Bed, Dresser, Shelf and Toy Storage all-in-one...Yes Please!!! Also a lesson learned!

So back when we built out first "starter home" we planned on only living there 2-3 years, so we wouldn't need any kids rooms right?!.... well fast forward 10 years, 3 kids later, we were still living there... funny how that happens. But really we loved the neighborhood, friends, the yard and all 1,400 sq ft of the house! First baby was a girl, so I happily turned "my' room into a perfect nursery for her, but once baby #2 (a boy) came was when things got a little tight, my husband didn't want to give up his office so willingly. So we compromised and even though it looked like a perfect nursery from first glance, I had set up the closet as a built in desk with shelving and all his computer, printer, scanner, etc behind closet doors when not in use and still had enough storage with under crib drawer and changing table for all babys' things. That only worked for a short amount of time, till we had to cram everything into a computer armoire in the master. When it was time to transition my son to a bed was when I realized that this room was not set up to be a bedroom (picture french doored office)and that putting a bed in there would leave minimal room to walk around, say nothing about him playing in there anymore. So that's when my wheels started turning, if I could put some sort of built-in where stuff could be organized but would leave the middle of the floor open, everything would be perfect. So I measured and sketched, and stayed awake probably all night a couple nights in a row to figure how to make it work. I had found this dresser that I thought had the perfect look and I would build it around that! Husband (not quite as ecstatic as I) went with me to pick up my craigslist treasure. I was able to convey a decent enough picture of what I wanted to my woodworking friend who pulled off exactly what I envisioned! The dresser I primed and painted and he used the top 6 drawers as the face of the buit-in (my sons new dresser) and the bottom 3 just as drawer fronts to match, I bought underbed pull-out drawers from IKEA the full depth of the bed that could roll on the floor with rubber casters and with the matching drawer fronts from the dresser. It was perfect for toy storage and convenience. Behind the dresser and under where the mattress sits was a big storage chest that he made accessible with a hinged toy chest type plywood (this is where I would store out of season clothes or stuff I really didn't need to get to often. ) At the end by the window (head of the bed) he created a bookshelf, that my bookworm son would go on to love! The ceiling we shiplapped and installed two small puck led can lights on a dimmer so was the perfect reading light. Originally we had a railing up till he got old enough we didn't have to worry about him rolling off. It was just as good as I imagined! Well till a couple months later when I kept having to weirdly wipe "dust" off of a drawer in the original dresser. After the second or third time, I got quite suspicious about this "dust" and found out after getting pest control out that this as not dust, but dry-wood TERMITE FECES!!! I about died right there! Cause if any of you know anything about dry-wood termites they don't have to stay connected to some mud tunnel, they can swarm and fly to any other beautiful piece of wood for their next meal of choice! Was I going to have to move out and fumigate the house?!? The horror of having to tell my husband that this piece of furniture was going to be the death of us, or hearing "I told you so" was going to be bad enough. All for one sorry piece of furniture that was now completely encased in a built in bed?? Termite control checked around and for how quickly I caught it, said I'd probably be fine if I got it out of there like yesterday and burnt it immediately. So now all I had to do was call the guy who just finished building it to come rip it apart, most dreadful call to make ever! In the long run though ended up being able to save the actual drawer trim pieces cause we found out they were plastic, and have new custom self-closing drawers installed with the trim pieces to keep they same look! Would I do it all over again, YES still totally worth it, the room was functional for the next 6-7 years till we moved. I had an armoire along one wall that housed all his hanging clothes etc, He had a bench, his rocking horse and small chair and the room was open all the time! To play he'd wheel out a drawer and have plenty of floor space, it really ended up being the toy room for all kids that came over. Later we added a foosball table and there was still enough room. So many things learned during this project, I now know that just because you find that perfect piece for a good deal on craigslist, does NOT mean it is a good deal... I now know to get out a microscope to search for any type of creature living in my furniture, they hide well, even though the dresser was painted thoroughly, and cut in half, still noticed no sign until it was all completely installed, so to all my friends and readers out there, learn from my mistake, you're welcome!

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