kids beds, which to choose?

chocdonuty

My dd needs a new bed, she quite keen on one of those triple sleeper beds but I just wondered are they any good and which is better, wood or metal?
I dont want to go for the cheap plywood type as they dont seem too sturdy.
Also I was thinking of either a normal bunk, a mid sleeper, a small double or a high sleeper, so many choices!
Dd is on her own in her room although will have 1 or 2 sleepovers a month
If you have one of these beds what do you think? And which in your opinion is best, many thanks, chocdonuty

gingin_2

I know it's been my experience and I have also seen many other say that the metal sleepers can make an awful lot of creaking noise. It was enough for us to dismantle Ds's after a short period of time and switch to wooden.

My kids have a single bed with a single pullout underneath.

daveyjp

M&S were by far the best we looked at. Very sturdy, well finished, but not as stupidly priced as Thuka, Stompa etc. They delivered, put it together and took all the packaging.

Alikay

I agree with gingin about the creaking that the metal ones make. Also the high beds are a pain to make, and even though they only take up the same floor space as a low bed, access is restricted around them as the sides prevent you opening wardrobes, drawers so easily IYSWIM.

I think the ones with the pullout sleepover bed are way more convenient for occasional guests.

kingfisherblue

One of my sons has this bed:

http://www.dreams.co.uk/kinder-midsleeper-natural/

And the other has this one:

http://www.dreams.co.uk/hampshire-midsleeper/

They chose their own beds from a selection that I had previously made. They both came from Dreams, and I paid £50 each for them to be assembled for me - well worth it IMO.

The first is much more versatile. The desk moves in and out easily, and the furniture underneath can be moved to fit in with your own needs. The second has a desk which moves easily, but because it swings out by 90 degrees, it means that you need more floorspace. Also, the chair is small, but handy with storage under the seat. It wouldn't suit a tall child though. the steps are a narrow metal, which wouldn't suit all children.

The boys have had the beds about two years now, and no problems. If I was buying again, though, I would probably get both boys the first bed even though it is more expensive.

beautiful_ravens

I have a metal mid sleeper for my DD2, no creaking so far, I got it recently from tesc@, the sort with the curtains around, less than 100 quid. She got blue curtains - I dont know why you can only get blue or pink curtains, I would have liked yellow or green...but they look easily made [tab tops with velcro on the tabs] Anyway, there is room under there for floor sleepovers.

My DD1 has had a pine highsleeper for a few years now which creaks loads! The pine high sleepers seem more wobbly.

I like the midsleeper better due to the height - I dont have to stand on the steps to read stories and give goodnight kisses, and changing the bed is slightly easier.

meeps

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7387788/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+and+furniture%7C14417894/c_2/2%7C14417894%7CChildren%27s+furniture%7C14418110/c_3/3%7Ccat_14418110%7CChildren%27s+beds%7C14418119.htm

my son has had this for a couple of years, took a few hours to put together but it is solid as a rock, which does mean I haven't pulled it out to clean behind! We filled up the desk space with other stuff and leave the desk out.

shortdog

My daughter had a high sleeper, which I got rid of because I hated climbing up on it to make it, tuck her in, etc, and the last straw was the night she was feeling ill, leaned over the edge of the bed to talk to me, and vomited. She went into a mid sleeper after that, which we sold a few weeks ago, as she was too old for it, and I replaced it with a single bed, and a basic sofa bed. It's given her a sofa to sit on to read and watch TV, a double bed for when she has a friend round to stay, and we got change from £150 for them both. Much cheaper than the other options we were looking at, and she loves her new room. However, the advantage my daughter has is that her room is huge.

balletshoes

How old is your DD OP, and do you think you'll need to change her bed again as she gets older?

My DD is also after changing her bed, luckily she has a double bedroom so she has a few options. After looking at high beds with futons underneath, triple sleepers, beds with rollout guest beds etc, cabin beds etc, she's chosen a simple double bed in the end! She's 11 though, and I don't expect to have to change her bed again (she's had her single wooden bed for 8 years and its still going strong).

julie03

i hate bunkbeds, the top bunk is a nightmare to change

dizziblonde

Alikay wrote: »

I agree with gingin about the creaking that the metal ones make. Also the high beds are a pain to make, and even though they only take up the same floor space as a low bed, access is restricted around them as the sides prevent you opening wardrobes, drawers so easily IYSWIM.

I think the ones with the pullout sleepover bed are way more convenient for occasional guests.

The high beds - well I'm very very good at Ikea construction and it's the only bit of flat pack furniture ever to get me so angry that I nearly gave up on it. My brother had one, slightly over estimated the ceiling height in his room and ended up with less than a foot nose clearance... it didn't last long!