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Choosing furniture for a teenager’s room in the face of a catastrophic shortage of square meters is a rather difficult task. In a small area it is necessary to place a comfortable and spacious sleeping area, provide a work area and a place to store numerous things. A loft bed for a teenager is a hit in the modern furniture industry, furniture that will allow you to competently organize a child’s living space with a limited area of the children’s room.
Pros and cons of a loft bed
The classic models, presented in the photo of a children's loft bed from numerous online stores, combine in their design a sleeping area on top and an area for games, school activities, and storage of things below. They may differ in size and appearance, but their main purpose is to combine two functions: to provide the child with a cozy place for a restful sleep and to organize his activities during waking hours.
There are many advantages of a children's loft bed.
Significant space saving for a small room. A two-tier structure, which combines a bed and, for example, a wardrobe, takes up less space than two separate pieces of furniture.
An original design can tell about the gender and age of the youngest family member, his interests and preferences. A loft bed designed in the style of a pirate ship or car will definitely belong to a boy, and decorative elements reminiscent of a fairy-tale meadow or a princess's palace will appeal to a girl.
Discreet decor and a computer desk with an armchair are suitable for a teenager. A mini-sofa with an abundance of toys will be preferred by a sociable child who loves to host friends.
Saving the family budget. Rather than spending money on purchasing a children's bed, a wardrobe for storing clothes and toys, or a desk, it is better to buy a functional loft bed that combines two or three pieces of furniture.
However, choosing this type of children's furniture does not exclude some disadvantages:
- a loft bed is not suitable for a child under 2-3 years old, since due to his age it will be difficult for him to climb up the stairs;
- it will be difficult for a mother to care for a sick child who is prescribed bed rest;
- even if all safety measures are in place, there is always the possibility of injury, especially with restless preschoolers;
- In the hot summer, sleeping upstairs is uncomfortable - even at night it can be too stuffy.
A loft bed is an excellent option for arranging a small room for a preschool and school-age child. But when choosing, it is worth considering all the pros and cons.
Model options
Furniture manufacturers most often offer three types of loft bed designs with a sleeping place on top:
- with a lower work area (table, shelves, additional lighting);
- with shelves and drawers for storing clothes, toys, books (almost a full-fledged closet under the bed);
- with play space (additional lighting, textiles, shelves, space for games and toys, as an option - a mini-sofa).
A children's loft bed with a work area is suitable for primary and secondary school students. With such a model, it is easy to organize a child’s time: a first-grader who is getting used to the school routine will be interested in spending time doing his homework, and a teenager who has been working too long on his next assignment can go to bed later without disturbing any of the family members.
A loft bed with a table is also suitable for preschoolers: among them there are many who like to draw, sculpt, design, and play board games.
A children's loft bed with a wardrobe is not only an excellent solution for caring mothers who care about order in the nursery. Young fans of quests and spy missions will be interested in hiding their secrets in boxes. At the same time, the benefits for the child are obvious: learning to carefully store your things and maintain cleanliness is necessary from early childhood.
A loft bed with a play area located in the lower tier has a lot of opportunities to organize space for free time. At the same time, drawers built into the steps can serve as storage for children's clothes or toys.
Fans of active games will love the mini-sports corner with a mat on the floor, a wall bars, and pull-up bars. By arranging additional lighting on the lower “floor”, adding curtains and throwing a few pillows on the floor, you can turn the area into a secluded house for quiet games. There are countless options for organizing a place for games; parents just have to take into account the interests of their baby.
A children's loft bed with a bed underneath is not a variation of a bunk bed. Rather this is the way:
- organize sleeping places in a cramped one-room apartment (children’s upstairs, adults downstairs);
- provide additional sleeping space for visiting relatives with children.
Instead of a bed, manufacturers often offer a sofa: it is suitable for a child’s meetings with friends and as a place to sleep.
Ladder
This is an important detail of a loft bed for children. It should not only be comfortable, but also meet all safety requirements. The steps come with different rungs:
- Thin wooden ones. This option is not suitable for children, as it is easy to fall from such stairs.
- Metal. Despite the strength, the crossbars are slippery, so kids will have difficulty climbing up.
- Wide slats. This is a convenient and safe option. The child’s foot will fit completely on the steps, which means he will not be able to fall.
- Full steps. This type of staircase takes up a lot of space, so there are drawers for storing things under the steps.
The slope of the stairs is very important for children. Climbing straight stairs is inconvenient. If there is a lot of space in the room, then for the safety of the child it is better to install a bed with railings.
Young children will definitely love the loft bed with a slide. The child goes up the stairs and goes down the slide. This design is very durable due to the reinforced frame. It is attached to the walls and floor, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your child.
Decor for girls and boys
Decorative finishing of loft beds is the main thing that can determine the choice of a piece of furniture for a child of a certain gender. Color, additional elements, shape suggest which bed to choose for a boy or a girl.
So, a children's loft bed for a girl will most likely be stylized as a doll's house or a fairy-tale palace. And children's loft beds for boys are often offered in the form of racing cars, sea caravels or spaceships.
