Space-saving designs for children's beds

Children always need extra space. And not when they're small and sitting in their cots, and toys are put away by their parents every night. They need it when they're older and they need a desk, a bed, a play area and a place for games and toys lying around. And when there are more of them, beds take up the most space. If it's a block of flats instead of a house, the space problem is even more pressing. But there are designs for children's beds, some of them very clever, that manage to solve the space problem.

Combined cots with storage places

As in the adults' rooms, there are all kinds of storage cupboards in the children's room. They are needed for clothes, books, school things, toys. The problem is that the cupboards take up a good part of the room, leaving little space for play.

Most beds have a box to store blankets, pillows and other sleeping necessities. It's the idea behind saving space. That crate turned into several shelves and the bed kept getting taller. And that's how the bed that appears to be built on top of the wardrobe came about. An idea as simple as it is useful. Instead of a bed next to the wardrobe, there is a bed on the wardrobe and the space saved is used for play and toys.

Another space that can be used for storage is the staircase. If the bed is raised, the child needs the ladder to climb into bed. Instead of a simple staircase - that cat staircase - the steps are converted into storage spaces in the pattern of stairs between levels. The child will climb into bed by stepping on increasing sized cupboards or climbing a ladder inside which cupboards have been built.

Combined children's beds and study desk

In this situation the solution is also to use the space vertically. In the bunk bed model, the bottom bed is used instead of the study area and the top bed is positioned so that it does not disturb the child when sitting at the desk. It is a good solution for houses, which are usually taller, but more difficult to fit in the apartment.

Another drawback of the solution may be the lack of light. That's why the layout should be such that a window or other light source is nearby. The lack of light can be compensated for by a bright desk lamp, but the continuous use of this light and the lack of natural light coming from the window can over time create vision problems for the child.

Several cots combined to make the most efficient use of space

If space problems arise when there is only one child, even more so when there are 2 or more. But it's still the cots that save the day, and it's still the vertical use of space.

The classic method of solving this is bunk beds. Equal beds, or a wider bottom bed and a narrower top bed for the youngest child, are common in homes with two children.

However, there is also the solution of beds at the same level with the difference that this level is closer to the ceiling. Storage and office space can be arranged underneath and you can avoid the eternal 'who sleeps on top' dispute.

Another solution is to overlap the beds, but not parallel but perpendicular. The overlap is also made at the top of the room, with the distance between the bunk beds being much smaller than normal bunk beds. The overlap is made on the portion where the children stand with their feet. A corner assembly is created at height which has a shorter side because one of the beds fits under the other, shortening by one width. It's a solution that can save the situation when the bed meets a door or window.

Transformable solutions

Convertible furniture has always been a solution to use space efficiently. Extending armchairs, sofas that become double beds, beds that stand up on the wall during the day are just a few solutions that allow rooms to be used as efficiently as possible.

In the case of children's beds, the most popular solution is the bed that goes... under the bed. Basically the bed looks like it has a drawer for linen, only this drawer is another bed. It is only "uncovered" in the evening when, as if by magic, another place to sleep appears. Usually there is a version with one drawer, but I have also seen a version with 3 sleeping places.

The desk that fits under the bed in the upstairs area of the room, the ladder for the top bunk converted into a desk top during the day or the book and game cabinets converted into a ladder for the top bunk are just a few examples of transformation. This way space is used more intelligently and the child doesn't feel the pressure of excess furniture pieces.

Children's beds made of oak with great attention to detail

I was pleased to discover that there is also the possibility of well-made custom solutions so you can also enjoy the quality of well-made furniture. I told you about Nicu Rosioru when I talked about wooden gamesso used before the advent of the phone. Those games when we played together being together. Now our children play together alone.

But back to the beds. Nicu Rosioru makes solid oak beds for children, combined with a desk, storage or library. The focus is equally on making the furniture as efficient as possible, but also on the beauty of oak. Below are 2 examples of such children's beds.

You can find more on his Facebook page, Quercus Creativ Art. You can also find games and toys made of oak.

Children are under all kinds of pressure these days: long hours, lots of homework, more or less compulsory extracurricular activities. These are activities that keep them on edge for many hours a day. I think that providing play and relaxation places at home is almost a duty. And where there doesn't seem to be enough space it can be gained through clever arrangements like the ones above.