apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I have an Ikea bed--not the Malm, but one they no longer make (it looks like this one they currently have though: http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15558&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=60963&langId=-1&categoryId=16173&chosenPartNumber=S79838968.

I got it in college when that was all I could afford, and 5 years later, I have moved it and taken it apart and put it back together no less than 10 times and it's still fabulous. Sturdy (I'd like to recommend it to my, ahem, squeaky-bedded neighbors), cheap, and a nice design, I'd be inclines to buy an Ikea bed again, even though there's plenty of types of furniture I wouldn't buy. But so far my bed experience is great.

Ikea is good for a lot of things, but oddly enough, furniture that gets a lot of use is not one of them. If the bed is a temporary solution (2 years or less), I would say go for it. If you are planning on decorating the room around your bed choice, I would say keep looking for something that is going to last a bit longer. Also, make sure you see it in person. The furniture almost always looks better in the catalog than in person. When I went to look at the Malm at the Burbank Ikea, I walked right by it twice because I didn't recognize it...

ooh what about the aneboda? the only place for our bed to go is in between two windows where it's like JUST the right amount of space for the full matress i have. and i think the aneboda would be the only one to fit.

we have the Malm bed in white, and we love it.
its Strong and sturdy, and a nice minimal modern design.
one thing worth thinking about is space under the bed.
the Malm models don't have a lot of space down there.. it is definitely on the minimal side as well.

I've got this bed, and my biggest issue with it is the fact that it creaks a LOT. I feel like every time I slightly move in the night it makes a loud creak.

We have the Malm bed in birch and love it. No sturdiness issues, and it often serves as a trampoline and lookout tower for our very active ridgeback... My only complaint is that the "low" mattress setting doesn't allow for under-bed storage boxes. Try setting it on the higher level, or consider adding casters.

One of IKEA's best-ever products in my opinion. I bought one 3 years ago when I moved into my current place and was strapped for cash. It has a great simple, modern look to it; and it is sturdy. (No creaking for me.) At the time, I also got 2 the attached side tables that extend the width of the headboard (a piece that's since been discontinued). And just this year, purchased 2 storage benches that lie at the foot of the bed--which fit perfectly with the dimensions of the queen-sized Malm bed. Great value! Every time I look around to "upgrade" my bedroom furniture, I end up liking the Malm bed better than the other options out there. One day, I will upgrade; but this baby's still has several more years of life to it. So, I'm in no rush...

Simple design. Super affordable. What's not to like? I've had mine (in Birch) for over 5 years and its holding up fine. A little tough to change the sheets as the mattress sits down inside the frame and needs to be lifted up and out to tuck. I'm not a huge IKEA fan, but there are few core items they make that I love and this is one of them. Another valuable aspect of the Malm is that it just doesn't change. I originally purchased mine without the mattress support inside, instead letting an old box spring sit within the frame (because I didn't have anywhere else to store the box spring). Three years later I moved and went back to IKEA and got the necessary innards to support the mattress.

I had the Malm a few years ago and wasn't thrilled with the quality. First off no one mentioned that I needed a couple of extra parts that don't come with the bed. After making a second 3 hour trip to IKEA we finally had the brace and slats at about an extra $100. After taking it apart a couple of times to move it was cooked. I wish I had spent a bit more in the first place so I wasn't filling a landfill with a huge bed less then 2 years after I bought it.

I had a Malm bed for two years that I was very happy with (especially when I added the integrated bed stand). I never had any issues with quality or stability but the way the bed was put together I wouldn't trust it after taking it apart for a move so it's maybe not the best if you move apartments frequently.

I didn't have any trouble with delamination of the veneer, which is something I've seen on other ikea products that get heavy use.

I'm not a fan of Ikea furniture (low density particleboard for the most part). But since you asked about other beds, this is my idea of a nice bed (I have one). There's room for storage underneath and it's very sturdy, my only gripe is it can't be moved once it's set up (way too heavy to move). Everybody that sees it in my bedroom says they want to get one like it. Not cheap, but not terribly expensive either. All solid wood (no exotic rainforest types). It stands up to my 2 dogs really well, and they're pretty rambunctious.

http://www.atbd.com/Photos/Furniturephotos/AthensPosterbed.jpg

I have a Malm bed and it's just okay. I bought a gorgeous dresser at a vintage store and while the style is similar to the Malm, the quality is so much better it makes me wish I'd scouted around for a vintage bedframe instead. But for now it's fine--no creaking, even when we're getting busy.

