Here are a list of some of the most exciting loft bed ideas for low ceiling rooms. But first, we need to know more about loft beds because their designs vary and heights could depend on many factors.
What is a Loft Bed?
A loft bed is an elevated bed that looks like a bunk bed but doesn’t have the lower bed. Instead of the lower bed, a loft bed has free space beneath it allowing you to add other items such as a desk or a small couch. These extra features such as desk, couch or drawers can be built into the loft bed or they can be assembled separately.
In short, a loft bed is a bunk bed that has only the upper bunk but nothing underneath. If you’re still wondering what we are talking about, check the pictures below of a loft bed.
When you have a loft bed with storage, you may increase storage capacity in height rather than width. With a modest height of about 46′′, it will fit wonderfully in spaces with low ceilings.
Loft Bed Ideas for Low Ceiling
- White Solid Wood Low Loft
- A Suspended Low Loft
- Metal Frame Low Loft with Storage
- Low Loft Bed with a Tiny Tent
- Stylish Low Loft Bed with Extra Storage
Before you contemplate loft beds, make sure you know how high your ceilings are. The distance between the top of the mattress and the ceiling should be 33 – 36 inches, which implies your ceiling should be roughly 100 inches high, four inches more than a standard 8-foot ceiling.
Usually, the upper bed us surrounded by a railing to guard the sleeper from falling in case they roll.
The space below the loft bed is usually used as a work area whenever a desk is fitted there. So, the bed is easily considered the most home friendly furniture when the room space is small.
Just like a bunk bed, a loft bed has a ladder for climbing. Children love to show their climbing skills and frequently avoid the ladder. For more cautious adults like me, having a ladder is not a negotiable practice.
1. White Solid Wood Low Loft Bed
If you have very small children who are not yet ready for a high loft bed, this full size low loft bed is a perfect option. It not only has a low height, but it also has a larger sleeping surface because it requires a full-size loft mattress. All of your fears about falling are gone.
It is 48.5 inches tall, 80.5 inches wide, and 67 inches deep. It has front and rear guard rails, as well as an extra-deep step ladder, for enhanced safety.
This bed is built entirely of solid wood, is non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. You also get the luxury of choosing three different colors.
2. A Suspended Low Loft
This one does not even require a ladder.
But like other low loft beds, it utilizes the vertical space of the room that would otherwise be useless. The bed becomes even more fun if it has items below it.
Some of the beds even have bookshelves. Since the construction of a quality loft be may require built-in storage and other features, this type of bed is usually expensive compared to bunk beds.
3. Metal Frame Low Loft Bed with Storage
This low loft bed with desk and storage is ideal for studying, playing, and sleeping. It also contains a hidden desk that rolls out and a shelf next to the bed.
The coolest aspect about this low loft bed is that it allows your kid to divide his or her work space from his or her sleeping area. This is especially significant if you share a bedroom with other siblings. With a loft bed like this, kids may feel comfortable in their own room with their toys and belongings.
This sort of bed is suitable for children aged 4 years upwards.
It measures 49′′ H x 78′′ W x 47′′ D.
4. Low Loft Bed with a Tiny Tent
This beautiful low loft bed with slide and tent will bring your child’s imagination to life!
It comes with an under-bed tent that may be used for hiding, playing, or storing toys.
From the moment you wake up until you go to sleep, the slide will keep you entertained for hours. However, in the event of sleepovers with friends, the bottom space may be used with a twin trundle.
Its measurements are 43.25′′ H x 41.25′′ W x 78′′ D. The loft has a 28-inch clearance from the floor.
5. Stylish Low Loft Bed with Extra Storage
The final low loft bed idea is this one with dresser.
It is an excellent example of a practical setup. There is a dresser beneath the sleeping space. Dressers take up a lot of room, so this is ideal for parents who want to maximize their available floor space. There are also shelves for storing books, toys, and other items.
This loft bed has a reversible angled ladder with railing for easier access and additional safety, with total dimensions of 50.75′′ H x 68′′ W x 80′′ D.
Its extra-high guardrails will need a minimum of a 5′′ twin size mattress (no more than 11′′) and a maximum of 11′′.
Triple loft bed
As the name suggests, a triple loft bed is an arrangement where the bed has three bunks. The three beds come about due to perpendicular attachment of a bunk bed and a single loft bed. When a bunk bed is attached to a loft bed to form an L-shape, we get a triple loft bed.
