Lofty Heights

Most projects come from necessity—this one was no different… well, sort of.

My daughters needed furniture, but they didn’t necessarily need me to make it. However, turning their beds into lofts made both rooms feel more spacious. But how to make them unique? Hidden lighting? Too boring. Secret spaces? Check. A place to write notes? Absolutely.

And then it hit me—drawer fronts. Not just any drawer fronts, but ones featuring my daughters’ artwork. My younger daughter, Jenna, had a knack for drawing, so my sister (a horticulturist) taught her to sketch plants just for this project. The result? Stunning roses, complete with rose-shaped pulls, extending all the way down to their roots. Meanwhile, my older daughter took a more abstract approach, creating a vibrant river delta design that pops with color.

For the materials, Sam opted for a combination of cherry wood with a maple top, while Jenna went for a more fun, utilitarian Formica surface—perfect for drawing. We use it for math homework, daily notes, and even a “Dad-to-do” list. Sam also has a whiteboard mounted on both sides of her middle cabinet door—where, of course, her Dad-to-do list lives.

Jenna has hosted sleepovers up in her loft, and both girls love their cozy hideaways. Sometimes, you can’t even tell if they’re up there! They also enjoy looking out their windows from their elevated perches. Sam even transformed the back corner under her desk into a napping spot.

Sam repurposed a night shelf I originally made for her when she had a top bunk, and I had to build a new one for Jenna (not yet installed in the pictures).

And before anyone asks—yes, each loft holds well over 400 lbs concentrated on the outside edge

There is always one.  Every project has that one thing that goes wrong. In this case, it was Jenna’s second drawer front. I couldn’t match the color to the other side. Even GPC told me, "Ignore it, no one will notice." But we all know I can't do that.

So, after two failed attempts, I finally had a perfect match, set it up on the ShopBot, and began milling. Then—CRAP! STOP! TOO LATE! DAMN IT. The bit caught the good piece and damaged the corner. More work. In frustration, I even broke an earlier piece. But after calming down, I set out to fix it all. In fact, the center door on Jenna’s piece? That’s the very one I broke in frustration—now repaired and given new lifeEXT HERE