I had the Malm in my last apartment (for almost 3 years) and now I've got the Aneboda (for almost 1 year). The Malm looked nice, but for some reason, the slats on my husband's side often broke and/or slipped off the frame so he'd suddenly fall through. We even replaced the slats and it started happening again. However, we haven't had that problem with the Aneboda. At least not yet.

I have the Malm bed in white and I have to say I love it. It is very sturdy and doesn't creak at all... I think it will be a genuine pain to move it once I do move out of my place but for now, it's great.

http://images.yelp.com/photo?id=m266_9qPeybb6LMcmDReKQ&s=l

Sasha - If it happens again, go get some small screws and use them to hold the slats in place. If you won't be moving, use wood screws. Otherwise drill a hole through the stal and rail (that the slats sit on) and use a machine screw with washers & nuts - that way you can take it apart a few times without the wood getting too much wear & tear.

I have a queen birch MALM with an Novaform memory foam mattress from Costco. My bed has seen plenty of action over the last two years often with ladies that aren't very err... small. It's fine. No squeaking. I also have a few other things in the MALM line. I have the six drawer desser, the occasional table, two nightstands (four if you count the bedsidetables with the built in magazine racks that I removed) and the little storage unit/nightstand with a sliding top.

I've had my malm bed since 2001. Thats 6 solid years. We've taken it apart and moved cross country- and to 3 different places. Its held up very well, especially for the price point. There are far nicer products out there, but we've defiantely got our bang for the buck with the Malm bad.

I have the Malm in birch and I have no complaints about it. I've had it for 2 years, moved 3 times and it still doesn't creak. I'm tall (6'5") and weigh 200 pounds and if that won't break it, I'm not sure what will.

I can definitely see how it might break down over time, but I'm sure it has plenty of life left in it.

I've sold most of my post young adult era Ikea furniture, and this is the piece that I'll be holding onto for the longest.

We've had the Malm bed with the side tables for a couple years now and absolutely love it. It's clean, modern, and pretty darn sturdy. And inexpensive. Though it is a little difficult to make the bed and tuck the sheets in perfectly without hurting your fingers because the mattress sits very snuggly inside the bed frame.

I have the Lillehammer bed in full. http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15558&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=10918&langId=-1&categoryId=16172&chosenPartNumber=50037204


I've had it for just over 5 years and 4 years ago we moved and the veneer started to peel off, then we moved and the corner chipped off and more veneer came with it. The slats moved to but that was an easy fix with velcro tabs on the slats and on the metal frame. I would say it's pretty sturdy as long as you don't move alot.

I'd be inclined to buy another bed from ikea, I'm thinking about the sultan alsarp.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-ikea-sultan-alsarp-good-or-bad-011859

I have been wanting the Malm in Medium Brown for the past 6 months. Problem is, out of ALL of the So Cal stores, they are OUT of the Malm Queen in Medium Brown with "no expected ship date". I could order it direct, but the shipping is $180!!! That's more than the bed itself costs! So I keep checking the stock (both online and phone) and still nothing. It's quite frustrating.

Waylon,

That doesn't sound good. Every time that's happened to me, it's only been a matter of time before Ikea says the item or color has been discontinued. Unfortunately, I seem to have a knack for unwittingly choosing the items that are in the process of being discontinued - as a result, I have had an apartment full of incomplete sets, which I've reluctantly given away. I don't know what people mean when they say they can keep adding to a particular Ikea line over the years. Some examples of the items I've bought before they discontinued them: a Billy bookcase in light silver (now all they have is the dark grey and other colors); a fabulous wall-shelving system with wood and metal (I think it was called Dirigent) - wanted to expand that, but can't. A cute glossy narrow little cabinet; 'Laurila': a half-round table I wasted hours on the phone and traveling to stores, to no avail. Oh, and so many other things I wanted but couldn't get, wasting maybe months waiting for them to get 'in stock' before I finally gave up and moved on....

My friend Steven had this bed and he's not a big guy but he managed to put weight on the side part of the bed at the right angle and broke it. I figure this part of the bed received a tremendous amount of stress getting in and out of bed, that's why it broke. Don't get this bed, unless you want a new one in a year.

ps. I love my West Elm headboard.

Curiously enough, I had an early incarnation of the West Elm platform bed (before they fixed the problem with the slats breaking); and that's the bed that I broke!

