Best of the Week: 30 Built-In Bedroom Ideas for Kids
Space-savvy built-ins can be a lifesaver if your child has a small room – we've gathered together 30 favourites
Georgia Madden
1 March 2019
If you’re struggling to fit all the elements your growing child needs into their bedroom – such as storage, chill-out space, a study area and somewhere for a friend to sleep over – a creative solution might be called for. Enter the built-in – custom furniture designed to make the most of every centimetre you have. Here are 30 brilliant built-ins from kids’ rooms around the world.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
1. Location: Barcelona, Spain
Designer: Susanna Cots
Features: A bed on a platform with oodles of drawers beneath it, and a nifty pull-out desk that slides away when it’s needed. Brilliant use of a small space.
Designer: Susanna Cots
Features: A bed on a platform with oodles of drawers beneath it, and a nifty pull-out desk that slides away when it’s needed. Brilliant use of a small space.
2. Location: New York, USA
Designer: Christopher Burns Interiors
Features: With some clever space planning, the owners have managed to squeeze in a desk, storage and two beds along just one section of wall.
Designer: Christopher Burns Interiors
Features: With some clever space planning, the owners have managed to squeeze in a desk, storage and two beds along just one section of wall.
3. Location: New York, USA
Designer: J.P. Franzen Associates Architects
Features: Here, the designers have highlighted the form of an interesting ceiling, while providing storage for a vast collection of children’s books by turning an entire wall into a library and painting it a feature colour.
Designer: J.P. Franzen Associates Architects
Features: Here, the designers have highlighted the form of an interesting ceiling, while providing storage for a vast collection of children’s books by turning an entire wall into a library and painting it a feature colour.
4. Location: New York, USA
Designer: Chango & Co
Features: A light-bathed window and a sweet little study nook. Charming.
Designer: Chango & Co
Features: A light-bathed window and a sweet little study nook. Charming.
5. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Fido Projects
Features: A side-by-side bed set-up for a shared kids’ room provides each mini-resident with privacy, storage and a display area – and all without sacrificing precious floor space…
Designer: Fido Projects
Features: A side-by-side bed set-up for a shared kids’ room provides each mini-resident with privacy, storage and a display area – and all without sacrificing precious floor space…
…And here’s another clever built-in idea in the same home: elevating this chest of drawers off the ground maximises floor space and makes the room feel more spacious.
6. Location: New York, USA
Designer: Chango & Co
Features: Generous drawers beneath this window seat provide storage for those large toys that can be difficult to store on shallow shelves, such as boxed games.
Designer: Chango & Co
Features: Generous drawers beneath this window seat provide storage for those large toys that can be difficult to store on shallow shelves, such as boxed games.
7. Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Designer: Lydia Maskiell Interiors
Features: A genius built-in design with space to hang clothes, nifty wall hooks and a funky, cubby-shaped desk.
Designer: Lydia Maskiell Interiors
Features: A genius built-in design with space to hang clothes, nifty wall hooks and a funky, cubby-shaped desk.
8. Location: Austin, USA
Designer: CG&S Design-Build
Features: A spiral slide built into a bedroom? Yes please.
Designer: CG&S Design-Build
Features: A spiral slide built into a bedroom? Yes please.
9. Location: Rome, Italy
Features: No space for drawers? Consider putting in a raised platform, such as this one, with storage in the base.
Features: No space for drawers? Consider putting in a raised platform, such as this one, with storage in the base.
10. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: BuildHer Collective
Features: Sticking to a subtle colour palette of pale grey, blonde timber and sea foam prevents the built-in storage from dominating this child’s bedroom.
Designer: BuildHer Collective
Features: Sticking to a subtle colour palette of pale grey, blonde timber and sea foam prevents the built-in storage from dominating this child’s bedroom.
11. Location: Seattle, USA
Designer: Eclectic Kids
Features: A reading nook carved into a recess in the wall adds a little touch of magic here.
Designer: Eclectic Kids
Features: A reading nook carved into a recess in the wall adds a little touch of magic here.
12. Location: Gordon, NSW
Designer: Pride and Passion
Features: A cubby under the stairs complete with blackboard and cool lighting – which child (or grown-up) could resist?
Designer: Pride and Passion
Features: A cubby under the stairs complete with blackboard and cool lighting – which child (or grown-up) could resist?
13. Location: Byron Bay, NSW
Designer: The Designory
Features: Generous built-in bunk beds and a space-enhancing palette of white and pale-grey allow this small bedroom to accommodate several children without feeling overly cramped. Also note the stairs to the upper bunk – a far sturdier choice than a wobbly ladder…
Designer: The Designory
Features: Generous built-in bunk beds and a space-enhancing palette of white and pale-grey allow this small bedroom to accommodate several children without feeling overly cramped. Also note the stairs to the upper bunk – a far sturdier choice than a wobbly ladder…
…Here’s another view of those brilliant bunks.
14. Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Designer: Thirdson Construction
Features: That built-in bench offers ample storage and a well-lit spot to read and play.
Designer: Thirdson Construction
Features: That built-in bench offers ample storage and a well-lit spot to read and play.
15. Location: Washington, USA
Designer: Alair Homes Arlington
Features: If your child’s room is long and narrow, a slender bunk design such as this one can be a great way to incorporate two beds and plenty of storage, while keeping the rest of the room free for play and relaxation.
