Everything you should consider when shopping for a stylish cabin bed for a child's small room  What is a cabin bed?
A cabin bed or mid-sleeper, as they are sometimes also called, are mid-height beds, not quite as high as a traditional bunkbeds, which have a storage or play space beneath the sleeping platform. The most practical and stylish cabin beds manage to incorporate a host of useful functions within the bed and still look great.
The Kids Pilot cabin bed shown above from Amazon, for example, includes a bedside table that doubles up as a desk when a chair is pulled up to it, a bookshelf and a step to make it easy to access the sleeping area safely. 
Lifetime Beach House cabin bed, Cuckooland
What age are cabin beds suitable for?
A child should be six-years-old or older to sleep up high on the top bunk of a bunk bed. As cabin beds are raised quite a bit higher off the ground than a standard bed, it's advisable that you wait until your child is at least six before putting them in one too.
The Lifetime Beach House cabin bed, shown above, comes with railings that should stop any restless sleepers from taking a wrong turn and tumbling on to the floor in the night. The steps leading to the sleeping platform also make it easy to climb in and out of. It has useful storage drawers and display space beneath it too, plus a fun roof shape above, so that kids can use it as a play space as well.   A cabin bed with play space
When your children are still at primary school, you want to maximise the floor playing space in their bedrooms and some cabin beds give you the opportunity to free up the space beneath the bed. You can dress up that under bed area with a play tent, as shown in the Warmiehomy cabin bed with tent from Amazon, shown above, because every child loves a den. You can also use it to store toys, build train sets and play Monopoly.
A side pocket, as shown above, is also useful for holding books and other items children may want by their bedside at night. Before investing in a themed play bed, however, think about whether the play tent or perhaps the roof above the sleeping area can be removed once your child is no longer enchanted by imaginary play. You want a bed that will last them into secondary school. 
Pino Kids cabin bed with desk and bookcase, Cuckooland
A cabin bed with a desk
If you can't comfortably squeeze a stand-alone desk and a bed into your child's room, a cabin bed with a desk is the solution. In the Pino Kids cabin bed shown above the desk can be tucked neatly underneath the bed when not in use, so it doesn't take up additional floor space. It also offers shelf storage and hidden cabinet storage options.
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Children benefit from having their own special work station. Here we look at the best children's desks and teen desks on the market
Vox Tuli Kids Stackable Desk, Cuckooland
Best children's desks for play
A play desk comes in really useful for preparing young children for nursery and school, where they will be encouraged to spend at least a few minutes of most days sitting down drawing, painting or doing something else creative.
Look for a play desk that is hard-wearing, wipeable and preferably comes with some storage. The desk shown above is available with a stool that can double up as a mini book case and beneath the desk itself there is a shelf for books and paper. This desk should last your children until the end of infant school, so they can get used to doing small homework tasks on it. 
Puzzle Desk, Norsu Interiors
Desks that will last from primary to uni
If you want a desk that will take your child from finger-painting to algebra, look for a timeless, simply designed adult-sized unit. Your children may need to use a high stool or a chair topped up with a cushion to use it initially, but they will soon grow into it.
This one comes with a hole at the back for a cable, which will come in useful once they are ready for a computer. It also has useful shelves for storing notebooks and stationary.   Teen desks that can be hidden away
Even when space is really tight, you may be able to squeeze a drop down desk into your child's room or another space in your home. The desk area on the SoBuy, Folding Wooden Wall-Mounted drop-leaf desk shown above from Amazon, can be folded down against the wall when it's not in use.
Lifetime Kids High-Rise Sleeper Bed, Cuckooland
Beds that double up as desks
Or, you could go with a bed that incorporates a desk area beneath it. These are available in mid-sleepers or high sleepers. The high-sleeper, as shown above, offers more head room, which means it will last your child longer, but the bed itself may be a little too high for younger children.
It can get dark under the bed area, so if you go down this route, make sure that you can position the bed close to a plug socket as a desk light will most likely be required. More high-sleeper inspiration
This Kidsaw Pilot cabin bed from Amazon is neat too. The desk area doubles up as a bedside table and it incorporates a bookshelf.
You will also find some cabin beds where a desk can be tucked into the frame of the bed when not in use. More mid-sleeper ideas Consider a vintage school desk
If you want a really compact desk with hidden storage, scour your local furniture recycling centre, car-boot sale or vintage boutique for an original old school desk. eBay is packed with them too.