I had a Malm bed, full size, for a couple of years. It came with a dent in the headboard piece, but it was too much hassle to haul it back so I lived with it. It had problems. The slats aren't quite wide enough, so they kept falling thru the gap, taking me and the mattress with them. The slats are held together with strips of fabric stapled into the wood, and the staples all began to pull out. I was constantly banging my ankles and shins into the sharp sides of the frame. Making the bed was a hassle.

I got the side tables, and they were alright, but they never quite aligned properly with the headboard, and they were a hassle to mount properly.

The movers tried to help me disassemble the bed for its second move, and the frame pretty much fell apart. I ended up pitching the bits into the recycle dumpster, and donating the side tables to Goodwill. Hopefully it's been turned into mulch or newsprint or something.

*Love* the look of the Malm, but there are probably better solutions. I ended up with one of Ikea's storage beds, which is great for apartment living since it holds TONS of junk. Getting to it is kind of a hassle, but for seldom-used stuff you can't bring yourself to part with (or for seasonal stuff - like Christmas decorations or winter / summer clothes) it's the bomb.

I really like my birch malm bed. Since I got a tempurpedic mattress I only got the center support beam and then had plywood and um, some smooth board... mfc? anyway, that's what I put down for the mattress to sit on and it's been great. The only downside is having to pull up the corners to make the bed. I love the rolling table I got to go with it, I'm not sure if they discontinued that though.

They still sell that rolling table, which also makes a nice console table to sit behind a sofa.

They're also selling a new add-on to the headboard. It's a little like the console table, but it goes behind the headboard and holds two small bookshelves on hidden wheels. The shelving units slide out for access, and can be pushed back in when you want to conceal them.

I don't think Malm is going anywhere for awhile. Not only does the series include chests of drawers, it's also expanded to incorporate sliding doors for IKEA's Pax wardrobes.

I have the Malm bed and the new headboard with the hide-away side tables. I love it, and so far it's standing up to an acrobatic 4 year old. The only issue I have is with the headboard. The drawers don't slide on carpet.

I've had my Malm bed for two years after buying it used on Craigs for $100. I'm pretty "active" in the bed, and I don't mean sleeping, and it does not make any noise nor has anything fallen apart. It's as sturdy as a new one.

I love this bed. It's simple, modern and amazingly priced. The bed looks totally brand new with no nicks, scratches or dings. And I love that I can tuck in the ends or leave the sheets or duvets hanging over the edge....it's gorgeous either way.

I've considered upgrading to another bed, but I can't let this one go. It matches perfectly with the Eames Lounge Chair and the wooden speakers to my mini-stereo...and it's so damn clean and simple.

You can see my bedroom here..

http://chicago.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/flickr-finds/flickr-finds-mini-tour-from-chgoblknazn-011468

It is a great buy amount all the beds and that's why it is so popular.

I had a Malm Full Bed in Oak w/ the attached nightstands and used a Lack bookcase mounted floating on the wall as a console in my guestroom - It was sturdy and solid, even with frequent guests and extra-curricular activities.

It came with angles cross braces that were too bothersome to put in - I found that the slats fit just fine.

IMO, the folks who say that they had squeaks or shaking simply didn't put it together properly.

I sold it to a neighbor when I turned my guestroom into an office.

My husband and I have the Malm bed, and hate it. It squeaks and creaks. And we absolutely put it together properly. Beyond that, we have now taken it apart and put it back together again (twice) because of the squeaking. Nothing works. We've had to shove pieces of foam and wood chips in all sorts of places to keep the squeaking to a minimum. I feel like a giant hippo when I sit down on it, because the joint at the top of my side of the bed, right where it is screwed into the frame, makes a dreadful EEEEEK sound.

And if you've got an apartment with a floor that isn't absolutely flat, you're sort-of screwed, too, because it will bobble -- it's one giant piece of wood, and so if it doesn't set perfectly on the floor, you also get the bobble-wobble.

The veneer chipped almost immediately off of the bottom piece of wood in one place -- peeled right off.

I don't like this bed.

We loved my daughter's full Malm bed until we moved. We moved with the frame intact and the bed has been kinda loose and squeaky ever since. Of course, we can't find the special tool needed to tighten the bolts and the ones made for the new style Malm bed don't work. :( If anyone has one they'd like to pass on please drop me an email, it may just save the bed from becoming mulch.