I Did It: I Assembled The Iconic Thuma Bed Frame

Contrary to both popular belief (and...the truth), furniture assembly isn't just assembling furniture. It's a commitment to your living space. It can be a ruined Saturday afternoon, and more often than not, it's a rocky relationship's demise. So, it makes sense that Thuma's furniture piece rose to bed frame fame after the brand deemed it "delightfully easy to assemble" in The Bed''s on-site description. And, per The Bed's thousands of 5-star customer reviews, Thuma follows through with its on-site description's promise.

We're talking classic, sleek design backed by quality repurposed wood materials and, most importantly, a tool-less assembly. No ridiculously tiny L wrenches, no nuts and bolts Bermuda Triangles, and definitely no hand cramps — just four hand-tightened screws and innovative Japanese joinery. As someone who weirdly enjoys assembling furniture, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

Thuma is a minimalist's paradise. Even the furniture retailer's "about" page details, "We believe that simplicity is the truest form of sophistication." As a self-proclaimed maximalist and now owner of Thuma's Bed, I'll say this: A little moderation never hurt nobody.

The Bed is available in three wood finishes Walnut, Natural, and Espresso. Plus, if cushy comfort is your thing, you can sub out the matching wood headboard for the PillowBoard, which features a washable cover, foam back, and three colorways: Dark Charcoal, Fog Grey, and Light Linen.

Despite its streamlined and demure appearance, The Bed has quite the sturdy foundation. Currently beneath my mattress are 15 wooden slats lined with "eco-fi felt" for sound reduction, four 13-inch-tall legs, and a litter of dynamically connected solid wood pieces. Plus, there is 9 inches of space between the floor and the base for storage.

Japanese joinery (formally known as Sashimoto) is, according to the Japan Woodcraft Association, "a technique for assembling furniture and other wooden items without nails, using both simple and highly complex wood joints." According to me, it's the best technique for people prone to mistakes. Think of it like building blocks or TikTok's four-person chair challenge. Secure one wooden piece into one of the leg's openings, place a perpendicular piece on top of that one in the same hole, repeat this four times, and boom — the base is holding itself up without a single screw.

In total, it took me about three hours by myself. Now, had I been more focused, I probably could have shaved off an hour or so. I also made plenty of mistakes, but here's the best part: It was so easy to undo every single misplacement and put it back together. (I said I enjoyed putting furniture together, not that I was good at it.) My furniture building experience usually includes lightly screwing bolts before confirming everything is in the right place, unscrewing bolts when I confirm incorrectly, and often losing a piece along the ride. Perhaps, I'm a masochist.

Honestly, it felt like completing a puzzle rather than building a bed frame. If The Amazing Race ever runs out of challenge ideas, its producers need to give Thuma a call and have one contestant build The Bed while their partner anxiously thinks about the $1 million at stake. This is because I believe this bed could be built in anywhere from an hour to my three hours or, perhaps for the puzzle-challenged, maybe five with a break somewhere in the middle. The pieces are light enough to lift on your own. The instruction manual is one of the most aesthetically pleasing and digestible pamphlets I've ever seen. And even the cardboard has helpful labels. My one warning: Wear gloves when picking up the bridge-like connect slats to avoid potential splinters.

Sturdy, chic, and practical — The Bed elevates both my mattress and my bedroom's overall atmosphere. My previous bed frame was more of a lackluster bed base that made interior design a low, low priority. I also notice that my mattress has a more even feel because of the uniformly distributed weight. The headboard is completely locked in place minus any screws — meaning, I don't have to worry about any future wobbliness or tightening.

All in all, yes, Thuma's Bed does cost a pretty penny, but I expect it to accompany me through years and years of sleeps to come. Mission complete.