Look out for the wooden ones with the flip-top lid and the ink well built-in, complete with ancient graffiti scratched on every surface; these make great teen desks You can pick them up quite cheaply, they have a very small footprint and they look great. Plus, if you get a vintage piece, it should only go up in value. Whether they are tiny babies or towering teens, you can make a compact bedroom work for a child, providing you plan it right. And these five ways to make a child's bedroom more spacious will ensure that you really make the most of your kid's bedroom. Vox 4 You 4 Poster single bed with adjustable height levels, Cuckooland 1. Make the most of the space under the bedTo make a child's bedroom feel larger and function better, opt for a bed with storage drawers, shelves or a guest bed beneath it so that there is no dead space under the bed. This funky four-poster bed from Cuckooland is available with a storage drawer and is height adjustable, so it will literally grow with your child.  Children's Secret Desk by Nidi Design, Nubie Kids 2. Include a desk with storageWhether your child is a toddler or a teen, a table top in the room will be invaluable at every stage in their childhood. It can first serve as a nappy changing station and later on become a desk and maybe even a dressing table, just make sure it comes with storage. Lift up the top of this Nidi Secret Desk and reveal a host of storage compartments and even a mirror – it looks great open or closed. More super children's desk inspiration  Cubit Regalsystem modular furniture, price on application 3. Utilise every inch of spaceWhen space is tight, you need to make the most of every little bit of it. Alcoves, window sills, nooks and crannies, make it all work hard. Here the dead space above the bed has been filled with modular shelving, which is fixed to the wall. And, being able to see a little under the bedside table and bed as here, also helps to make a child's bedroom feel larger.  Umbra Conceal Bookshelf, £10, Red Candy 4. Work those wallsYou might not have a great deal of wall area to play with in your child's bedroom, but you want to make sure that what you do have, that isn't covered by a bed or furniture, is made to work hard. To make a child's bedroom feel larger, use the walls for storage hooks and shelving. This Umbra concealed books shelf makes books appear to float along a wall, injecting a little piece of fun into any scheme.  Vox 4 You 4 Poster single bed with adjustable height levels, Cuckooland 5. Keep the floor clearWhile you can cram the walls and sides of your child's bedroom with storage, a bed and a desk, keep the central floor area clear. Not only will this ensure that the room looks and feels more spacious, it will also give little kids room for imaginary play with their toys. While older kids can have a space to hang out with friends. By employing these five ways to make a child's bedroom more spacious, you will ensure that your kids have more space to work rest and play! Please post the results in the comments! What age can a child sleep on a top bunk? This bunk bed buyer's guide answers this and your other pressing bunk bed questions
Julian Bowen Campervan bunk bed, Cuckooland
What age can a child sleep on a top bunk? This is a frequent desperate question to come from parents who live in small homes where their kids have no option, but to share a small bedroom. When your family is growing and your property isn't, bunk beds are the ideal solution for freeing up space in your children's bedroom.
Let's answer that most pressing question first? At what age can a child sleep on a top bunk? A child should be six-years-old or older to sleep up high on the top bunk. If your child is a bit of a dare devil and might be tempted to jump off instead of taking the ladder or stairs, hold off until they are a bit older than this.
Oliver Furniture Wood Mini+ Low bunk bed from Nubie
Bunk bed safety features
To keep your little one's extra safe in their bunk beds, look for one with a high safety rail. If your kids are on the younger side consider a model that is specifically made with little kids in mind. This Oliver Furniture Wood Mini+ Low bunk bed from Nubie is especially designed for children under nine-years-old. Slightly lower and shorter than a standard bunk, your under six-year-old can take the lower bunk and your under ten-year-old the top bunk. Also, note that a sloping ladder, as shown below, is easier for a younger child to climb than one that is flat to the side of the bunk. This will take up more precious space in your room though.  Flick Triple Bunk Bed from Cuckooland
The Flick Triple bunk, shown above, can even cater for three! It's perfect for sleep overs, a space short three-child family or even a whole family living in a one bedroom apartment.
White Scandinavian Bunk Bed with vertical ladder by Oliver Furniture from Nubie
Look for a bunk bed that splits into two singles
A bunk bed that splits into two single beds, such as the one shown above, will have a much longer life span than one that doesn't. If you move house or extend to create an extra bedroom you don't have to go to the expense of buying an extra bed, you just split the bunk bed in two.
Space for a trundle bed tucked beneath the bunk bed, also shown above, is useful when it comes to sleepovers as well. 
Lifetime Adventure Hangout Kids bunk bed, Cuckooland
Novelty bunk beds
There are a whole array of fantastic novelty bunk beds on the market. Such as the Adventure Hang Out bed, shown above. Your kids will delight in hanging out here, but they will likely grow out of it before they reach secondary school. It's a fun short-term investment, .but one that should have a reasonable resale value if it's kept in good condition.
Children's desk inspiration for small homes 
Nidi children's furniture, Nubie
Bunk beds with storage
You can also get some great bunk beds with storage options, which are particularly useful for small rooms. The one shown above incorporates drawers beneath the bottom bunk and a wardrobe and shelving beneath and around the top bunk. A pull-out desk is another useful feature to look for. Just be aware that these storage bunks often have a larger footprint than standard bunks so make sure you have the space to accommodate one before purchasing.
  Triple bunk beds are a thing
You can really stack em up with a triple bunk bed. This Flair Furnishings triple bunk bed is from Amazon. Bed linen changing day will be calorie-burning work out with with this one!
  Free up play space with a midsleeper
If you have one child in a small room, free up play space in the room by going for a mid or high sleeper bed with no bottom bunk. This Sydney high sleeper cabin bed from Vida Designs, is pretty reasonably priced from Amazon. You can stash a whole train track beneath it.
