Built in bunk beds… A slice of Americana.

There is something about having built in bunk beds at a lake home full of kids….
it’s a true slice of Americana.
It’s a small sign that all is right with the world, even if just for a few moments. Kinda like seeing your parents dancing on the back deck to Sam Cooke, or the smell of a charcoals burning down on an old school Weber grill.
It’s just one of those little things in life that remind you how good life really is.

When we started the designs for this lake home renovation, we had drawings for adding a new bedroom to the existing house! Notice I said “had”. Unfortunately there was not nearly enough money in the budget to build on an entire new bedroom.

The Problem:

Folks, this shortfall is very common. Until you actually run the numbers on the overall cost, you just don’t know how big that number really is.

The truth is the homeowners have a total of 4 kids and needed more privacy and room for guests to sleep. They needed more BEDS not necessarily more ROOMS.

The Solution:

A lightbulb went off as we started talking about options and bed sizes. Luckily the homeowners were willing to compromise and we ended up designing amazing built in bunk beds in the upper level hallway, hidden by barn doors and tucked into the existing roofline/attic space of the house. Two super charming kid-friendly twin size beds were working into the attic space right off an existing hallway.

We built twin size platforms as bases for the beds, which needed no box springs, just a mattress on top. The platform allows each bunk bed to have its own personal built in storage below the mattress. Three full extension drawers were designed inside the platform and are accessible from the hall when the barn door is open.
Toys, extra quilts, sheet sets or even pajamas can be stored in these drawers which were 20” deep and 20” wide.

A 5” deep recessed niche approx 14” x 14”was built into the studs and sheetrock on each end of twin bed, and, just so at night, the kids have a space to set down books, eyeglasses or even an alarm clock if you need it.

Guys, if your trying to recreate this look here’s a list of the “ingredients” you need!

Sconces:
A modern round wall sconce is perfect for a kid-friendly space. Mounted over each recessed niche at the end of the bed, both sconces are controlled by a single switch inside the bunk space so the kids can turn the light on and off when they’re ready to go to sleep. We used two Hinkley Mercer sconces in a oil rubbed bronze. They retail for $89 each.

One super important designer note: If you’re using wall sconces in a kids bunk bed area, look for sconces that are more flush/flat to the wall. Kids jostling around on the bed, or abruptly sitting up in the bed, can accidentally bump or knock into wall sconces that project out on a arm into the space. In the long term, sconces that do not project out over the bed tend to have a longer lifespan, and not get scrubbed off the wall in a matter of weeks!

Coverlet: Use Italian army blankets for coverlets! Kids should be able to be kids at all times!! You want a bed coverlet that is durable, casual, and attractive. Whether the kids decide to build an indoor fort on a rainy day, or haul the blanket outside for a picnic and invite the dog to join, nothing beats the durability of a cozy Italian army blanket. You can buy these blankets off eBay or Etsy for 35-50.00. Gotta be honest… it’s amazing deal for kids bedding.

Pillows: Utility Canvas Quilted Euro Shams. These oversized shams are dyed canvas. They are machine washable and are the perfect finishing touch to an incredible built in bunk room. Available in 2 sizes starting at 54.00.