Home Theater DIY Project

I did a thing! ^ This is the finished product. ^
A buddy of mine jokingly suggested that I 'lift' my couch (like you would lift a truck). I don't have any carpentry knowledge, no tools besides a basic kit, and none of my friends knew much, either. So I built it.
I figured i could turn my small TV room into a home theater, raise my sectional couch, and put a loveseat on the floor in front of it. I talked to friends & family, drew up some plans, and did a thing.

Plans for the upper and front sides of the platform. It's designed to be 2' 8" tall, and is constructed mainly out of 4x4 pillars and 2x4 framing.
The section for the chaise will have a cabinet with shelves and a door for the cats. Also steps up in front of the cat door.

Bottom and back side views (bottom is from above, if that makes sense).
The diagonal crossbeams are to prevent swaying and to move some of the weight of the couche to the center 4x4 columns.
Also sketches of the steps.

Left and right side views. The right side will have a door so I can crawl inside to store stuff and fetch the cats. Also a cat door and steps up in front of the cat door.

Sketches of the plywood cutouts for the 2 sides with doors/shelves/steps.
also my count of wood beams and such for buying lumber.

The first part to be put together. We started with the loveseat half, and this is the framing for the front and back of that platform.

Front and back sides attached. feat. half of my dad.

Joists and front-back crossbeams have been added.

Now the plywood is on, too. I only bothered putting plywood on the top and the sides that will face outward. More airflow and less weight. Forgot to take this pic when it was done, so nvm the other stuff behind it.

The framing for the platform for the chaise went up really fast in one afternoon.

Now with cabinet and joists on the chaise platform! No shelves yet. Feat. my friend "chi chi".

Same as above pic, but different angle.

The plywood has been installed on the entire platform now, and we've got it sanded. Great progress!

Pic showing the front of the chaise with cabinet and cat door. Shelves are in the cabinet, but the pegs to mount them aren't installed yet.

Carpet has been installed on the top of the loveseat platform. It was a bit of a pain to work with, since the carpet I got was SUPER stiff, but the quality is otherwise great and it was cheap.

Steps in progress/done left/right.

Finally finished and installed inside. I still need to pick up a loveseat to go in front, but 95% of the work is done.

I am personally fairly proud of the job I did installing the carpet.

Another shot. Feat. sexy poses.

Loveseat installed, project complete. Cat tax included, too.

View looking down from up top.

View of the screen. Feat minor wife tax.