pre-cut 1x4 pine lumber, T-nuts for wood, threaded furniture legs, a drill and a cushion.
Step 1: Remove all screws from the suitcase support brackets using the screwdriver.
Step 2: Once all screws are removed, separate the top from the bottom. At this point, you can discard the top since it's no longer necessary.
Step 3: Measure the length of your suitcase's interior, jotting down measurements. Referring to these dimensions, have two pieces of 1x4 pine lumber cut to size at your local home improvement store. Use drill and a drill bit to add holes to lumber, ensuring each hole is inset 1-inch from edge. Insert T-nuts, head-side-up, flush with the lumber's surface.
Step 4: Place each piece of lumber inside the suitcase, ensuring T-nuts are positioned 3-inches in from the edge of the suitcase. Hold lumber firmly in place, slightly tilt the suitcase bottom up, then make a mark with the tip of drill bit 3-inches in from the edge on the suitcase shell exterior. This will ensure that each T-nut lines up with each hole in the suitcase bottom.
Step 5: Referring to marks made with drill bit, create four holes through the suitcase bottom, one near each corner, using drill. The hole in the suitcase bottom should line up perfectly with the hole of the T-nut.
Here's where threaded furniture legs come in to play. And just what exactly are the threads for? Well, thanks for asking. Threads screw up into the T-nuts to hold the legs tight and secure.
Step 6: Now it's time to attach the legs. With one hand inside the suitcase, line up the T-nuts with the holes in the suitcase bottom. Use your other hand to attach each furniture leg to each thread, turning to the right until snug with suitcase bottom.
Blech! So ugly, right? Don't worry about the unsightly, yet important, structural materials. They get covered up with the final step..DECORATING!
Cushions are the most impactful way to personalize your bed. If your dog doesn't shed, the options are pretty much limitless. For those of you with shed-happy best friends, consider busy, graphic patterns or woven, textured solids. They all work well in hiding fur. I chose a traditional toile to (a) pick up on the red exterior shell of the suitcase and (b) hide Gidget's wiry white fur.
Step 7: The final step: Place the cushion inside the suitcase. As far as size is concerned, it's best to stick with a cushion slightly larger than the suitcase. This ensures a more snug fit. Now place your dog on his or her new pet bed, and tell him or her the big sofa is FOR HUMANS ONLY.
Oh, one last thing, if you're DIY-challenged, Etsy.com has some repurposed suitcase dog beds that require just one skill: typing in a credit card number.
More: Make a Two-Way Chalkboard Tabletop
Pictures of pups and dog-friendly homes
Join us on Facebook: Like the Houzz Pets Facebook page!
Oh, one last thing, if you're DIY-challenged, Etsy.com has some repurposed suitcase dog beds that require just one skill: typing in a credit card number.
More: Make a Two-Way Chalkboard Tabletop
Pictures of pups and dog-friendly homes
Join us on Facebook: Like the Houzz Pets Facebook page!