A bunk bed for children is a great way to organize a cozy atmosphere in a children's room, especially if it is not very large. This bed is liked by both kids and teenagers, it favorably distinguishes the nursery from the rest, it is a functional element of the interior.
Features and Benefits
Parents approach the issue of arranging a child's room especially scrupulously. The room should be comfortable, beautiful, safe and practical. A good choice of a berth - a bunk bed - helps to solve several problems at once.
The sizes, original design, configurations of such furniture are varied and will help to create a unique interior in the room for children of all ages. Its advantages:
- Saving space. Even if the room is spacious, and there is only one child in the house, it can free up several square meters, which will definitely not be superfluous in any nursery.
- Interior solution interesting for children... Unlike a one-story bed, this option can and should be decorated creatively so that it is both a decoration of the room and a playground for children.
- Functionality... A bunk bed is not necessarily only two beds. A bed on the second tier will save space below for a workplace, storage, play area.
- Benefit for health. The space under the bed is surprisingly convenient for arranging the first sports ground for a child. From sports equipment, a horizontal bar, a rope, a small Swedish wall, hooks and shelves for storing equipment can easily fit there.
How to choose?
Is a two-level bed dangerous - the question that parents first of all ask when choosing furniture for the nursery. The answer is negative. Such beds can be safe if several important points are observed when choosing.
First of all, when choosing a bunk bed for children, you must remember that the upper floor is intended for children from 6 years old. For kids, the lower tier with additional bumpers or cribs on the first floor will suit.
Secondly, it is worth giving preference to a solid, stable, sturdy construction that can withstand the weight of children, mattresses and active games... Particular attention should be paid to the location of the stairs - it should not be strictly vertical, and it is better to choose wide and non-slip steps. Handrails, which are comfortable to hold, add to the structure of reliability.
Another important point is the fence. A two-story berth should be equipped with sides higher than 20 cm, ensuring the safety of the child while sleeping.
Parameters such as height and length play an important role. The distance between the tiers should allow the child on the lower floor to sit comfortably without touching the top of the top. In terms of length, it is better to take the option with a margin.
When thinking through the design, it is important to avoid sharp corners, protruding decor, metal fittings.
So that the unusual, seemingly interesting to sleep, the upper tier does not become a bone of contention, you should pay attention to models with identical details and invite children to change floors, for example, once a week.
When purchasing a bed with two tiers, it is important to keep in mind the gender of the children. Boys are less capricious in color preferences and decor issues - the ability to move freely during the game is more important for them. Girls, on the other hand, will like flowing lines, decorative elements, delicate, powdery colors, and the availability of storage space for toys and knickknacks.
Varieties
Standard
The classic version with separate sleeping places, in the most laconic form, are two tiers with a step or a staircase. It is compact, stylish and safe furniture that is suitable for both same-sex and different-sex children.
With additional elements
A bed with a wardrobe, pencil cases, linen drawers, wall bars, stairs, countertops and other structural elements. They can be located both under the bottoms of the tiers and on the side of the bed. Some options are equipped with a whole dressing room, comfortable high shelves for storing clothes, books and toys.
Convertible beds
These are designs that differ in the ability to modify some elements.
Roll-out - two or three-tier version, where one tier is pulled out from under the other using a special mechanism on wheels. It is convenient because when folded it takes up a space equal to one sleeping place, and two children can be accommodated on it at the same time. This bed can also be used for three children. There are also built-on cabinets and shelves, stairs. Some models are equipped with drawers for linen and a table.
Sliding - a practical alternative to a regular bed, the "grow" option. The peculiarity lies in the fact that the berth can be moved apart from 100-120 cm to 180. This bed comes with a mattress with additional soft elements that "finish building" it to the desired length when the bottom is moved apart.
Foldable - a way to double-save space. The berths are not only located one above the other, but, if necessary, fold into a compact vertical panel. Moving mechanisms and folding parts are located so that they exclude the possibility of injury, pinching of fingers and are safe for children.
Folding - double bed, which combines the functions of a folding and a working area. The sleeping place is built in one movement into the space allocated for it by the wall or in the alcove, and its place is taken by the desk. An option is also possible where the bottom of the folded bed serves as a wardrobe during the day.
Modular - is a set of furniture, consisting of modules - independent elements. Optimization of the room space occurs by moving the modules. A set for a nursery may include one or more beds, a loft bed, a work area, a seating area, a table, cabinets and bedside tables, shelves and racks. Such furniture works great as a functional element in any area, for children from preschool to senior school age.
Collapsible the bed usually belongs to the standard version. It is convenient in that it saves space, and, if necessary, is disassembled into two separate parts.
By the number of people
They can be divided into doubles for two, triples and beds for 4 children.
For two berths, almost any option is suitable, but most often the classic is used. Three places are successfully combined in a roll-out bed, and for four children it is most convenient to put two mobile bunk beds. If the children are of different sexes, you can decorate the opposing beds with curtains.
With a cot or cot for newborns at the bottom
Suitable for a room where children live with a significant difference in years. However, this is not the most practical option. When choosing such a bed, you need to take into account many nuances: the age of the older child, how active he is, how his mobility in sleep and activity during the day can affect the younger, how to reconcile the regime of the preschooler and the baby, and other aspects.
