We regularly have the pleasure of working with families (both large and small) to improve the design of their homes. Ultimately, the aim is to help them live better and well together. In some instances, we work with families that are due to expand and they need to find more space without the stress of moving. We therefore help them to maximize the spaces they already have.
Bunk bed designs have really come a long way since we were children ourselves! A Princess’ cottage stroke bunk bed is every little girl’s dream!
Recently, we have worked with a few families to redesign their children’s bedrooms. These spaces are often the child’s safe haven, playground, and resting area – a real multitude of different uses rolled into one space. Children’s bedrooms are both challenging and extremely fun to work on!
But there does also come a time during their childhood that kids absolutely love the idea of having a bunk bed in their room- they may even end up begging you for one! But how can you possibly know whether they are right for your family or what style to go for?
In this post, you will find all the information you will need on bunk beds. We share with you some key points to consider to realize if having a bunk bed is right for your family, the different styles available, and common mistakes to avoid.
Let’s get started!
Are Bunk Beds Right for Your Family?
For imaginative children, there are a lot of options between castles, fortresses, and cabin style bunk beds. There’s definitely something for everyone to make every bedtime more fun!
Bunk beds are extremely helpful for close siblings and sleepovers. They can provide more storage space because of an area not needed for an additional bed. Bunk beds are great if you desperately need some more space in the kids’ bedrooms!
What never ceases to amaze us is the magnitude of different styles and designs available now. Back in the day, they were quite limited but now there are a wide variety to choose from to suit your needs.
Some important aspects to consider is around what age children are appropriate for having a bunk bed. There is no exact age range! Every child is different growing up and their sleeping patterns and habits even more so. But if your child wriggles a lot during the night or gets up and down a lot, you may want to put it off a few years yet or designate them to the bottom bunk.
On the flip side, if your 3 or 4 year old sleeps well then there’s little reason why not to incorporate some fun!
If you require siblings to share a space, then getting a bunk bed will definitely help. Or if they like to have friends over for sleepovers often, they are fantastic and add a lot of fun to their playtime.
We love this L-shaped bunk bed because of the rustic timber look – it can be styled and accessorized to suit any child! The big question is – who will get to the top of the tower first and claim their new space?
The Styles Available
As we have mentioned in the previous section, the design of bunk beds has come a long way since we were kids ourselves! Metal or plain wooden frames are a thing of the past.
The common style is a standard bunk bed – two single beds, one on top of the other. Some of these models allow for the beds to be separated to make individual ones which is hugely helpful when they start growing up even more.
L-shaped and corner bunks are popular choices that incorporate storage drawers or a desk beneath one side, but they do take up more floor space within the room. If space is a real issue, then trundle bunk beds could be the way to go because you have the additional roll-out mattress underneath for friends staying over (making a total of three beds available to sleep in).
Alternatively, there are some great bunk beds that are available which have been designed to look like a Princess’ cottage or fortress, which are really fun ideas for the kids!
If you’re a keen DIY’er, you could try your hand at making a custom bunk bed or single bed with a tent or house like timber framing. Paired with some fairy lights this creates a magical bedtime environment!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
We also love this classic white bunk bed as it comes with a trundle. Opting for a neutrally colored bunk and one that can be separated into two parts allows you to use both beds in many years to come! We love longevity in products.
It is really important to consider the entire space as well as the bunk bed style itself because this is where many people make mistakes. Evaluate the size and orientation of the room itself, along with the sizes and positions of windows and doors. Plus any other built-in furniture – you should bear this in mind too.
What is extremely helpful is taking this information and producing your own hand-drawn floor plan, just as a rough sketch. This will help you to visualize the space and sizing of everything to be sure it fits.
A common mistake we have seen before is bunk beds being positioned in front of windows as a result of poor pre-planning. What appears to be enough space for a bunk bed, ends up not being enough and so it overhangs in front of the window which isn’t ideal. This can also be a safety issue should there be a fire and someone needs to exit the home through the window.
Another common mistake is having a bunk bed put in that is too close to a ceiling fan or other ceiling mounted light fixture. This can be extremely hazardous to any child using the bunk bed and should be avoided.
We hope you have found this blog post on bunk beds helpful! Are you thinking of getting a bunk bed for your kids? What are your thoughts on bunk beds? We would love to know and find out how you’re getting on in the comments below!