The Best Bunk Beds for Kids That Even Adults Can Appreciate

Finding the best bunk beds for kids may sound like an innocent task, but there’s more to it than you think. While the finished product exudes fun, there’s more to consider, particularly when it comes to safety. We spoke to expert designers with real-life experience (a.k.a. with kids!) to help paint a better picture of what you should be looking for when sourcing your pick.

Ahead, you’ll find some best-selling, expert-approved bunk bed options that hit all budgets to help set up the coolest kid bedroom ever, along with answers to FAQs from professionals on some of the biggest bunk bed quandaries.

Our Top Picks for the Best Bunk Beds:

Best Twin Over Full

Abridged White Glaze Wood Twin Over Full Bunk Bed

If you have a little more floorspace to spare, a twin-over-full style can accommodate a bigger brood. Sleek and sculptural, this is a design you won’t feel tempted to ditch the moment your kid outgrows a twin-size bed. The best part? The minimal silhouette and color palette means it won’t clash with an ever-changing room theme. The concealed ladder gives it an unexpectedly design-y touch for a child’s bed, and the overall structure looks the tiniest bit Brutalist and has a mature quality that’ll grow up with them.

Best Design

Veronika Bamfield—founder of Doma Design and mother of three—names this as one of her all-time favorite bunk beds for a number of reasons. “You can get a matching trundle bed, which is awesome if you need to accommodate three kids, or as an extra sleeping space for sleepovers,” she says. “It also has a neat matching shelving unit that attaches to the bed. It’s simple, minimalist, and sustainably made in Europe.” For those looking to introduce a minimalist and Scandi foundation to a kid’s room (a nice backdrop to the imminent mess), this is a great pick.

Most Camp-Like Bunk

Twin Full Bolles Kids Bunk Bed

This Harriet Bee pick screams classic Americana. Anchored by a space-saving set of storage drawers, the high-quality pine wood construction of this bunk bed supports up to 400 pounds on each bunk. Plus, the angled ladder makes it super easy to climb into the upper sleeping space. You’ll be thanking yourself later for a couple extra drawers, especially when last-minute guests are crashing and your little angel has far from finished the task of cleaning their room.

Safest Climb

Max & Lily Staircase Bunk Bed

Staircase bunk beds are just cute, there’s no getting around that. The other perk? They add a safer way to climb to the upper bunk. Hidden storage cubbies and substantial guard rails add more practicality to the playful silhouette. This design comes in five colors and, at just 50 inches tall, is especially great for rooms with low ceilings. The wraparound ladder gives a traipse to the top bunk a real sense of occasion, as bedtime for a little one often feels.

Most Minimalist

If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind swapping solid wood for a metal bunk bed, take a look at this twin-over-double bunk bed. With more than 4,500 reviews (averaging 4.5 stars out of 5), the construction is stable and the mattresses sit on top of sturdy metal slats. The metal frame is simple and sleek, meaning your sleepers won’t age out of the design within months.

Best Tree House Style

Pottery Barn Tree House Twin-Over-Twin

This, right here, is the wood bunk bed of so many kids’ dreams. It’s imaginative, evoking days of playing dress up and house. “It’s something to inspire play,” says Bamfield, “but it requires sufficient ceiling height so may not work for every bedroom.” This is to say, check your measurements and then get excited. It comes in three colors (white, brushed grey, and weathered navy) and doesn’t lean too hard into the theme—the minimal silhouette will stand the test of time.

More AD-Approved Bunk Beds

This is a bunk bed fit for the main character. For an aspiring royal (or two), this Regency style fits the bill exactly, with a cascading staircase, sturdy poplar base painted soft white, classic molding, and golden drawer pulls for added effect. For crafting a sleepover situation to remember, this is the ticket.

Sometimes buying into the bunk bed lifestyle isn’t about having two beds—there are plenty of things to be done with the space that’s saved when you loft a bed. This design from IKEA is tried and true, transforming the under-bed space into a workstation with tons of extra storage.

So how many types of bunk beds are there, really?

The answer to this question is actually quite complex. “These days, there are so many variations of bunk beds, from full size to twin size, to bunks that are technically loft beds with room for a kid lounge or desk underneath, to bunk beds where the bottom bed sits perpendicular to the upper bunk,” says Noz Nozawa, the interior designer behind San Francisco–based Noz Designs who’s no stranger to playful bedroom setups (just take a peek at the kids room in this Menlo Park family home and the unforgettable bunk bed in this Japanese-style tree house). “Besides this, there are sleek modern bunk beds, traditional bunk beds, bunks that look like they belong in a log cabin for summer school, and fully-custom-built-into-a-room limitless options,” says Nozawa.

There are a lot of ways you can go. Bamfield has one big piece of advice: “There’s a whole realm of beds that mimic castles, playgrounds, tree houses…but in my opinion [are] not as pretty or neutral, as they may grow out of that phase quickly,” she shares. “From there, it’s just a super specific—and probably expensive—bed that kills the vibe because they are no longer into princesses and forts.”

Are custom bunk beds a good investment?

It really comes down to your budget and how long you plan on making the bunk bed the focal point of the room. As a design element, bunk beds can work extra hard in small spaces—but it’s also going to be more expensive than purchasing a premade design. “I’m very biased here, but custom is always my favorite version of a bunk bed,” Nozawa says. “The beauty of a custom bunk is that—especially in guest rooms or secondary bedrooms that might be smaller or more awkwardly shaped—you can configure a built-in solution that maximizes the utility (and beauty!) of that room.”

Another reason to look into a custom bunk bed design? If what you’re looking for might not exist, especially if you’re working with a specific nook or a certain design style. “Arches are a big hit, and up until recently there really wasn’t an arched bunk bed on the market,” Bamfield says. “I’ve seen a few custom ones.” But passing trends aren’t the only call for a custom design—you can even incorporate some of your little sleeper’s favorite daytime activities into the space. “Sometimes people incorporate a climbing wall into their bunk bed, to satisfy little climbers,” Bamfield says. Sign us up.

What should people keep in mind when choosing bunk beds?

First and foremost, think about safety. “Read the reviews and look at the spec sheet,” says Bamfield. Specific things to look out for in the reviews: Is it stable or shaky? What’s the weight limit? Is the ladder secure and safe? Does the top bunk have a tall enough guardrail (ideally on all sides)? In addition, look at the materials used to make the bunk bed and ensure that they are safe to keep around kids. Also, think about how active your young kids are. “For sleepers who move around a lot, a sturdy guardrail that runs across at least 70% the length of the upper bunk is crucial,” says Nozawa.