We recently moved the kids to a new room, and decided to transition Jaren into a big boy bed while we were at it, especially since he recently learned how to climb out of his crib!
Since we plan on having the kids share a room for awhile, I wanted to get them matching beds that wouldn’t take up too much space. I focused on ones that were gender neutral enough for both a boy and a girl. These were some of the ones we looked into:
1. IKEA Kura Bed ($199) – I considered this bed for the longest time because it is a small, low bunk bed ideal for younger kids. It would have a small footprint in our children’s shared room. I went back and forth for a while debating about this bed, but decided to steer clear because one day my kids will not be sharing a room, and will outgrow this bed sooner than I would like. If I got them two separate twin beds instead of a bunk, at least their beds can transition with them to their future separate rooms. I also wasn’t sure how they’d handle who would get the top versus the bottom bunk.
2. Land of Nod Jenny Lind Bed ($599) – How can I do a twin bed roundup and not mention this bed? I love that it comes in so many fun colors! When I browsed Land of Nod in person, I found the bed to be really sturdy, and great quality. I also like the whimsical vibe that this bed gives off. Alas, at this price point it is just a dream bed, but I had to add it to the list anyway because I really do like it a lot!
3. South Shore Karma Mate Bed ($209) – I love that Wayfair has a section just for kids, so I can click there and browse for great deals catered towards my little ones. One reason I was drawn to it was the fact that it had curved edges so kids would be less likely to hurt themselves on corners. It was also pretty low to the ground, had multiple finish options, and built-in storage.
4. IKEA Sundvik Extendable Bed ($149) – I like that this could be made smaller or bigger as your child grows. It also comes in multiple, neutral finishes, and has a headboard that kids could lean against. The look of it actually reminded me of some Land of Nod and PBK beds, but at a better price point.
5. IKEA Hemnes Daybed ($299) – We actually DID go with this bed when we transitioned Noelle to a big girl bed for the first time. I liked that it had 3 sides, so it made me less worried about her falling off. The fact that its a daybed makes it great for future sleepovers, or as a guest bed. Another thing you can do with it is just pull the daybed portion out and transform this bed into a full bed for daily use. It also has 3 pull-out drawers, so there are storage options. However, my two cons with this bed is that it is high off the ground, so it makes it hard for a toddler to climb in and out by herself, and it has a large footprint. One other minor thing is that while having three sides is great for protecting a toddler, it makes making beds nice and neat a hassle (if you’re into that sort of thing, like I am!).
. . . . .
Easy in, easy out
After much deliberation, I went with the South Shore Karma Mate Bed, and I absolutely love it! First of all, assembly was a breeze, and it is really low to the ground as far as twin beds go, so the kids have no problems climbing in and out on their own. It comes with a 5-year warranty, so I felt confident the quality would be good even without seeing and touching it firsthand. I also preferred a bed with storage options because they have a pretty small closet, and no dresser.
I went with a white bed because I liked the clean, neutral feel of it. I figured it would be easier to pair a white bed with bold colored bedding and wall art based on their preferences. The kids are really excited about their new beds!
What factors did you consider when looking for a bed?
pomegranate / 3768 posts
Thank you for the post! I am looking at twin beds too and the one you end up choosing looks great! I like that you mentioned it’s low to the ground. I may just get the same one! :
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
we have the land of nod bed and it is classic, beautiful and very sturdy. one thing i would warn that it is a bit high off the ground and charlie has fallen off since we don’t use a guard, but you could easily add a guard. there is also a ton of storage under the bed so we keep all the legos and board games there!
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
We have the Kura. It’s great for my room sharing girls. When the kids are older, we’ll be changing room configurations and this should work great until they are at least 10!
apricot / 288 posts
That is a gorgeous comforter @Mrs. High Heels!
coffee bean / 33 posts
just went through this! My husband and I did some antique hunting and found 2 antique iron beds for my daughter. They are now in the process of being refinished and I cannot wait for the finished product! We found out that the antique twin beds are usually very low to the ground (about as low as a toddler bed) so with a mattress and box-spring they would be fine for her to climb in and out of. With them needing to be re-finished we found them for under $100 for both!! Im excited too because I get to choose the color
grapefruit / 4923 posts
thanks for the roundup! i am pretty sure we’re getting the kura. i hope my boys will share a room for a while (the other bedrooms are on a different level from the master bedroom, and maybe they will want that distance when they are 10?), so the kura should be a good space saving value for us.
pineapple / 12053 posts
@ahead: I found a beautiful full vintage metal but didn’t pull the trigger because it wasn’t the same dimensions as a modern full and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find a normal mattress and then spend $$$$ on some specialty mattress. I’m still on the hunt! I loved how low it was.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@dolphin: The kids love it! It’s nice because you have the option of headboard (with shelves), and matching side table and dresser too. I also like that the storage beneath isn’t too deep… it’s just the right amount of depth without needing to dig for stuff.
@Mrs. Bee: yes, it looked higher than I expected in store! What do you use for storage, or do you just throw things under the bed?
@Mrs. Jacks: I love the Kura and debated about it for a long time. All the Kura hacks out there look so cool! Did your girls decide on their own who got the top bunk vs. the bottom? Do they ever fight over one or the other?
@reyorra: Thank you! It’s from IKEA. My daughter tells me everyday how much she loves her “ABC blanket”.
@ahead: Nice! I do not have the skills to refinish a bed, but what a great deal! What color did you choose??
@edelweiss: I love that it has such a low footprint. I think bunk beds are so much fun, I’m sure your boys will love it!
pomegranate / 3401 posts
We bought the pbk Catalina bed for DD. I thought the price was reasonable plus it has a slat roll foundation so the box spring is optional! We are going without box spring for now to keep the bed lower!
coffee bean / 33 posts
@birdofafeather luckily they measured the same as a normal twin. I was so excited we found 2 so my dd can have one and when she gets older her friends will have their bed too.
@mrshighheels I chickened out on crazy colors and just went with an antique hammered dark bronze. Her room is light pink and gray so it’s very neutral. Just took tons of sanding and spraypaint but turned out amazing!
clementine / 806 posts
we got Paige a Madeline daybed from PBK with the trundle for guests,