built in cabin bed

kunekune

I'm looking to buy a cabin bed for my daughter. I'm having difficulty finding exactly what I need, and most of the designs would leave a pretty useless gap at the end of where the bed goes, and have furniture underneath that isn't really quite what she needs. I was wondering how expensive it might be to get a carpenter to build one for her. It would involve a full length single bed, with drawers and maybe a cupboard under (might try to incorporate some existing drawers we have) and, at the end in that pesky gap, a tall deep cupboard for toys. I'm assuming that if it needs a ladder one will either be built in or we can buy one. The beds at http://www.childrensbedcentres.co.uk are the nearest to what I want, but maybe by using our own drawers we can end up with something better.

Has anyone had anything like this done? There is no way we could do it ourselves. It's not worth doing unless it can be done for under £500.

ormus

i think you are going to struggle to find exactly what you want for less then 500 quid.
a skilled carpenter would probly want that in labour charge alone.
maybe possible to buy the bed etc off the shelf, and then modify it to fit. (say a days labour only).
even so, you are pushing that budget figure very hard.

beaker141

How about a bare mid or high sleeper and then put whatever you want underneath ?

http://www.thuka.co.uk/shop/catalog/category_64_Thuka_Maxi_Midsleepers.html

We have 1 high sleeper and 1 midsleeper that I picked up from ebay for about £50 each - a bargain when you see the new prices.

On the highsleeper the person we bought it from had made a small desk between the ladders and one of the supports, I'm sure a carpenter could make similar mods to your requirements ?

ClareEmily

Just a word of caution, my dad bought me a very expensive cabin bed, which quickly became the uncoolest thing ever, but because he had spent so much time and money on it I wasn't allow a proper bed until years later...boo sucks.

And I was always falling off the ladder and it was a pain to change the sheets.

A bed with girly things that can be changed as she gets older and a storage cupboard is my suggestion.

kunekune

That's all very helpful, thanks (especially ClareEmily!). My daughter is only 7, and she is very girly, and I am trying to think ahead but can't imagine her being a teenager, lol.

I did ask whether she liked the daybeds I've seen (there's no room for a separate sofa) but she apparently doesn't because what would happen to the cushions during the night. The site I linked to has a four poster that I like, and maybe it could be trendified with different curtains when she was older ... or would that still be potentially uncool?

It's a very strange shaped room - 3.81 x 2.21 but there is a massive great bulk head in the middle of the room, so it has sort of a big alcove on one side which is where the bed will be, and then a long narrow bit along the front of the window. The bulkhead has been turned into a wardrobe, so it's not completely wasted space, but it means that we don't have much free floor space, especially with the radiator under the window. There is only really room for a single bed, a small computer desk, a chest of drawers and a bookcase ... and that's pushing it. We have to fit spare bedding in there as well, plus all her toys, which being 7 she has a lot of. Hence trying to find a way of making her bed do double service.

I've looked at the bare midsleepers (she says a highsleeper is too high) and I do like the thuka ones, but they take a special mattress too, and ebay is awkward right now because we haven't moved in yet and don't have anywhere to store things meantime. Also, I don't drive and OH will not pick up. With new stuff, OH has firmly refused to do any assembly and says we have to buy from somewhere that does ready assembled or has an assembly service (though, since the reason DD needs a new bed is cos he put her last one together so badly, maybe that's reasonable).

I think the stress of moving is coming out in the form of stress about beds!!!!