High sleeper bed buying guide

Ever found yourself tripping over toys, stumbling around the dressing up box or surrounded by piles of books while putting your little one to bed? We all know that space can be at a premium in children’s bedrooms – so how about a bed which offers extra storage space under a fun, elevated sleeping platform? Say hello to the high sleeper bed!

But what is a high sleeper bed? And how can you choose the perfect design for your child’s bedroom? Here, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about this ingenious space-saving bed design.

Our Modena High Sleeper Bed Frame with Desk and 4-Drawer Chest is perfect for making the most of smaller bedroom spaces.

What is a high sleeper bed?

You don’t get beds more space efficient than a high sleeper bed! Sometimes referred to as a ‘loft bed’, these clever beds are designed especially to free up floor space in children’s bedrooms. Raised up a bit higher than the standard bunk bed, high sleeper beds provide a cosy area under the sleeping platform for school work and play, and often come complete with integrated desks, wardrobes, chests of drawers or futons.

High sleeper bed frame

The most classic of high sleeper bed designs, this simple white-framed bed features a sleeping platform above a handy storage space – neat, eh? Great for bedrooms where space is at a premium, this bed allows you to utilise every square inch of your floor space by creating a cosy cubby that’s great for housing toys, freestanding furniture or a children’s play tent.

Our Modena High Sleeper Bed Frame is both affordable and stylish, crafted from sleek white MDF which can easily be zhuzhed up with some colourful statement bedding.

High sleeper bed with a desk

Great for older children who would like a quiet space to read, draw or chill out, why not consider a high sleeper with a desk underneath? The Modena High Sleeper Bed Frame with Desk is both functional and stylish, and provides a handy space for school work!

High sleeper bed with a wardrobe

Does your little one love dressing up, but you’re tight on storage space? High sleeper beds are excellent for housing chests of drawers, shoe racks or miniature wardrobes, which can help to free up space elsewhere. Our Modena High Sleeper Bed Frame with Desk & 4 Drawer Chest contains storage drawers plus a half-size desk which could easily act as a dressing table.

Bunk beds

Though not strictly a high sleeper bed, bunk beds are a novel and fun solution for children sharing a bedroom, and are a great way to make the most of bijou spaces. Besides, who doesn’t love sleeping on the top bunk?!

Our ingenious shaker-style Montana Triple Bunk Bed comes with a full-sized double bed on the bottom, with a single bed on top, making it perfect for a children’s room or a guest bedroom. And, should the need strike, the beds can also be separated out to a standard double and single bed – how handy is that?

What age are high sleeper beds for?

For safety reasons, high sleeper beds are only suitable for children aged 6 and upwards.

The beauty of a high sleeper bed is that it can be customised depending on the age and needs of your little one! For example, younger children may prefer the Modena High Sleeper Bed Frame, as the generous space underneath is perfect for housing toys and a play tent. Whereas teenagers will love our Modena High Sleeper Frame with Desk, which provides a space for homework or playing games.

And, with designs as cool as these, we know what you’re all thinking – are high sleeper beds suitable for adults? Most of the beds in our high sleeper collection are designed with little people in mind, with smaller desks and storage underneath. However, we have lots of other gorgeous bed designs on our website which are just as exciting! There are sumptuous upholstered ottomans, traditional sleigh beds, TV beds, Scandi-style wooden beds… the list goes on!

What mattresses and bedding can be used on high sleeper beds?

For safety reasons, it’s important to use a mattress which is of the correct size for your high sleeper bed. For our high sleepers, only use a mattress that is 1905mm long and 915mm wide.

The height of the mattress is also important. To ensure your child can’t roll out of bed, the mattress can’t be higher than the safety barriers. On our beds, the top of the mattress needs to be at least 160mm below the edge of the safety barriers.

When it comes to bedding, a standard UK single fitted sheet and duvet is perfect for a high sleeper bed. And our simple white bed designs mean that you can really go wild with contrasting prints, colours and patterns!

Are high sleeper beds safe?

When properly constructed and assembled, a high sleeper bed can be a safe and practical addition to your child’s bedroom. But it’s always best to have a thorough read of the safety and assembly instructions provided with your specific bed design.

As we explained earlier, high sleeper beds are only suitable for children aged 6 and over. To avoid any unwanted accidents, we recommend that children should never play on a high sleeper bed, and always use the ladder when climbing up or down from the sleeping platform. Also avoid hanging anything from the platform which is not designed for use with the bed (for example ropes, hooks or belts) and only use a mattress which is the correct size for the bed.

Also, when it comes to positioning your high sleeper bed, ensure there is adequate clearance from the ceiling, any overhead lights or other pieces of furniture.

Feeling inspired to revamp your little one’s bedroom?

Take a look at our full collection of children’s beds, from practical mid sleepers and bunk beds to single guest beds perfect for sleepovers.