Bunk beds are the epitome of our childhood dreams.

Reminiscent of summer camp, or big family vacations. Maybe you grew up on a bunk bed and don’t feel as excited about them, but you have to admit they’re convenient for space planning. And when you build them the right way, they’re totally luxurious.

We’re always excited when we get a chance to design a custom bunk room. We worked with our builders at Killowen Construction to give you the best tips and tricks when designing your own.

Build Basics

Let’s start with the basics! The spaces between each bunk should be about 40 inches, with the mattress next to bunk. If your ceilings don’t exceed 9 feet, it might be a little difficult to built a bunk with substantial space. For really high ceilings you can add built-in drawers or even a trundle bed!

These rustic white oak built in bunk beds are bright and youthful, with wire details on the railing as an industrial feature. We keep styling in each bunk room uniform and streamlined, so we use the same pillow and throw styling for each bed. It brings the space together and feels cohesive! We stuck with a gender neutral green, for the pillows.

It’s convenient for each bunk to have control over the lighting, so choose one with a switch plate. Think about how much the kids rough house and move around. You don’t want a light fixture that’s too ornate or fragile. We like to stay clear of paper shades.

If you have an open window between the bunks, it’s the perfect opportunity to add a window seat! We maximize comfort by getting custom cushion seating. Add throw pillows for bonus coziness.

We also had an opportunity to create built-in openings that could host frames, books, and more. Sure, they’re convenient but they’re also just beautiful, and tie in with the storage drawers lining the bottom of the bunks.

Think about the kids

This feels like a no brainer, but it’s important! Think about the safety and comfort of the people who get to actually enjoy the space. We start by using an LED lightbulb because they don’t get hot.

Outlets can be a polarizing topic when it comes to safety. You don’t want your younger kids playing with them or sticking anything in there!! But it’s also nice for the older kids to have somewhere to charge. Most new outlets have a tamper-proof safety feature, but you never know!

Be careful when designing rails for the top bunks— find the balance between high enough that the kids don’t roll off versus making the bunk look like a prison cell.