Loft bed
A functional option for one child in a room with a small square. The bed is located upstairs, it can be combined with a working area, with a game complex, a sports corner.
Attics are the most convenient for creating original and unusual designs.
According to the age
For newborns
The concept of a bunk bed for babies from 0 years old is fundamentally different from furniture for schoolchildren and teenagers. These cribs have a higher level of safety due to the modified design. They are more compact, low, miniature. Equipped with very tall bots that provide 100 percent protection against falls, shelves and cabinets for convenient placement of necessary items, a changing table.
The tiers are located directly above each other through the gap or roll-out. These beds can accommodate two babies, or a baby and a child from 6 years old.
For child and parents
Option to save space in small and one-room apartments. Such a bed can combine several sleeping places, lockers, a work area, but at the same time it deprives the personal space of both the parents and the child.
For children of different ages
The lower tier can be safely used for children of two years of age or from 3 years old, the upper one - for children over 6. Before installing such a bed in a nursery where children with a large age difference live, one of whom is still too early to climb up, it is worth considering how there will be a division of sleeping places.
If both children are older than six, it is much easier to settle it by lot or order.
Models
Legend
Classic, low model with two parallel berths. 180x80 cm, height - 130cm, which is convenient for an adult if he makes the bed, and guarantees the absence of stuffiness on the second tier. On the bottom one there are two circular light windows. Stable, gently sloping staircase with four steps. Operational safety is ensured by the absence of sharp corners and the presence of shockproof soft edging on all sides.
Fairy Tale 10 (Legend 10)
A worthy purchase for a nursery. Two tiers, above the bottom there is a built-in shelf with two sections, under which there are spacious drawers. At the corner there is a four-stage shelving ladder with four shelves and doors. Also, the model is equipped with a soft piping on the sides. The sides can be interchanged, and the bed can be assembled both on the left and on the right side.
Leo
The original version of the loft bed with sleeping places 190 x 80 cm, where the lower tier is represented by a comfortable sofa that can be used as a guest area or a place to relax. There are spacious boxes for linen under the sofa. The bed is complemented by a wardrobe with shelves and a hanger bar, a pencil case for clothes. The colors of the ensemble can be combined at the request of the buyer.
Sonya
Comfortable and practical baby bed made of solid pine. The dimensions of the sleeping places are 190 by 80 cm. The model belongs to the modular type, which allows, if necessary, to disassemble the structure into two independent parts. High partitions and sides, streamlined shape, stable staircase, which can be located straight and at an angle, exclude the possibility of injury.
On request it is completed with boxes, textile elements, slide.
Nemo
Two-story sleeping composition-transformer made of laminated chipboard and MDF. Like the previous version, each tier, if desired, can serve as a regular bed. Three large pull-out drawers, metal ladder with wooden steps can be positioned on the right or left during assembly. Basic equipment does not include a stopper and a set of lower curtains, they are purchased separately. The dimensions of the berth are 190 by 80 cm, the side height is 36 cm.
Caprice
The peculiarity of this set is that the upper and lower tiers are not parallel, but perpendicular. The straight line of the staircase is smoothly rounded at the top and has 5 comfortable steps. Both berths are 190x80 cm, have 30 cm safety sides.
In the bottom of the lower bed there are three spacious drawers, and under the upper one there are shelves for books, toys, other little things, and a roomy wardrobe with bars and shelves. The bed can be plain or combined, the choice of combinations of 22 colors. Mattresses sold separately.
Design
The bunk bed makes it possible to get creative with the design of the bed. Based on the imaginations of a child, you can turn boring furniture into a real work of art. Boys will love the car bed, bus bed, castle bed, ship and other nautical design. You can arrange a themed room if the child is engaged in some kind of sport or plays a musical instrument.
Girls will appreciate the house, the princess's room in gentle colors, beds with curtains that imitate canopies, as in their favorite fairy tales.
For shared rooms of a brother and sister, you can choose a neutral design - a rainforest, the wild west, your favorite cartoon or fairy tale, the lair of the Indians.
Older children will love the loft, country, brightness and functionality.
Materials
The material from which the bed is made plays an important role. The use of toxic resins in production can negatively affect a child's health: from allergies to chronic asthma. Plus, poor raw materials will shorten the lifespan of the bed. The most common material for making furniture is wood.
Pine
Most of the models on the furniture market are made from this array. Slightly less common are oak and beech products. This material fully complies with quality standards and is environmentally friendly, durable, and durable. Pine children's beds are ergonomic, simple in design, suitable for boys and girls rooms. Depending on the gender of the child, you can choose a bed frame covered with colored enamel or varnish.
From laminated chipboard
Chipboard is a modern material in demand in furniture production. It is a laminated wood chip board. Differs in strength, durability, quality. Surfaces made of laminated chipboard look pleasant, they are used for a long time, do not require special care. The colored coating makes the laminated chipboard furniture indistinguishable from the furniture made of painted oak or pine.
