Old bed frame
by
Glenna Kennedy
(IC: )
+32
Answered
I have an old bed frame that's made of metal..rounded curves, dark brown color. It is fairly old as my Mom had it in her house and I know it was there for at least 50 years. I saved it after she passed away but can't use it as a bed frame so it is sitting in my garage. Hubby wants to discard it but I'd like to re-purpose it as something useful. I need suggestions???
35 answers
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Mary Insana on Jun 09, 2013Put a picture on here for us to look at and I bet you'll have so many suggestions your head will spin :)Helpful Reply
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Glenna Kennedy on Jun 09, 2013Thanks Mary I should have done that in the first place!Helpful Reply
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Mary Insana on Jun 09, 2013My first though is to take the headboard end (taller one)and put it in a garden. You can dig 2 holes to put the "legs" in. Have it against a low wall and plant colorful flowers in front of it or plant a climbing vine like Morning Glories. If you know someone that can weld, Have them cut the footboard in half eliminating the middle pole. Then have them weld each side to the headboard. Cut a piece of wood to fit side to side, cover with foam and fabric to make a cute bench. Or you can just paint the wood and use the bench to hold houseplants. You could also use a hacksaw and cut the legs off. Hang on big wall as an abstract wall hanging. You can put battery operated pillar candles where you cut the legs off. Also paint it in a color complimentary to where it will be hanging. Another idea. Again, cut the legs off and hang on a wall. You can then hang pictures in between the bars. Paint the frame and then use a contrasting color picture frame. Or paint it black and use black picture frames. That's some of the things I'm seeing but I bet you get better ideas :)Helpful Reply
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Jessica C on Jun 10, 2013I have seen these beds made into garden gates and they look great!Helpful Reply
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Jeanette S on Jun 10, 2013Whatever you do, do not discard or ruin the rails. The rails are usually missing from these old beds and they are a FANTASTIC find for people who have old bed frames they want to restore and use. Contact an antique store or a restorer and offer them for sell or free. I know a lot of people are not into antique stuff, but were I you, I would sell it or give it to someone who wants an old bed. They are stunning painted white. Wish I was near you so I could talk you into selling it to me.Helpful Reply
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Linda W on Jun 10, 2013We have a full size white metal bed that my husband slept in when he was a boy,I'm planning to have it turned into a bench,have to find a welder to do the work for me.I also liked Mary's ideal of hanging on the wall and putting pictures between the bars,something I never would have thought of doing .Helpful Reply
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Lori J on Jun 10, 2013They do make lovely garden benches. I have a fairly ornate old iron bed in my cellar. It has special meaning to us as my now deceased father-in-law was born in that bed, along with his brothers and sisters. It closely resembles one I let go of--and my oldest was born in that bed. I am waiting for my youngest to find his way out of the house and then it is coming up form the cellar. Best advice should you keep it is to have it painted at an auto body shop.Helpful Reply
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Patti Nicholas on Jun 10, 2013I love old beds as garden benches or porch swings and it's not nearly as difficult as it sometimes seems. But if you have the complete bed, I would treat the whole thing to protect from the elements and put it in the garden, then build a raised bed within the bedframe and plant it to look like a "bed". with a flower "bedspread" and different flower pillows. If gardening isn't your thing, try hanging the headboard (or footboard depending on space) on the wall and use it to hang other pictures, and items off of it. or in the bedroom for jewelry, scarfs and hats on 'S' hooks. or the kitchen as a pot rack, ohhhh I just can't stop. hang from the ceiling on a porch and use to hang gauzy fabric and baskets and dry flowers and herbs, oh the possabilities....Helpful Reply
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KathrynElizabeth Etier on Jun 10, 2013Don't throw it out. I have a small collection of metal frames disassembled and leaning against two barns. In the summer, morning glories twine through them and are lovely. A chipoy white one servesHelpful Reply
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KathrynElizabeth Etier on Jun 10, 2013Having technical problems! A chippy white one serves as a bench and garners tons of compliments.Helpful Reply
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Betsy Bodrero on Jun 10, 2013I'd use it as a trellisHelpful Reply
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Mary Insana on Jun 10, 2013Love Morning Glories climbing a fence.Helpful Reply
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Sara on Jun 10, 2013I have a white one that use to be my husband's childhood bed. We are using the large headboard as a divider in the garden to semi hide the less than pretty sites in the garden, i.e. under the steps leading up the deck. We are using the footboard as a trellis for a clematis. It has large purple flowers when it blooms and looks great against the white.Helpful Reply
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Glenna Kennedy on Jun 10, 2013Thanks everyone, some fantastic ideas...I'm loving the bench one, just have to find someone who welds.I do have the side rails as well. There was also an extremely heavy spring that went with it but it was just too heavy to keep so unfortunately it went to the dump where I'm sure someone grabbed it.Helpful Reply
