San Francisco - October 12, 2007

Preaching to the Converted

DIY Convertible Bedroom Project by Amy Thomas

Your bedroom is your sacred temple.

But when guests come to visit your one-room abode there’s no separation of church and state.

To help lay down the law, Amy Thomas (co-author of Convertible Houses) came up with a simple, double-duty design solution just for DailyCandy readers — a King Arthur-style canopy that sweeps your boudoir out of sight.

1. Buy some curtain panels. (Craftmeisters can make their own.)

2. Measure the width and length of your bed and install curtain rods from the ceiling so that the curtains will hang flush against the mattress edges.

3. When they’re open, the curtains should be gathered at the four corners. (If your bed is against the wall, then just three sides will be exposed).

4. When the curtains are closed, your “bedroom” is private quarters.

5. Change it up with the seasons. Use velvet drapes for winter, gauzy panels during the summer, or funky prints when you get bored.

Because whatever happens in the bedroom should stay there.

For more genius ideas, check out Convertible Houses online at amazon.com or your local bookstore.