Plywood
Sheet material is not used in mass production, but in the manufacture of bunk beds at home, with your own hands. Plywood is easy to cut into the necessary elements, the finished product will look no worse than the purchased one, and the plywood structure will withstand the service life until the children grow up.
Oak
A more expensive version of a wooden product. The service life of oak beds is tens of years. Such structures are reliable, strong, and resistant to various damages. Oak beds are most often painted in the colors of expensive wenge wood: dark shades of brown with an admixture of burgundy, purple, coffee chocolate.
Of iron and metal
The metal frame is reliable, durable, withstands not only children's weight, but also the weight of an adult. Iron beds are made from hollow tubes, therefore, having the same characteristics, they weigh significantly less. Finished products are covered with powder varnish, which protects the iron from rust, and can be painted in any color. Particularly popular are wrought-iron beds that are suitable for both boys and girls.
Dimensions
Standard options: 160x80 or 160x70. Exceptions are pull-out beds, but they do not exceed 190 cm in length and 140 cm in width.
Colors
The furniture market offers a wide range of colors. The bed can be a striking element - salad, raspberry, pink, light blue, blue, combined from several color blocks or a basic basis for decor. The most versatile, especially for rooms of children of different sexes, are models of neutral colors - lacquered wood, white, chocolate.
Manufacturers
Which manufacturer is better to give preference depends on the financial capabilities of the buyer and the reputation of the company.You can opt for domestic products, make a bed with your own hands, or purchase Italian products that have proven themselves in the market as a product that fully justifies the price-quality ratio.
There are quite a few firms specializing in the production of children's furniture. But among them there are the most widely known, familiar, and well-proven ones. On the market, they are usually recognized as roughly equal in quality and design. These are Fairy, IKEA, Ulyana, Chunga-Changa, Alisa, Velar, Gandilyan Betty.
These are the best manufacturers, and when choosing a bed for a child, it probably makes sense to first look at what they offer. It is very likely that their assortment contains products suitable for each.
With your own hands
To make a bed yourself, at home, you need a drawing or project of the product, material, tools, hardware, a little skill and patience.
The diagram should display the height, length and width of the frame, the length of the berth, the number of parts, fasteners. You can choose any material, and then start assembling. If you do not have enough skills in carpentry, you can order a drawing and parts from a master and assemble it yourself.
How to make a pine bunk bed with your own hands can be seen in the following video.
The cost
The price range is wide enough. So, the classic version of solid wood or laminated chipboard will cost much less than the original and unusual construction of metal or oak.
The starting price of a bunk bed is about four to five thousand rubles, the maximum value will be determined by the company, size, material and equipment.
Reviews
Parents' opinion on this matter is ambiguous. Some believe that the presence of a bunk bed in a children's bed is certainly associated with dangers and risks to health, others - that this is a great way to save as much free space for children as possible, and falls, bruises, fractures can be prevented if you explain to the child what exactly should not be done so as not to get hurt. On parental forums, one can find directly opposite opinions: “it is convenient, practical, the children are delighted” and “it is better to let there be little space, but no risk.”
Manufacturers, for their part, minimize risks by equipping products with soft edging, streamlined shapes, and protective sides.
Pediatrician recommendations
To buy or not to buy is an individual matter. Pediatricians believe that a bunk bed in a room can be dangerous, both during active play and while sleeping. The physiology of children's sleep is such that the growing brain tissue contributes to the fact that children see vivid, realistic dreams, which makes them more active in sleep, which, in turn, can result in a fall and injury.
To avoid this trouble, it is worth choosing a bed with reliable high sides and not allowing children under 5-6 years old to reach the second floor. There should be separate rules for playing on the bed.
Beautiful options in the interior
If the decision to buy a bed was nevertheless made, the next stage comes - the choice of a beautiful and practical option. Form and appearance are no less important than convenience and space saving, manufacturers take this into account, offering customers many interesting ideas. Now in stores you can also find multifunctional transforming beds that will help transform the space and beds combined with playgrounds, for example, in the form of a castle or a sea ship, and simply interesting combinations of colors, textures and fabrics.
Toddlers love bright colors, cartoon characters, beds with slides and ropes. Teens will appreciate models in eclectic or urban style, country and loft. And if there is no ready-made version, you can always contact a designer who will help you to realize any ideas.
How to arrange?
The correct arrangement of furniture in the bedroom is the most important issue. Especially when it comes to a children's room, because kids will not appreciate a thoughtful and stylish, but boring interior. Using original color schemes, interesting configurations, textile and decorative elements, you can create a cozy and comfortable room even in a small room. It should be remembered that a multi-tiered bed is often not only a place to relax, but is used for study and play.
An interesting option is where the sleeping places are located perpendicularly, and not one above the other. Beds in which the tiers differ in size look great.
It will harmoniously fit into a room with a non-standard layout and small dimensions by building in transforming furniture made to individual sizes.
In addition, the furniture sets of the new model are designed so that they can be placed not only along the walls. They easily and beautifully divide the space of the room into functional zones.
The bed may not be the main element, but an addition to the interior, the emphasis of which is on the original dressing room, unusual layout or painted walls.