If you enjoyed this bunk bed buyer's guide, you might want to check out these cool mid-sleepers
New mums and dads are suckers. I know I was one. But when you only live in a little place, or if you're on a budget you need to distinguish between the necessary; and the nice, but not necessary. It's hard because every day something new hits the market that is cleverly advertised to make it appear to be a life changing must have. But you need to train yourself to question every purchase. Ask yourself, each time does this have a use that I couldn't achieve without it? Here is a list of things you don't need:
 Opt for a cot, not a cotbed - Stamford Space Saver Sleigh Cot, £239.99, Wooden Furniture Store
 Think long term, this simple stylish standard-sizeBumble white and oak 2 door wardrobe is a much better investment than dinky nursery furniture, £396, Habitat
 All you need for tummy time, Bunny Baby blanket, £29, Sophie Alport
Have you bought any other products that turned out to be pointless to add to this list?  Oliver Furniture wood children's high loft bed in white, £1,637, Cuckooland Sometimes loft beds try too hard, they are over designed and too much is packed into their little footprint. If you're furnishing a box room, a bed that sits atop a wardrobe, a desk, a chest of drawers and a book shelf is great, but if you have a little more space than this, look for a loft bed that is allowed to breathe a little. This Oliver Furniture luxury high loft bed in white and oak from Cuckooland is our favourite loft bed design to date.  Oliver Furniture wood children's high loft bed in white £1,637 It comes with two cute benches with open shelving beneath, ideal for books and games; and, you can slip a little desk at one end for homework. Positioning the ladder at the side makes the 'ground' floor area so much easier to access and this, together with the slatted sides, lead the eye further into the room too, which should make the whole area feel bigger. At £1,637 it should be built to last.  Before you buy a raised bed, check out our bunk bed buying guide here. It's full of hints and tips to buying the best bunk bed for your kids and their room
 Soft touch Bull Bike Holder in red by Trophy, £89, Cuckooland Fed up with your hallway being cluttered up with bikes and scooters? It's time to stop tripping over those wheels by taking them off of the floor and on to your walls, perhaps even on to the kids' bedroom walls. This may look like trophy bull sculpture, and indeed it is; but it's also a bike rack. Its colourful plastic outer layer conceals a tough solid steel frame that can be afixed to most masonry, timber and brick walls. When the bike is at home it can masquerade as a piece of modern art hung up on this. When it's out, you are left with a little contemporary sculpture.  Available in a variety of colours, Scooterpeg costs from £9.95 Kids' scooters can be taken out of harm's way off the floor too. Scooterpeg will grab hold of the end of the scooter handle and keep it suspended in the air. A bargain at under a tenner too.
You normally have to choose between one or the other: a bed with a pull out trundle bed beneath to be slid open for sleepovers; or, a bed with storage. Noa & Nani has realised how important both are; and, this one, provides the two options.
Noa & Nani Loki single day bed with pull out drawers and trundle bed, £289.99, Amazon
The row of drawers on the top are part of a facia that conceals the trundle bed .
The bottom row of drawers is actually three separate storage drawers, perfect for clothes, toys or books.
This is the Loki bed, ideal for kids' rooms or guest rooms.
As you know if you've read All the Things You Don't Need For A Newborn, babies don't need as much clobber as you might think if you gorged on baby magazines for an afternoon. But one of the things that is useful, especially if you suffer from backache, is a waist-height, nappy-changing area.
Soho Combo Dresser Unit, £595, matching cotbed, £300, Silver Cross
Silver Cross's Soho nursery furniture set includes a patented changer unit. Here it is shown folded away, but this tiny table top pops out and expands into a reasonably roomy changing area. Underneath, there are three deep storage drawers, whilst the wardrobe features adjustable shelving and hanging space, which can grow with your child. It doesn't look like nursery furniture either, so, when baby's ready for school, he or she won't be able to claim it's babyish. There is also a matching Soho cotbed, shown in cot formation here.
Another brilliantly big idea for a tiny space - is this the world's weeniest folding pushchair?31/7/2014  The Baby Zen YoYo claims to be the world's smallest folding buggy Okay, so this isn't strictly for a kids room, in fact it doesn't really fit in any room, but when my kids were small our buggy spent a lot of time inside the house. Not having a porch or hallway, I'd wheel the baby straight into the kitchen from a walk and leave her there whilst she finished her nap. Now I had a car boot to store it in when not in use, but if you don't, your pushchair has to live with you, which is why this little number is great for those of us pushed for space.  Folds up neatly Claiming to be the world's tiniest fold up pushchair, the Baby Zen YoYo 0+, folds up so small you can fit it into a plane's overhead locker, useful if you travel a lot, but I guess this also means you could stow it in a chest by the front door, at the bottom of a wardrobe or maybe even under the sofa?  No more carrying the kid to the carousel to wait for the buggy It weighs 6kg, which is pretty lightweight for a pushchair. It can take you from birth through to nursery or until your kid tips the scales past 15kg. It's passed the IATA standard for cabin luggage and it costs around £445 with various accessories.
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