How to Fold an Origami Bed

Origami is one of the favorite paper craft art forms to learn and master. Although most people enjoy making origami animals and flowers, origami furniture and paper pop-ups have grown in popularity. By selecting two paper patterns to showcase your bed and bedsheet, you will be able to create a classic bed.

Things You'll Need

• 2 origami paper squares

Instructions

Origami Bed: Structure

1. Take one sheet of your origami paper squares. Fold it in half and crease the fold line. Open the fold.
   Fold the square with your design on the outside to showcase your paper design on your headboard and bed foot posts.

2. Fold one side vertically in half toward the center fold line. Fold this side again toward the center fold line. Rotate the paper and fold the opposite side vertically in half toward the center fold line. Fold this side again toward the center fold line. Crease all fold lines.
   Your paper will appear rectangular with a visible center opening on one side and your paper design on the back side.

3. Open the rectangle and you will have five visible fold lines. Fold over the inner fold line toward the center fold line. There will be an extending fold line which you will fold back toward you. Rotate the paper and repeat the folds on the opposite side.
   Your paper will appear rectangular, only this time the folds will will be inverted.

4. Take one side and fold a corner toward the center fold line and crease. Repeat with the remaining three corners. Open the corners and you will have one angled fold line at each rectangle tip.
   Take the center opening corner and fold over toward the outside edge and crease. Open the fold. You will have a visible mini square with two diagonal fold lines at each rectangle tip. Repeat with the remaining three corners. Open the folds.

5. Lift the corner from the visible mini square fold lines and fold in to form a protruding triangle. Shape the crease line with your finger and pinch the two visible fold lines. Crease the fold flat. You will have a visible triangle. Repeat on the three remaining visible mini square corners.
   You will have four visible triangles which will form the bed's foot posts.

Origami Bed: Headboard and Bedsheet

1. Fold one end, approximately 1/4 inch, toward the triangle crease line. Extend the triangle tabs to form the foot posts.
   Flip the paper over toward the design side. Fold the opposite side toward the outside center crease line. This will form the headboard.
   Shape the extended triangles in order for the bed to stand. The bed will form and you will have four bed foot posts.

2. Take the second origami paper square. Fold it in half and crease. Open the fold.
   Take one side and fold it in half vertically toward the center crease line. Rotate the paper and fold in half vertically toward the center crease line.

3. Fold over one side toward the center crease line. Rotate the paper and repeat on the opposite side. You will have a rectangle and a visible open center line. Open your square. You will have seven visible fold lines.
   Fold one side toward the first crease line. Flip the paper over and fold toward the first crease line on the design side. This will form the bedsheet fold-over flap.

4. Fold your square horizontally and crease. The bedsheet fold-over will be exposed. Open the fold.
   Fold over on one side horizontally in half toward the new center crease line. Rotate the paper and repeat the fold on the opposite side.
   Fold one side 1/4 toward the center fold line. Rotate the paper and fold the opposite side 1/4 toward the center fold line. Flip your paper over to reveal your bedsheet.

5. Fit the bedsheet over the bed.

References

• Origami Bed-Video
• Paper in Three Dimensions: Origami, Pop-Ups, Sculpture, Baskets, Boxes and More; Diane V. Maurer-Mathison; 2006

Resources

• Chinese Origami for Beginners
• Pop-Up Paper Projects