Renters Solutions: How To Make a Loft Bed Work for You

Think about it — the single most floor-hogging piece of furniture in a small apartment is the bed. The good news is that you can free up a ton of space for daytime activities by raising up your bed and making room for other stuff underneath it. While some of you may be lucky enough to have an apartment with a built-in loft (we’re jealous), in this post we’re focusing on homes with loft beds that you can either buy or DIY, so even renters can find some inspiration for transforming their space.

Above: here’s a solution for those of you who live in a tiny space but dream of a huge walk-in closet: loft your bed, and create a closet underneath. Image from Decor8.

A little shelf, right at the top of the ladder, is a great place to stash bedtime necessities like a glass of water.

Although the space pictured above (from Planete Deco) is a lot bigger than most studio apartments, there are still plenty of ideas worth stealing: building a DIY loft bed into a nook allows you to drill into the walls for support (if your landlord allows it), and makes the resulting lofty sleeping area that much cozier. These folks have turned the area underneath the bed into an office — it’s a two-for-one deal that takes full advantage of this space’s really tall ceilings.

How does Mel, from Small Cool 2012, manage to fit an office into her teeny-tiny 210 square foot apartment? With a loft bed, of course.

Here’s a view of the rest of the space — lofting the bed means there’s room for an office, lots of storage, and even a little living room area.

Here’s another great way to make the most of a small space: tuck the end of your sofa under a loft, so you have room for a full-sized bed and a full-sized sofa in the same space. Another idea worth stealing: the shelf at the head of the bed is an ideal place to stash reading materials (and a laptop), but shallow enough so you won’t whack your head on it when you wake up. This bed is the STORÅ, from IKEA.

Here’s another loft bed idea — this loft also makes use of a shelf for extra storage, but at the side of the bed instead of the head. The curtain at the head of the bed is another smart addition — it’s a great way to make a loft space feel cozier and more private. And as a final touch, the picture ledges below integrate the loft into the rest of the room and make it feel like an integral part of the space.

Feeling intrigued? You can buy a loft bed pre-made at a furniture store, or check out this post for plenty of DIY ideas.