We finally gave Ed a little haircut. After a year and a half of living with those tall, dramatic bedposts and trying to make them work with our ceiling height and layout, we realized the scale just wasn’t right for this room. So we decided that trimming the posts wasn’t cruel — it made the bed fit the space much better. Here’s Ed before…
… during…
… and after…
This whole project cost nothing, took about an hour, and we love the more open feeling. The tall vertical posts felt overwhelming, especially with the bed right next to the window and floor-length curtains. Ed is now begging for a large fabric headboard so we can raise the mirror above the bed a foot or two, and someday we’d like to stain the floors (and maybe the dresser) a darker tone.
We’re slowly getting there. I played around with some photoshopped headboard ideas—because once I start, I can’t stop—and had fun imagining different looks:
Back to reality: we like using what we already have, and Ed has plenty of good qualities — the right height, comfort, and those slender, airy legs that let us be a little weird under the bed.
Instead of getting rid of Ed and buying a new bed, we came up with a reversible plan to trim his posts. The posts are solid wood; they don’t simply unscrew, but they can be reattached later by running a long metal screw into the center of each post to secure them back to the frame. We don’t expect to reattach them, but it’s nice to know it’s possible if we ever move to a home with taller ceilings.
Here’s how the tweak went (complete with my awkward commentary):
If you can’t watch the video, we also took photos. We used a Dremel Multimax with a wood-cutting attachment, lining the tool with the base of each post and carefully cutting around it.
We slipped a piece of cardboard between the mattress and the post to protect the mattress — moving our organic mattress is a Herculean task, so we didn’t want to risk it.
Luckily there were no mattress casualties. Each post came down after about five minutes of careful cutting.
We got better at making clean cuts as we went. Starting with the two bottom posts (which are usually hidden by the comforter) let us practice before trimming the more visible top posts.
John even let me try the Dremel. I wrestled it away for a turn — power tools are fun to wield once in a while — and safety glasses made it feel official.
We were pleasantly surprised by how natural the trimmed top posts looked. A circular detail remained that read like an intentional decorative element, so the finished result looked purposeful — a happy accident.
After cutting, we sanded everything smooth…
…and painted the posts with the Ikea-white paint we had left over from another project. I’d researched the closest match to Ikea’s white to make sure the finish was seamless.
Here’s the top right post after cutting, sanding, and painting…
…and the top left post after the same steps.
Once the paint dried and we made the bed, it looked like Ed was always meant to be this way. We celebrated with some silly dancing.
John did a little victory kick that the camera somehow captured mid-ghosted motion — the shot made us laugh.
Here’s another angle. We still want a large piece of art where the floating botanicals are on the right wall; we’ll rehang those botanicals elsewhere. The plan is to build an upholstered headboard for Ed and move the mirror up so it relates better to the chandelier.
I can’t tell you how much we love this hand-me-down dresser from John’s parents — it fits the nook perfectly.
We shared the hallway view earlier, but here it is again for reference:
Although the wood dresser on one side doesn’t match the little white nightstand on the other, the identical bedside lamps help tie the look together. There’s a charm in the mismatch.
Here’s a straight-on shot of the bed now. I’m eager to start the headboard project so I can raise the mirror higher and create a stronger focal point above the bed. We may paint or stain the dresser and nightstand eventually, but we’re not rushing.
One thing is certain: the room feels cozier and more intentional than when the bed was placed near the door.
It’s also much nicer to walk in and see this view instead of bumping into the bed three steps from the door.
We’re still a dozen tweaks away from calling the room finished, but we’ll keep sharing updates as we tackle things like the bare wall across from the bed, building the giant fabric headboard, and moving the mirror up. It should be fun.
Also — a quirky little detail: every morning around 10am the sun streams through the window above the sink and casts a shape that mirrors the rug’s pattern. This photo was taken before Ed’s move and haircut, but the reflected shape on the rug lines up almost exactly with the rug’s design. We bought that rug at a local outlet without realizing it echoed the mirror above the sink — happy accidents all around.
What are you working on in your bedroom? Has anyone altered a bed to better suit their room, built one from scratch, or is planning a headboard project soon? I’m excited to go fabric shopping and start making that headboard a reality.