Designer: Alair Homes Arlington
Features: If your child’s room is long and narrow, a slender bunk design such as this one can be a great way to incorporate two beds and plenty of storage, while keeping the rest of the room free for play and relaxation.
16. Location: New York, USA
Designer: Chango & Co
Features: Using an entire wall of your older child’s room for a desk and storage can be a smart long-term investment as they spend less time playing and more time studying (or at least, that’s the intention). This one features two desk lamps so your child and a friend or tutor can work side-by-side.
Designer: Chango & Co
Features: Using an entire wall of your older child’s room for a desk and storage can be a smart long-term investment as they spend less time playing and more time studying (or at least, that’s the intention). This one features two desk lamps so your child and a friend or tutor can work side-by-side.
17. Location: Salt Lake City, USA
Designer: Studio McGee
Features: A soft, faded palette of blonde timber and pale grey makes these sturdy bunk beds recede into the background. We love the little punches of black in the pendant light and balustrade-netting detail.
Designer: Studio McGee
Features: A soft, faded palette of blonde timber and pale grey makes these sturdy bunk beds recede into the background. We love the little punches of black in the pendant light and balustrade-netting detail.
18. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: S&K Group
Features: Open and closed storage inside the steps of this bunk bed provide the perfect spot for books, toys and clothing…
Designer: S&K Group
Features: Open and closed storage inside the steps of this bunk bed provide the perfect spot for books, toys and clothing…
…Here’s another view of that space-smart built-in.
19. Location: Toronto, Canada
Designer: Palmerston Design Consultants
Features: Craft stations can get messy – why not do as the owners of this home have done, and conceal the area behind sliding barn doors when you need to.
Designer: Palmerston Design Consultants
Features: Craft stations can get messy – why not do as the owners of this home have done, and conceal the area behind sliding barn doors when you need to.
20. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Clancy Constructions
Features: Handleless matt-grey cabinetry, timber edging and a few open display shelves – this joinery is almost too cool for school.
Designer: Clancy Constructions
Features: Handleless matt-grey cabinetry, timber edging and a few open display shelves – this joinery is almost too cool for school.
21. Location: Moscow, Russia
Designer: GAFA Architects
Features: An L-shaped built-in manages to incorporate a bed, storage, display area and desk – all in one.
Designer: GAFA Architects
Features: An L-shaped built-in manages to incorporate a bed, storage, display area and desk – all in one.
22. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Simon Couchman Architects
Features: Positioning storage at your child’s level makes it far easier for them to use. We’re also loving how this built-in bookshelf follows the angles of the roofline to create an eye-catching feature.
Designer: Simon Couchman Architects
Features: Positioning storage at your child’s level makes it far easier for them to use. We’re also loving how this built-in bookshelf follows the angles of the roofline to create an eye-catching feature.
23. Location: Boston, USA
Designer: Oak Hill Architects
Features: A cosy reading nook in pale grey and berry red. Irresistible.
Designer: Oak Hill Architects
Features: A cosy reading nook in pale grey and berry red. Irresistible.
24. Location: London, UK
Designer: Finch London
Features: Painting the rear wall in a soft sage green provides a grounding touch to this white-and-timber inbuilt set-up.
Designer: Finch London
Features: Painting the rear wall in a soft sage green provides a grounding touch to this white-and-timber inbuilt set-up.
25. Location: Baltimore, USA
Designer: Smithouse
Features: Suspending the upper bed from the ceiling makes it appear to float in mid-air. Which teen wouldn’t be impressed?
Designer: Smithouse
Features: Suspending the upper bed from the ceiling makes it appear to float in mid-air. Which teen wouldn’t be impressed?
26. Location: Montana, USA
Designer: Peace Design
Features: Bunk beds in a nook – what could be more fun on a sleepover?
Designer: Peace Design
Features: Bunk beds in a nook – what could be more fun on a sleepover?
27. Location: Dallas, USA
Designer: Blume Architecture
Features: Positioning these feature bunk beds on either side of the doorway creates a sweet little entrance to the room.
Designer: Blume Architecture
Features: Positioning these feature bunk beds on either side of the doorway creates a sweet little entrance to the room.
28. Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Designer: Angus Cowan Constructions
Features: Built-in furniture can feel heavy in a small room. Here, the owners have chosen a palette of white and pale oatmeal for the cupboard and desk to keep the area feeling bright and airy.
Designer: Angus Cowan Constructions
Features: Built-in furniture can feel heavy in a small room. Here, the owners have chosen a palette of white and pale oatmeal for the cupboard and desk to keep the area feeling bright and airy.
29. Location: Charleston, USA
Designer: Onyx Design Collaborative
Features: With double beds on the bottom and single beds on top, this guest room has space for both kids and grown ups.
Designer: Onyx Design Collaborative
Features: With double beds on the bottom and single beds on top, this guest room has space for both kids and grown ups.
30. Location: Sussex, UK
Designer: The Vawdrey House
Features: Painting the wall behind these built-in shelves in different colours adds a playful touch.
Tell us
Which of these ideas impress you the most? Tell us in the Comments and don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Did you miss last week’s Best of the Week? Catch up here with Best of the Week: 32 Practical Bathroom Set-Ups
Designer: The Vawdrey House
Features: Painting the wall behind these built-in shelves in different colours adds a playful touch.
Tell us
Which of these ideas impress you the most? Tell us in the Comments and don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Did you miss last week’s Best of the Week? Catch up here with Best of the Week: 32 Practical Bathroom Set-Ups
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Love numbers 2 and 3
Beautiful!