A huge problem of modern living conditions in our country remains too many cramped apartments in which it is not so easy to fit a full-fledged family with children. The owners of such housing have to figure out how to place everything they need in these few square meters so as not to disturb the comfort of the household and to provide all the conditions for a decent living.
Often the problem lies in the fact that the family has more than one child, and there is only one room allocated for the nursery, and even then it is not too large, while the little ones require a lot of space for sleeping, active games and learning.
Perhaps the only sensible way to solve the problem will be children's bunk beds with a sofa.
Features and Benefits
If we talk about ways to compactly organize a bed for two or more children, then the first option that comes to mind is a bunk bed. At the same time, the bed is usually not well suited for receiving guests, of which the numerous children of the family probably have a lot - a sofa would do much better here. Even if you do not take into account the guests, children still need to sit somewhere during the day, even for ordinary TV viewing.
A two-tier structure, in which at least the lower part serves as a sofa, will be the optimal solution here.
There are a number of advantages thanks to which this particular type of furniture, being a relatively new phenomenon, has rapidly spread throughout the vastness of our country. Here are the main ones:
- With the same footprint as a typical double bed, the design with a sofa underneath allows for more people. Almost any sofa has the ability to unfold, which is very convenient, because at night, kids do not need a play area anyway. But on the lower sofa in the unfolded form, even two can easily fit, in connection with which we actually have three berths.
- If you have two children, and both are small, they can temporarily sleep together, downstairs, since for babies under six years old, rest on the second tier is not recommended... But then, when they grow up and begin to occupy more space, each of them will receive a separate sleeping place, which will replace his own room.
- The sofa below is noticeably stiffer than any typical bed, it is more adapted for various constant loads, so it will be able to endure the presence of any number of guests. Due to the fact that there is also a second tier above it, children will not be able to jump on it, so it will live much longer.
- In some cases, the lower tier of such spacious furniture can even become a temporary refuge for parents. This is possible in situations of renovation in the parent's room or visiting guests who have stayed overnight. Some families living in a one-room apartment or dormitory use such beds on an ongoing basis, but then the upper tier is unlikely to be enough for two children.
Among other things, such bunk furniture has an attractive design that further enhances the feeling of home comfort.
Models
The large scale of such a bed allows designers to approach the principles of furniture design in completely different ways. Today, there are dozens of different types of bunk beds with a sofa, each of which has its own characteristics and is ideal for the specific requirements of the buyer.
Let's start with what the sofa is. Most often, you can find models with a sofa below, while the second tier is completely typical for bunk beds, however, there are special exceptions - for example, a two-story sofa. However, it is precisely those models in which the sofa is located only at the bottom that are more popular, since this leaves much more room for maneuver. Judge for yourself - the lower tier may look like an ordinary sofa if it is more convenient for you, but usually such furniture is made with a folding sofa, which when folded looks like the same sofa, but at night it turns into a full-fledged double.
A separate, but no less important topic is the presence of pleasant bonuses inside the sofa body. The most common are storage boxes, which, in the case of a large family, can significantly save space on bedside tables and cabinets, and at the same time keep the things you need right at hand. In addition to internal drawers, the sides of the bed can be supplemented with shelves. As an alternative to the drawers, a pull-out bed can be hidden inside the sofa body, which expands the number of people sleeping at the same time up to four. However, such a solution is more often chosen precisely in the case of living together with children, and not for a separate nursery.
The differences also apply to the appearance. By shopping or searching on the Internet, you can find just such a model that fits perfectly into your understanding of a balanced nursery interior.
Materials
The requirements for any piece of furniture in the nursery are extremely high, since the materials from which they are made must be environmentally friendly and absolutely safe for the child, be highly durable and not cause allergies. In the case of bunk beds, the requirements are even higher here, since the load on the lower legs is expected to be extreme. That is why solid wood is rightly considered the optimal material for the manufacture of bunk beds with a sofa. Not any wood has sufficient strength; you should only choose beech, oak or birch. The cost of such an acquisition is quite high, but the costs are offset by the amazing durability of the product.
Particleboard is also a very popular material. The advantage of this material is a much lower cost and the ability to paint in any colors, which significantly expands the range of finished products. There is also a clear disadvantage - most of the cheap varieties of this material are toxic and pose a serious danger to humans. Metal and plastic sometimes come across as well, but they are not recommended at all. Metal, with all its compliance with the stated requirements, is too traumatic, therefore it practically does not find use in the nursery. As for plastic, it does not have sufficient strength, and it can also be toxic.
Manufacturers
If we talk about the manufacturers of bunk beds with a sofa, then the brand here does not matter as much as most other products. There are two reasons for this: firstly, furniture manufacturers, in principle, are not as promoted as it could be in other areas of production, and secondly, the type of construction itself appeared only a few years ago, so none of the companies can boast of a huge experience or the stunning width of the lineup. In this regard, it would be more correct to select not the best manufacturers, but simply those whose products are in higher demand on the domestic market.
The maximum attention of the Russian consumer is paid to domestic products of such brands as "NK-Stylish furniture", RV-Furniture, Linwood. This is largely due not to some extraordinary characteristics, but to a relatively low price - the low influence of logistics and relatively low Russian salaries are reflected. Products are also quite a budget option. Onder metal from Malaysia, a peculiar highlight of which is the use of wood species that are completely uncommon for our latitudes, such as hevea. Some attention is also paid to a German or Italian product, but such a purchase will cost much more.
When purchasing a children's bunk bed with a sofa, we recommend that you decide not by the name of the manufacturer, and not even by the cost. Pay special attention to the purely practical qualities and characteristics, which will be discussed below.
Tips for choosing
To spend money not in vain, but to buy really worthwhile furniture, listen to a few simple tips:
- Even before the selection stage, measure how much free space you are ready to allocate in the nursery for a purchase... When choosing a specific model, be guided not only by the folded size, but also unfolded.
- Often, buyers are guided in the market according to the principle “cheap means poorly done, expensive means good quality”. In the case of such furniture, this can lead to an error, since the final cost of the product is greatly influenced by the way in which the sofa is laid out. Determining the level of quality by price, compare only with similar models.
- When choosing truly durable furniture, consider not only the base material and upholstery, but also internal fixings, spacers and metal reinforcements, as well as a mechanism that allows the sofa to unfold.
- Decide in advance how many shelves and storage boxes you need and if you need them at all. The fact is that their presence increases the cost of the product, so if there is no need for them, you overpay in vain, and they will take up precious space. In the opposite situation, having saved when buying a bed, you will have to separately buy a bedside table, which will be more expensive, and even not the fact that you will find where to put it.
- It is necessary to instill an aesthetic taste in children from a young age, a tasteless interior is unacceptable in the nursery, so choose only those models that fit well into the overall design concept of the room.
- Particular attention is paid to protective restraints on the second tier and the stairs to it. Make sure that the child does not fall from above during sleep, and that the steps do not slip, and that they are strong enough and the distance between steps is normal for the child. The handrails on the stairs will also be completely useful.
In this video, you will find even more ideas for children's bunk beds.
