Shared Spaces: Bunk Beds for Kids (Reveal!)

Last week I shared our boys’ bedroom “before” photos, and explained our ideas for shared spaces.

Today I’m so excited to reveal the new bedroom look! With my partnership with Raymour and Flanigan, we put together a cleaner and simpler room!

Remember the before?

Well, here’s the “after”!!

Planning the new look

I did a lot of shopping online at Raymour and Flanigan because they have a virtual room planner app. It’s great to move around large pieces of furniture virtually instead of manually! ha!

But going into the store is a wise idea, too. You don’t get a feel for how large these items are until you see them up close. I worked with Mark, an experienced home furnishing consultant at our local Raymour and Flanigan. Talking to someone who sees furniture layouts and details daily helped me finalize my purchase.

I knew I wanted bunk beds to open up the floor space. We debated what style of bunk bed, because Raymour carries every configuration I’ve seen and then some: twin over twin, twin over full, full over full, and loft over desk to name a few.

We went with the twin-over-full bunk bed set with under bed storage. For me, that’s about as functional as it gets!

Function and form are equally important!

The boys are sharing the bottom bunk for now as neither are old enough to be safe on the top bunk just yet. By making the bed sideways, they sleep with their heads in towards the wall. I still use a side rail because they move around a lot in their sleep.

The under bed storage is perfect for extra sheet sets and all their pajamas. It just makes sense to store bed things under the bed!

Because we have so many windows and openings in the room, and small boys, I went with the six-drawer dresser. It’s easy for the boys to understand they each have a side for their clothes. I separate clothes by season or type making clothes selection a lot easier! (PS: I’m a big fan of knob-less furniture, I’ve just realized!)

I added a cushioned storage bench with a hinged lid – perfect for the lovely quilts and blankets gifted to the kids over the years. Also, handy for laying out the boys’ outfits for the next day.

My favorite piece in the collection is this awesome desk / hutch combo. Stuffed animals roamed wild around the room, but now they have a home! I took the nursery photos from the baby mobile and framed them for a slightly older “art” look.

I love love love how this desk opens up for computer storage for when they’re older doing schoolwork. My oldest boy said, “OH! I didn’t even KNOW that!” when I opened the desk up. So funny!

The kid-sized chair is a great fit for both boys even now, and I know it’ll still work for them ten years from now!

In fact, all these pieces have a timeless and transitional appeal for me. We opted for the darker finish and bunk beds that convert to regular beds, because we wanted flexibility for if we ever move and the boys have a room big enough to hold two beds. Or if they ever have their own rooms.

I’m so happy the boys have a simple yet sophisticated bedroom set to grow with them well into the teenage years and beyond, making it a great investment.

Some refreshing details

Did you notice the paint color has changed? Because we chose darker furniture, I wanted to brighten up the walls. We used Benjamin Moore Blue Moon to give a cool atmosphere.

For textiles, I chose simple green comforters, as it’s a basic color and style that will go well with their changing decor tastes. I sewed striped curtains for the windows to coordinate with the striped texture in the comforters.

The boys are VERY into dinosaurs. But little kids’ tastes change regularly, so we went with a dinosaur sheet set that picks up the blue walls and green covers.

A striped Yogibo caterpillar cushion will tie in the colors of the walls, bedding, and sheets, and provide a backrest when sitting in bed, or on the floor next to the bed (more to follow on that!).

You know I can’t resist crafting something in every room, right? In addition to the curtains, I sewed blue dinosaur print fabrics into a pennant flag banner to hang along the walls and windows! Cheerful flags to celebrate a new room look!

Like it’s always been there

The boys took to their new bed and bedroom easily. It’s the first time our 22-month-old has slept out of his crib, so this was a big transition for him. Other than a few times when he’s gotten out of bed, the boys mostly sleep through the night and are enjoying their new room.

Our older son even dubbed their bottom bunk “the boy cave!” And yes, they are up a bit later than usual at night laughing and singing and sometimes wrestling until we remind them to lay down. It’s fun to see them enjoying their new space together.

What’s your favorite change from the old room to the new?

To get this look and more, visit your local Raymour & Flanigan store, or visit them online at http://www.raymourflanigan.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Raymour & Flanigan. The opinions and text are all mine.