Bunk Beds
Bed time is a blast with bunk beds! Kids love bunk beds for their novelty and fortress-like feeling; parents love them for their money saving, space-saving features; and teenagers and college students choose bunk beds for their versatility in the dorm room. With two beds taking up the space of a single bed, bunk beds are an economical solution for growing families, not to mention their 'cool' look, fun element, and storage capacities.
In addition to the classic bunk bed, consumers are investing in loft bunk beds, futon bunk beds, and staircase bunk beds, all available in twin-over-twin and twin-over-full sizes. Here is the scoop on the many styles of bunk beds.
Four reasons why choosing the best bunk beds is a practical choice
Bunk beds are a fabulous piece of furniture in any child's room! They make maximum use of the height of the room but have a relatively small footprint. Bunk beds work just as well for teens as young children and equally well for girls as boys, making them an ideal solution for any parent.
The biggest advantage of having bunk beds in a child's room is the amount of space that is saved. Two single beds side by side can take up a surprising amount of room, leaving very little space for other furniture, toys and toy boxes and play area. Bunk beds are the most sensible sleeping solution in a small room, or if you have a very large family which necessitates many siblings sharing a room. Tall bunk beds often have a good space underneath, which allows for a spare mattress or camp bed to be stored, which can be pulled out for use as necessary.
Bunk beds are fun! Children that dislike having to share a room with an older or younger brother or sister may be mollified by the excitement of having a bunk bed to sleep in! While many children prefer the top, to feel like the 'king of the castle', others quite like the dark, cave-like protected atmosphere of the bottom bunk, using the bunk above them to stick up secret posters and hide small childhood treasures. Each child can 'customise' their layer, making their bunk a personal space where they can read, play and have fun, and perhaps even get a little sleeping done!
Bunk Beds are a practical choice and the solution to many dilemmas, even for an only child. The 'spare' bed can be used for sleepovers by friends or step-children who only visit occasionally, and at other times can be a fun play area and storage for masses of soft toys. A little girl could sleep on her bottom bunk and arrange curtains to drape down, creating a modern four poster bed, with extra storage and spare sleeping space on top, while a small boy might prefer to construct a fortified nest on the top bunk, making good use of the guard-rails to erect pillow turrets and blanket flags, while his toy soldiers patrol the bottom bunk to ward off intruders!
A bunk bed can be decorated or chosen to great effect to set the whole tone of the room. Bunk beds can be painted or plain wood, metal or combination products, and they can look funky and fun, stylish and elegant or even old-fashioned and gracious. This allows parents to style their child's room perfectly, making the largest piece of furniture, the bunk bed, a sturdy signature piece around which the rest of the furniture can be tailored.
There are many reasons to opt for a bunk bed for your children's room, and the main is that bunk beds are a practical choice, sure to last for years and please the whole family.
Bunk Bed Styles
Standard Bunk Bed: Consists of two twin beds stacked one on top of the other; great for kids sharing a room or as a space-saving guest bed.
Futon Bunk Bed: Consists of a twin bed on top and a futon couch/bed on the bottom; ideal for small apartments/dorm rooms/rooms with minimal space for furniture.
Loft Bunk Bed: Features a bed overtop of an open area (no bottom bunk); an innovative means of maximizing space, lifting the bed off the floor and leaving room for a desk, dresser, toy chest, etc.
Space-Saving Design
In an age where space is premium, space-saving designs are front stage and center in the realm of interior decorating. Bunk beds represent some of the most clever and most efficient uses of bedroom space, in addition to being the perfect combination of fun, fashion, and function. Originally intended for shared children's bedrooms, today's innovative designs allow children to personalize and take ownership of their individual abodes, with hooks, nooks, and crannies where they can hang pictures, posters, clothes, mirrors, jewelry, books, and more.
Ladder Bed Bunks
Traditional bed bunks use ladders to reach the top bunk. Increasing safety concerns about ladder bunk beds have resulted in the following bunk bed safety tips and rules:
•- Only children age six and over should sleep in the top bunk
•- Only one individual at a time should occupy the top bunk
•- No more than 300 pounds are allowed in the upper bunk
•- Top bunk must have guard rails on all sides to prevent users from rolling over and falling to the floor during sleep
•- Check regularly that all bunk bed parts are secure.
Stairway Bunk Beds
Staircase bunk beds originated as an answer to the safety concerns associated with ladder bunk beds. Featuring a solid staircase leading from the bottom to the top bunk, the space below the staircase is frequently used for storage; better yet, modern models feature built-in drawers, cupboards, and/or desks in the stairway bunk bed design.
Loft Bunk Bed
This unique bed design features a top bunk (i.e. a raised bed) overtop of empty space, where additional pieces of bedroom furniture can be placed, such as a dresser, toy chest, computer workstation, chairs, and nightstand. Some of the more expensive loft bunk beds include built-in storage units.
The Triple Lindy loft bed is one-of-a-kind arrangement involving not one, not two, but three beds! Two beds are arranged one on top of the other like a standard bunk bed, to which a third bed is attached perpendicularly, forming an L-shape.
Bunk Bed Materials and Construction
Bunk bed frames are made from wood or metal. Pine and cedar make sturdy yet stylish-looking bunk beds, while metal bunk bed frames are strong and affordable. Whether you are buying bunk beds or building your own bunk beds, remember to measure the room first, taking into account space needed to open/shut drawers and space needed to get in and out of bed easily. No matter your age, you'll feel like the king of the world and king of the bedroom with your new bunk bed!