Still not getting what we are talking about? Well, have a look at the image below.
Buying the best loft bed can be a complicated process. And if you live in a tiny house but still occasionally need to host guests in your home, it’s important you get a bed that allows maximum utilization of space.
A loft bed will save you much needed storage and working space.
What is the difference between a Loft Bed and Bunk Bed?
A loft bed only has the upper bed and underneath it is a space for additional features. On the contrary, a bunk bed is has both the lower and upper beds. However, both of them require a side ladder as a climbing precaution although some teenagers don’t really use them.
You might be interested in reading the different types of beds in our other article about the types and sizes of beds.
How tall is a loft bed?
Loft beds come in four different sizes. They range from the smallest Low loft to the tallest Ultra loft. Kid’s loft beds can be as short as just 50 inches all the way to larger types that measure approximately 76 inches tall.
This is the smallest loft bed. The Low loft measures 50.75″ high and 33.5” underbed.
This is the smallest loft bed. The Low loft measures 50.75″ high and 33.5” underbed.
This third size is called High loft. It measures 71’’ high and 52.5” for the underbed.
The ultra loft is the tallest loft bed. It stands at 76.5″ and 58″ for the underbed.
How to Build a Loft Bed
For a loft bed, I wouldn’t really recommend going the DIY because you will need a lot of cutting and joining. The risk of making a simple mistake if you’re not a qualified carpenter is high.
Besides, you’re going to be sleeping many many inches above the ground. We all know gravity doesn’t care. Your best bet for a safe comfortable sleep is getting a well-built quality loft bed rather than making one yourself.
If you want to go ahead and make a loft bed anyway, pick some useful tips from the video “DIY Loft Bed and Staircase Build.” by Alex Rosier on YouTube.
Are Loft Beds Good for Adults?
Loft beds are extremely great for adults living in smaller rooms because they provide extra storage space and desk option. The only problem I find with the bed is that some of the beds are too low and an adult can knock his/her head on the upper bunk several times.
Living in a house with kids can get messy. Sometimes, they jump on the bed too, a lot. And they don’t care whether their little feet are stinking dirt.
As an adult with a loft bed, you can easily prevent this ‘disaster’ of babies jumping on your bed all the time. They’ll get no chance to wipe their little butts on your bedding.
Another obvious reason why a loft bed suits adults pretty well is that you can avoid making your bed. Yeah, we all know the lazy type of guy who always jumps out of bed without straightening the bed sheets. If you’re one of them, you can do quite well with a loft bed because no one really cares about what’s up there. Of course someone might care but not your guests.
One may notice that the bed is not made but those everlasting wrinkles on the bedsheet won’t be visible.
Loft beds can be made in all sizes. If it is a queen loft bed, two people can still sleep on it comfortably. It will not fall.
Below are some of the best loft beds for adults.
The Cons of a Loft Bed
We have given all the praise loft beds deserve. However, that does not mean they are one hundred percent flawless. Check out the following obvious problems I find with the beds.
- Bad for rooms with low ceiling. If you know that being closer to the ceiling would annoy you because you constantly know your head, then that is something I would be concerned about.
- It is recommended that the mattress you place on loft bed is only 4 inches. That is bad new if you have a 7-inch mattress because it will fill up the tiny railing that guard the sleeper from falling.
- An adult is not as flexible as a teenager or younger child. A loft bed is not good for people who have joint problems.
History of Loft Beds
Regardless of how much we love loft beds, I have gone through many archeological records and historical archives to find out the first loft bed ever constructed.
Unfortunately, none of those resources have helped. So for, there is no particular person who claims to have made the first loft bed.
However, I have noticed that the beds go back to medieval times when bunk beds became popular among poor people who wanted to save home space.
The U.S. military then introduce bunk beds to provide sleeping rooms for thousands of soldiers who needed more space. From there, the beds became a mainstay in many homes with smaller living spaces. Creative people then tested bunk beds without the lower bunks and that is how we ended up with a loft bed.
The first major wave when loft beds became so popular was in the 1980s and 1990s because they were featured in many popular films and television shows. So, they became the go-to-bed of choice for teenagers who considered themselves cool kids. The trend still remains steady even today.
When we combine the sense of fun we get from a loft bed and its functionality, it is no wonder this type of bed is still a heavenly choice for many people regardless of age.