Lofts in Kids Rooms

Dimensions

• Ten-foot ceilings are ideal if you want enough headroom for a child to stand up on her bed. Loft beds can be as high as 7 feet off the ground. If the ceiling is too low, your child could constantly bump his head just by waking up in the morning. Depending on the method in which you arrange the bed and the ladder, you may need to account for the ladder to extend out for as much as five feet into the room.

Underneath the Bed

• There is ample space for either storage or furniture underneath the loft bed. You can add a desk for doing homework underneath the bed or a wardrobe closet if the room doesn't have a lot of room for storage. You can also use it to store the child's games and toys. You can even tent the area underneath the loft for your child's secret hideaway.

Safety

• There is always concern when your child has to climb up a ladder. If your child moves around a lot while sleeping, you want to be sure he doesn't roll out of bed and tumble seven feet to the floor below. To address this concern, add guard rails to the bed. Test the ladder with your own weight to make sure that it's sturdy. If you put anything underneath the loft bed, add extra support beams underneath the bed to ensure security.

Nontraditional Designs

• Loft beds are so popular for children that there are thousands of design choices and shapes. You can buy a sleeping loft that is built like a castle or pirate ship, or one built with a slide for a quick way down. For younger children, you can buy sleeping lofts that aren't as high off the ground -- as low as three or four feet. Some come with storage drawers or desks and storage space built into the underneath space. Color choices are virtually endless, and you can buy a loft bed designed for either boys or girls.