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Does it feel like you don’t have enough space in your home or apartment? Yeah, us too. The stuff of small humans just takes up so much space—and a kids bed is usually a pretty major furniture item and an even more major space-sucker. So, whether your kids are room-sharing (#apartmentlife), you want an extra sleeping option for sleepovers and visiting cousins, or you want a bed that does double duty as a play area / treehouse / you name it, a bunk bed can be a fantastic investment. But safety comes first, so we talked bunk bed guidelines with Dr. Lara McKenzie, principal investigator for the Center for Injury Research.
McKenzie, who works with the website Make Safe Happen, notes that while bunk beds can be convenient space-saving sleeping arrangements, there are an estimated 36,000 nonfatal bunk bed-related injuries each year. “Children get hurt in bunk beds playing or sleeping—these injuries are from falls, jumps, ladders, bed malfunctions and striking the bed,” she says, noting that bunk injuries are more severe than those related to conventional beds.
So if you go with a bunk bed, make sure you look at brands and styles that meet current safety standards—and rule out homemade or hand-me-down bunks. And don’t forget to check that the model you buy has not been recalled at recalls.gov; “There are a lot of bunk bed recalls,” cautions McKenzie.
Then, when setting up bunk beds, make sure there are guardrails on either side of the top bunk that are at least 5 inches above the mattress—and that have gaps 3.5 inches or smaller to prevent kids from getting stuck or falling out. McKenzie also recommends placing bunk beds in the corner of the room (and away from ceiling fans, obviously), so there are walls on both sides. “Discourage children from playing on or under the bunk beds,” she adds, also warning: Only one person on the top bunk!
To prevent nighttime falls, use a nightlight for those ladder-climbing bathroom breaks—and clear any objects from around the bed. Also, children under 6 shouldn’t sleep on the top bunk, period. Find out more about furniture safety with the free app Make Safe Happen.
And now comes the fun part: choosing a bunk bed that meets all those standards and is still somewhere your child will get psyched to sleep. Luckily, there are plenty of fun, elegant, fantastical and oh-so-safe bunk beds that will make you want to be a kid again—and will let your kids rule their room (and corner the sleepover market too). Read on for ideas.
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BJ’s Berkley Jensen Twin Over Twin Size Bunk Bed
Image Credit: BJ's Wholesale Club This strutctured twin over twin bunk bed converts into two twin beds to suit your preference, but the solid pine piece with beadboard accents is beyond sturdy vertically, too. Here’s the bonus: the Berkley Jensen bunk bed comes in twin over full size, too, in both white (shown) and walnut finishes.
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Better Homes & Gardens Leighton Solid Wood Twin-over-Twin Convertible Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Walmart The Leighton Bunk Bed is one of the prettiest we’ve seen. It’s crafted from solid wood and has sleek lines that go with just about any room design. The bed has horizontal safety slats and a four-step ladder that kiddos can easily climb. If the brown stain doesn’t match your design vibe, be sure to check out the bed in the black, gray, and white options.
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DHP Dusty Twin over Full Metal Bunk Bed
Image Credit: DHP Consider this Walmart find the ultimate Barbie pink bunk bed! It’s perfect for kids who love vibrant, fun colors or anyone who can’t get enough of the classic, iconic Mattel dolls. The metal bunk offers a twin-over-full design that gives plenty of space for sharing a room or sleepovers.
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Donco Kids Mission Bunk Bed with Trundle Bed
Image Credit: Donco Kids A minimalist mama’s dream, this bunk ain’t cheap, but it will stand the test of time—and look cool doing it. Add this gray color bunk, and you’ve got a chic kids’ room that will never go out of style. The bed has no frills or designs, making it an excellent option that will grow with your kids.
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Daury Twin over Full Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Wayfair This modern bunk bed is so easy to put together, thanks to its smart construction. The bottom features a full-size bed for your older kiddo and a twin bed up top for your younger child.
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Deer Blind Bunk Bed Loft
Image Credit: QVC. Bunk beds usually don’t offer much privacy, but this set is an exception. It comes with tent kit, which will add shades to your child’s bunk bed. The shades have mini-windows to look out of, which makes this bed set feel even more like a house.
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West Elm x PBKids
Image Credit: PB Kids. This chic midcentury-modern collab between decor favorites Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm is one bunk your kids will cherish all the way through college. Just look at that elegant matching dresser, too—this is a bunk bed for old souls if we ever saw one.
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Dorel Living Milton Junior Twin Loft Bed, Espresso
Image Credit: Amazon. This twin loft bed isn’t a traditional bunk per se, but add a twin mattress underneath and it transforms into one for when your friends spend the night. Then just store the mattress to convert the under-bed area back into a play space for your own kid.
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Max & Lily Bunk Twin
Image Credit: Amazon. This high-quality bed frame is made of New Zealand pine and boasts a nontoxic low-VOC finish that’s safe for your littles. Plus the low bottom bunk offers easy access for wobbly toddlers (and middle-of-the-night potty training).
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Powell Twin Over Full Jayden Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Powell. This stylish twin-over-full set is anything but an eyesore, thanks to its curved design. The shape is even echoed with the ladder.
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Pottery Barn Kids Secret Treehouse Bunk Beds Set
Image Credit: Pottery Barn Kids. Your kids will spend all of their time in this upper bunk, reading and make-believing. It comes in navy, white or brown.
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Donco Twin Over Full Campsite Loft Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Amazon. It doesn’t get much more glamorous than this “campsite” loft bunk bed that’s basically two beds and a treehouse and a playset all in one. Plus, the rustic gray finish will blend with your actual adult-house decor in a way that will last—and won’t make you want to replace it with something less garish when your kids hit kindergarten.
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Vogu Triple Bunk Beds
Image Credit: VOGU. For parents of three, this streamlined bunk bed system won’t take up too much space. It even has a built-in deck underneath the third bunk, which can serve as your kids’ study space.
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Crate & Barrel Adaptable Bunk Beds
Image Credit: Crate & Barrel. Short on space? This bunk bed set can be set up ontop of the lower bed or across the top or bottom, like shown in this photo.
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Costzon Twin Bunk
Image Credit: Amazon. This adorable bunk bed works with kids of any gender — and any room-design taste. Plus, it gets rave reviews on Amazon.
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Cabina Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Etsy. A minimalist mama’s dream, this bunk ain’t cheap but it will stand the test of time — and look cool doing it. Add that yellow-and-gray color scheme and you’ve got a Scandinavian-chic kids room that will never go out of style.
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Room & Board Fort Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Room & Board. The Fort bunk bed from Room & Board comes in beautiful colors like blossom pink and ocean blue. Further customize your duo by choosing a twin-over-twin size or a twin-over-double.
Bonus: The beds can separate for when kids age out (or just decide on a reorg). Made of sturdy steel, the fort bunk complies with or exceeds all safety standards.
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Harper & Bright Stairway Bunk Bed with Trundle
Image Credit: Harper & Bright Designs Be prepared for sleepovers with this Harper & Bright solid wood bunk bed — it has a pull-out trundle underneath! Additionally, it can be separated into two beds if you need to separate later on, and its staircase (with drawers!) can be positioned on either the right or the left side.
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DHP Twin-Over-Full Bunk Bed
Image Credit: Amazon This metal-framed bunk bed may look utilitarian, but it’s easy to dress it up (just look at that mauve bedding!). It’s also a perfect pick for kids who want an easy sleepover-buddy option — but the ability to sprawl out in a full-size bed for their day-to-day.
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