Loft beds

Hi,
I have 3 1/2 year old twins and we were planning on building loft beds when they out grew their toddler beds. The timeline has been moved up since everything was destroyed in the August flooding here in Southeast Minnesota. We have been using a set of donated bunk beds that make both my husband and I nervous. It seems to be on its last legs. We were going to separate them into 2 twin beds when we move home but the more I have looked at their room, the smaller it seems to get. Granted we have a lot less stuff to put in it but I just think it will be too crowded with both beds on the floor.

I have known about this issue all along but last year came up with a great idea - loft beds. My plan is that each will have the space under his bed for 'his' stuff. It will be their personal space. The rest of the room and anything within it is 'community'. I am hoping to get a jump start on any future issues. I know it won't solve everything but I hope it will help. We cannot afford to buy any (though I have found some really cool ones) so we will need to build them. The only plans I have found are for real basic college-style lofts. I am looking for something a little more sturdy and more appropriate for 3 yrs but also will grow with them. I figured I will rebuild them in 7-10 years to be appropriate for teenagers.

I know there are a bunch of creative people out there (we have to be... we have twins!) so let me know what you have done or seen.

Thanks for your help!

 

I don't have any ideas, but I would encourage you to re-think putting 3 year olds up in a loft bed. Bunk beds even tell you that the top bunk isn't appropriate until 6 years old. I know one of my boys "sleepwalks" to the bathroom more nights than not, and I would be afraid that he would get really hurt in the top bunk.

 

I just wanted to agree with Sharon that I think 3 is too young for bunk or loft beds (at least it would have been for my kids...).

 

Actually I am not that worried about it. They have been in bunk beds since the Flood and take turns on who sleeps on top. Nobody sleeps through the night at our house and by morning all five of us are in one bed. They just climb down, walk to mom and dad's room and crawl in. I was worried the first few nights and was surprised to find they had no problems. They also know they cannot stand or jump on the top bunk and only one person is up there at a time.

 

I was really hot to get loft beds for my boys. Ikea has really nice ones: link to loft bed $149 (the twin is $149), but they were 2 inches too big to fit in the boy's room

I'm sure building them would be cheaper but you could get some good ideas from the beds on the Ikea site.

 

Patrick has a low loft bed from Jsyk that he loves. It looks very similar to this one

He love the slide & the castle type look. I love that there is space underneath for some of his stuff.

Google low loft beds & then click images & you will get lots of ideas.

 

Jackson has a wooden IKEA loft bed. DH mounted a good-sized wooden triangle in one corner underneath to make a desktop and varnished it to match the bed, and we found a matching chair. We added a lamp and a bookcase under there, and he has a great study area.

However, I HATE (and I cannot emphasize this enough) changing the sheets on that bed. We have regular-height ceilings, which means I have about 6 inches of clearance for my head when I'm on my hands and knees up there. In the summer, when the heat rises, it is almost unbearable to change the sheets. But Jackson's room is about 10x12, so without it, he'd have no study space.

 

We have loft beds for the boys & they are great space savers. The big problem is changing the sheets. I can't do it. Here is the set we got & my husband picked them up from the furniture store & assembled them himself.

 

QUOTE(Callen @ Dec 11 2007, 07:20 PM) [snapback]530071[/snapback]
Patrick has a low loft bed from Jsyk that he loves. It looks very similar to this one

He love the slide & the castle type look. I love that there is space underneath for some of his stuff.

Google low loft beds & then click images & you will get lots of ideas.



My 3 1/2 year old has one very similar to this (I just think the tents are a bit different). I was able to get it off Craigslist for $100! Do you have access to Craigslist in your area? You can get some great stuff from there! Good luck!

 

Here is a link to all kind of pictures of "low loft beds"
I'd say if they had/or your make the high railing that goes around you shouldn't have to worry about them falling out, unless they're wild sleepers or sleepwalkers.