One of the most joyful things in life is observing the magic unfold beneath a homemade fort. Whether it's made of old cardboard boxes or built around a makeshift frame with bed linens, cozy nooks & spaces are the perfect way to unleash a child's imagination. One of the most difficult things, however, is to reconcile the eventual need to break down the fort when all is said and done. So when Zappos asked me to create a cozy corner with their latest assortment of sheets, blankets, quilts and throws, I immediately knew I wanted to experiment with creating a rebuildable structure. PVC piping seemed to be the most practical material choice as it's lightweight and easy to disassemble and store. I designed the fort to fit around a twin-sized mattress to accommodate playdates and daytime naps. Needless to say, it was a an absolute hit.
You'll Need:
3/4" PVC piping (total length 68' minimum)
- a. (1) 77" length
- b. (9) 35" length
- c. (6) 41" length
- d. (4) 29" length
- e. (4) 12" length
- g. (8) 1.5" length
3/4" PVC joints (no threads)
- A. (8) 3-way elbow
- B. (2) 90° elbow
- C. (6) 45° elbow
- D. (8) T socket
PVC glue (optional)
bed sheets and quilts
Start by cutting all the PVC pipes to their appropriate sizes. Measure, mark and cut using the PVC cutter. I recommend labeling each end of the pipes to corresponding letters provided. It makes assembly much easier!
The lower case letters represent the PVC pipes and the upper case letters represent the joints. All sizes and quantities are above in the supply list.
The only complicated parts are the 4 points where you will have multiple joints connected. This is where the shape of the roof is formed using 3 joints at each corner, as well as those little 1.5" pieces (f). The 1.5" (f) pieces will allow you to connect the joints together. For example, if the diagram says CBA, it means pipe b will connect with A. Then use pipe f as a connector between A and B.
Then add another connector (pipe f) followed by C and then pipe d. If you would like to be able to dissemble the fort and reassemble it later, I recommend at least glueing these three joints together so you're not having to pack and unpack all those little pieces. Ultimately, the frame should look like this.
Lovely as always ❤️ Would you share info on that wonderful lamp?
Thank you!
Wow I love this! A great rainy day project 🙂 I recently made several daisy chain necklaces from your site, I might try this project next!
I love this idea for my daughter who is ready to move up from a toddler bed! Can you give me some info on the setup for the mattress? Is it just on the floor or on a box spring or frame?
Love this article! Im gonna try these tips
Thanks and keep sharing great content.
Alexandra
Hijab-style.com
*Priority comment*
You guys are amazing.
That’s all. Carry on.
Love all this personalized decor! Always love decorating bed
this is a great idea! btw, would you mind sharing where that amazing wallpaper is from?
Thanks! Mercedes
Oh my goodness this is so fun, I absolutely love it!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
this is cool i like it.
this is a good for the every one.
Fantastic idea! By the way, would you kindly share the source of that incredible wallpaper? Many thanks! – Mercedes
Great post!
I love it!! What a cute idea! Definitely save this for this fall room design ideas!