She Removed the Bottom Drawer From an IKEA Dresser and Turned the Space Into a Dog Bed
Dog beds take up floor space while dressers reserve their lower half for storage. This IKEA RAST offered another option: remove one drawer, raise the dresser, and use the open section as a sleeping spot without giving up the two drawers above it.
The project started with a three-drawer pine dresser and a small dog named Teddy. Writer and DIY creator Emily Burmeister of Our House Now a Home removed the bottom drawer and front support, then extended the base to create enough height for Teddy. Parts from the removed drawer went back into the project as part of the new bed frame.
The conversion went beyond removing a drawer. Added lumber reinforced the new base, short wood pieces formed herringbone panels across the two remaining drawer fronts, and white paint with charcoal accents brought the original dresser and new construction under the same finish.
Bottom Drawer Came Out to Make Room for the Bed
Removing the lowest drawer left an opening beneath the two drawers that would remain in use. The dresser also needed more height, since the original space was too short for Teddy to fit under the existing frame.
Three boards cut to the dresser width were added along the sides and back. Rather than fastening into the thin original base, the new boards provided more material for the screws and formed the structure needed around the open sleeping area.
Metal Plates Reinforced the Added Wood
Joining new boards to an existing dresser creates connection points that have to stay together once the piece returns upright. Flat metal plates span those joints, with screws driven into the wood on both sides.
The modification preserves the dresser above while changing what happens below it. Instead of rebuilding the full case, the project adds support where the former drawer section becomes an open compartment.
Short Wood Pieces Built a Herringbone Pattern
The two remaining drawer fronts received another structural-looking detail made from thin scrap wood. Pieces were cut to about four inches, then arranged from the center outward in a herringbone pattern.
Edge pieces required extra cuts so the pattern could finish flush with each drawer. Wood glue held the pieces in place, and the assembled fronts were left overnight before the next stage.
White Paint Connected the Dresser and New Base
Added lumber around the bottom would have stood apart from the unfinished pine dresser without a common surface treatment. Bright white furniture paint covers the case, new bed frame, trim, and other exposed sections.
Floor-board trim was also cut with 45-degree corner joints and installed around the new lower section. It conceals the transition between the original dresser and the added bed structure, making the bottom read as part of the same piece.
Charcoal Stripes Added Contrast to the Side Panels
Two taped stripes run down each side of the white dresser, with one band wider than the other. Charcoal paint fills the taped sections before the tape comes off.
The stripes repeat the dark accents used elsewhere without covering the entire side panel. Their straight vertical lines also contrast with the angled herringbone pattern reserved for the drawer fronts.
Former Drawer Space Became a Cushioned Dog Bed
Once the construction and paint were complete, the reason for removing the bottom drawer becomes clear. A cushion fills the open lower section, giving Teddy a bed beneath the two remaining storage drawers.
The original third drawer was not discarded in full. Its front was reused at the front of the bed and attached to the side boards, helping the new platform retain part of the dresser’s original construction.
Two Storage Drawers Remain Above the Bed
The finished piece combines two functions within the floor area once occupied by the dresser. Teddy gets a bed at floor level, while the two upper drawers remain available for leashes, treats, sweaters, or other household storage.
A new top creates a flush surface above the dresser, while charcoal trim beneath it repeats the side stripes. Long matte-black handles replace the basic drawer hardware and stretch across much of each drawer front.
Herringbone Wood Still Shows Through the White Paint
A close view of the drawers shows that the added wood pattern was not buried under the finish. The thin coat leaves the edges of each small piece visible, creating rows of angled joints that meet near the center of each drawer.
Long black pulls cross those pale herringbone panels with one straight horizontal line. The result keeps the two storage drawers easy to use while separating them from the open dog bed below.