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Angie Dominquez on Jun 10, 2013I also have this old bed frame that belonged to my father. I will not discard it. When I moved into my new home, someone tossed the bed spring which I have been unable to replace. This brings back so many memories :-(Helpful Reply
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Barb Rosen on Jun 10, 2013Glenna ~ How about a flower bed like this one from Pinterest?Helpful Reply
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Glenna Kennedy on Jun 10, 2013Oh Barb I love it, wish I had enough property on my small town lot to do just that but it is too big :( it is beautiful thoughHelpful Reply
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Pajunka on Jun 10, 2013How about a bed of roses? (Has someone said that yet?)Helpful Reply
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LeAnn Shultz on Jun 10, 2013They would make great quilt stands. You could paint them black and hang them from the kitchen ceiling...if ceilings are high enough...add some hooks and hang pots and pans from them. Just some ideas that popped into my mind when I saw the picture. I love the old iron beds.Helpful Reply
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Kay Love-Wood on Jun 11, 2013Use in the garden. A bed of Roses, something for a vine to grown on, or as a gate, or as a back ground element painted to draw someone eyes to it. Inside place on wall and use it to display pics on clips between rails. Lots and Lots of ideas come to mine ;-) Also love LeAnn's idea about quilt stand.Helpful Reply
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Linda B on Jun 11, 2013This is the first time I have seen a bed that looks anything close to the bed I slept in in my pre-teen and teen years. I do not know what happened to mine. I like the ideas about pot racks and quilt/blanket racks.Helpful Reply
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Katrina Clevenger on Jun 11, 2013Garden gates.Helpful Reply
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Frankie Laney on Jun 11, 2013If you have a flower bed or some garden area you could paint it your favorite bright color and just plant it the garden. Referring to the headboard piece.Helpful Reply
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Charlene Kimbrell on Jun 11, 2013It is a lovely antique. Put in a safe storage place and save it for a future generation who will restore it and love it. I am looking for one now and because of people destroying them by placing them outside to rust away they are so expensive I can't manage it on my budget. Your attic or garage attic should work nicely. If you do repurpose it please keep it indoors so someone could restore it later down the road.Helpful Reply
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Nellie diaz on Jun 12, 2013if you use it for out doors be sure to treat it for outside wether but it will get damage ,i would look into having it maded as a bench, or as a quilt stand where you can pass it on to family for furture keepingHelpful Reply
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TJ on Jun 12, 2013I like the bed of roses idea - my husband grows roses.Helpful Reply
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Liz on Jun 12, 2013hanging bed, gate, bench, wall art...Helpful Reply
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Lori J on Jun 13, 2013I have actually seen the foot board incorporated. We have a local shop that sells them.Helpful Reply
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Patty Davidson on Jun 13, 2013I agree with Ms Krimbell, it is a antique and should be cherished for many reasons, the first being it came from you mother. Find a place to store it and save it for future generations.Helpful Reply
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Kris Lee on Jun 13, 2013I say make a bench, or put it in the garden as others have said. If you don't have space for it now, why would you want to keep it for future generations? that is the question isn't it? Paint it a great color. You should be able to find some great ideas on Pinterest or just google repurposing metal bed and see what happens. Post pix when you get it all done, either way great piece.Helpful Reply
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Glenna Kennedy on Jun 13, 2013Thank you everyone for all the great ideas. While I would love to keep this as a bed it just isn't feasible and I showed my hubby (who wanted to toss it) the pictures of the benches. His response was 'I can do that'! So as soon as he gets time to weld it for me and we get it put together I will indeed post pictures of it.Helpful Reply
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Lori J on Jun 14, 2013There is a lovely children's book about a little character named Owen and his love for his blankie. Eventually his mother makes handkerchiefs of the old beloved blanket, giving him a way to keep it close. Or like making a patchwork quilt of beloved clothing. I don't see it as disfiguring a treasure, it is just a way of keeping it close.Helpful Reply
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Glenna Kennedy on Jun 14, 2013Thanks for that Lori, I do have some amazing keepsakes of my Mom that I will always treasure and making this into something more practical for my needs is better than tossing it out. Since she loved gardening and passed that along to me I think she would have loved the idea of making it into a bench. The most important thing to me is my wonderful memories of her and my Dad, not things that they had.Helpful Reply
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Mary Hummingbird on Jun 16, 2013I've seen them made into benches. I think they are really neat.Helpful Reply
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Dee on Oct 14, 2015please post pictures of the bench you come up with!Helpful Reply
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