I wanted to use a minimal amount of hardware to create a bed that is sturdy, capable of being disassembled/moved, leaves room for storage underneath, requires minimal materials cost & looks attractive.  

The entire project cost less than $180 in material cost.

As always, I'm a big proponent of letting the beauty of the natural woodgrain shine through.  I sorted through the pile of lumber at a bigbox store to find the straightest pieces I could, keeping in mind the grain while selecting which board to use fore each part of the bed. 

To bring it out even more, I sanded the visible surfaces down to 440 grit and finished it off by rubbing in a mixture of beeswax, orange oil and mineral oil with a clean cloth.

Strong, natural, unique, cost effective, and attractive.  I can rest easy.

The structure and support is comprised of 4 2x12 "vertebrae" running side to side, with a single 2x12 "spine", running head to foot.  All 5 are precisely cut to slot together and stay standing using only the boards themselves, and no hardware, to give them permanent structure.

The runner and headboard are also made of 2x12's with aromatic cedar 2x4's to attach the headboard.  The mattress supports are simple 2x4's