When choosing, it is not necessary to focus on furniture for a child of a certain gender. There are many universal models.
With a little imagination, parents and their child can design a loft bed in their own style. This includes the color of the bed linen, the designs on the bed next to it, textile additions (curtains, pillows), and, of course, appropriate games and toys.
Choice of colors and themes
As for the color design and theme of furniture for a children's room, the flight of imagination of designers is almost limitless. The choice of colors often depends on the child’s preferences, as well as his age. For example, younger children buy furniture in delicate colors:
- Caramel pink;
- Light blue;
- Pesochny;
- Light green.
Such tones have a beneficial effect on the emotional state of the child and have a calming effect. For older girls, you can choose a loft bed in brighter colors. Interior items in scarlet, pink, lemon, and raspberry colors look impressive. Discreet and calm shades are suitable for older children: beige, olive, light pink, peach, blue. To prevent the room from seeming boring, you can add bright accents to the interior. These could be red pillows, a purple chair. The room will look interesting and original.
The most popular furniture themes for a girl’s room:
- Marine - white, red and blue design of a children's room is suitable not only for a boy, but also for a girl. Decorative elements for an attic bed can be in the form of a wave, an anchor;
- Fairy tales, cartoons - for a girl, an attic bed in the shape of a castle or a carriage from a popular cartoon will be a real gift. Furniture with carved decorative elements will become the highlight of the entire room. Loft beds made in the theme of cartoon characters are also popular;
- Natural motifs - they are often found in the design of furniture for girls. Flowers, trees, and animals can be depicted on the facades.
Original beds in the shape of carriages, castles, rockets, towers, due to their unusual design, can be quite expensive. If financial resources are limited, you can purchase an inexpensive loft bed in a neutral color and decorate the facades with stickers and drawings that reflect the girl’s interests.
In addition, while preparing children for school, you can place stickers and images of numbers, letters, and geometric shapes on the walls of furniture. Decorative elements are ready-made and can be purchased at the store. You can also make them yourself from plastic, fabric, paper.
Selection rules
When choosing a loft bed for a child, you should be guided by the principle of safety. The corners should be rounded, the steps should be wide, the sides of the bed should be high and located on all sides. The structure itself should not be shaky; all elements should be securely fastened.
It is also important what material the children's loft bed is made of. Ideally, it will be natural wood - an environmentally friendly, “breathable” material.
Considering that in a few years the furniture will still have to be changed as the child grows up, you can choose more affordable chipboard and MDF. The main thing is that the material does not release toxic substances into the air.
The height of the upper tier is best determined by the height of the child. If the model assumes a work area as the lower tier, then the student should not touch the bed with his head while sitting at the table.
For very young children, a bed located at a level accessible to parental hands is suitable, because a child who is fussy at night will need to be calmed down.
A loft bed for a child’s room is a universal solution for cramped conditions in an apartment. In addition, all children, without exception, like this two-story furniture - a place where they can sleep, play, study and receive guests will become the most favorite in the house.
What to consider depending on the age of the child
When choosing interior items, consider the following:
- Safety - all beds, cabinets, tables, shelves and decorative elements should not threaten the health of children. Before purchasing, you must carefully inspect all stairs, sides, and steps. They should be without sharp corners or roughness, only smooth, rounded lines. The height of the sides must be selected so that the child does not fall out of the bed during sleep. It is recommended to equip the stairs with railings;
- The stability of the structure - you must check the loft bed and all its components, cabinets, and table. Fasteners and connections must be reliable and durable. Otherwise, the child may be injured;
- To maintain the correct posture of the child while he sleeps, it is recommended to choose an orthopedic mattress model. This point is especially important, since the musculoskeletal system in children develops very actively;
- The height of the attic bed is selected depending on age;
- The material used to make the bed must be hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly. Interior items made from natural wood are considered the best. Also, furniture elements can be made of metal, plastic, MDF, chipboard.
A staircase located at a slight angle will be more convenient than a straight one. It is better to purchase a vertical model for older children.
In addition, the type and type of construction of the attic bed depends on the age of the child:
- Children aged 2-3 years - a bed that is placed at a height of approximately 1-1.2 m is suitable for them. These are the lowest models of all. Thus, it will be convenient for the child to go up and down the stairs. It is recommended to give preference to models with high sides and wide steps. All elements of the playing area must be equipped with durable fastenings;
- Children over 5-7 years old - choose a higher bed: 1.3-1.6 m. For a 7-year-old girl, you can set up a work area where she can study, read, draw;
- The highest model of an attic bed for a teenage girl is 1.8-2.0 m. In such models, more free space is freed up on the lower tier and you can arrange everything you need: cabinets, a transforming table, a sofa. Particular attention is paid to the strength of the structure and how much weight it can withstand.
It is possible to save space in the room, decorate the room, and correctly arrange everything necessary for the development and free time of the child if you purchase a bed set. The design allows you to organize a work and play area, as well as a storage system for clothes, books, and school supplies.
