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:
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 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.
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.
Love the bed...very ingenius! Someday I hope to have a dog that small but, alas, I have two labrador retriever rescues. The first night one of them established that the couch in our unused living room would be her bed...and the other one claimed the matching chair. Fortunately, the pieces are not on my "keep forever" list so I just keep buying sheets at Goodwill and covering the upholstery to minimize wear and tear. If the babies are happy, I'm happy. But I long for the day when I can carry my pooch around under one arm...and I am so printing out these instructions for a future project! Thanks for posting!
Terrific idea! i recognize that suitcase as an American Tourister piece just like the one my mother had in blue. It was indestructible and she used it forever! Now, I wish you could design something attractive as outdoor housing for a ferral cat to offer protection on cold days. The most serviceable thing I've found is a covered litter box with a clear vinyl door and that's not very attractive no matter where you obscurely try to place it in the garden!
Love vintage suitcases, what a great way to utilize them! But couldn't you of used the lid of the suitcase for another bed for a friend rather than throw it out?
Cre8tivedesigns- my thought as well. Could see the top, with it's elasticized pouch, on a wall office or craft room for storage. maybe add dowels for ribbon, etc.
Great question! You can definitely re-purpose it into something else; however, I don't recommend turning the other half into a bed strictly due to aesthetic reasons. The handle plays a big part in adding ornamental character to the front. Without it, the facia of the bed just doesn't have the same effect. Anyone got any other re-purposing ideas for the other half? If so, my team and I may consider trying your idea, then shooting it.
BPF - could the second half be re-purposed into some sort of headboard for the doggie bed? The pocket could be so useful to store those scatter doggie toys and bones!
Hmmmm, perhaps the second half COULD BE used as some sort of headboard. The only apprehension I have is that the inside isn't all that pretty; upholstery is a tricky thing to tackle without a professional. But it can definitely be done.
I have all ready made a dog bed from hard shell luggage. Did not take it apart. Opened it, made it stable, put cute pads in each side. Dog on one side and toys on the other. The rest of the set (makeup case shut) holds britches, pads, and nail clippers / grinders, a larger case holds wire crates and covers for going to the dog shows, and another case holds extra bed pads for travel. All are cutley arranged in a small hallway. These are for Japanese Chins and there are several in the house. Works for the dogs, releases closet space for me and stores dog show supplies.
I have a better idea...... MY dogs tear every cushion up, every blanket I put out for them and anything I have ever done to make them comfortable they have destroyed in a matter of hours playing with it or dragging it around.. The HARD suitcase idea is OK, but HOW ABOUT using a softsided suitcase, stuffing it with "old sheets, old clothes (that smell like their master) and other SOFT stuffing material?" You COULD go to the trouble of adding legs to it, BUT WHY...... most dog beds lay flat on the floor. The filled soft sided suitcase would be nearly INDISTRUCTABLE for any type of dog and it would provide a good, insulated bed inside or outside. My cats used to absolutely MOB my suitcase when I was packing to go on a trip so they would probably enjoy this type of bed, too... Just a thought... no photos... but I sure think I am going to try it for my inside AND back porch dogs!!!
In regards to the top, unused part part of the suitcase: personally, I would remove the pocket part and hang it from hooks in my sewing room for patterns, tools (such as quilting rulers), etc. BUT - what if you put casters on the top part and used it as under the bed storage? It's the perfect size for storing boots! You could leave the elastic part on as a sort of "dust cover", using the pocket part for additional storage, such as bulky winter socks that you wear with the boots.
brilliant idea...i will be perusing my antique shops looking for the perfect suitcase for our new little puppy...barrett.
i added this to my sidebar on my blog. it's fun to share.
http://thingsilove-marmee.blogspot.com/
It's nice to see a house proud dog lover letting his dog just be a dog. We are different species, after all. The home decor is not sacrificed, and either is the quality of life for the dog. Ten points!
Synchronicity at her finest! I was just wondering how I could incorporate this idea with my 2 cats when I heard a thump coming out of my Bedroom. It was Murphy jumping down off of the top of our Clothes Shrank, once again disappointed because I had taken the comforter away for a washing leaving just the hard wood to sleep on. The suitcase idea then came to mind (sans legs) which could then serve as a bed for Murphy while also being pretty to look at. Win Win!
my first thought is this post has received more comments than any other on houzz and i really enjoyed it. that said, my 9 yr old rescue dog would laff himself silly at the mere thought of sitting/sleeping anywhere but the sofa, beds, chairs, etc. you can see george comfortable on the sofa with his favourite toy mouse. come to think of it, i did not rescue him, but rather he rescued me!
