What sort of bunk bed did you dream of having as a kid? If we had to guess, we’d say it probably wasn’t made with custom millwork or porthole windows. But that’s exactly what you’ll find in these homes from the WL archives.

See how some of the West’s best designers are reimaging these shared sleeping spaces with whimsy, style and fun. Warning: your inner kid is about to experience some serious FOMO.

bunk beds
Photo: Tracey Ayton

Double Duty

Who said bunk beds were only for sleeping? When Madeleine Sloback, principal of Madeleine Design Group, decided to renovate her 1980s rancher, she made sure her kids would have ample space for dreaming and playing house… literally. See the before and after pics.

Photo: Eymeric Widling
Photo: Eymeric Widling

Slumber Party

This 3,989-square-foot Saskatchewan home has not one but two bunk rooms—with each being able to accommodate up to eight people. “All the cousins can come for a sleepover,” says designer Cristine Rivett, who installed the built-in beds with the help of a local millworker. Explore this three-storey lakeside cabin.

Photo: Janis Nicolay

Three’s Company

There’s no such thing as too many bunk beds—especially not for designer Erica Colpitts. To maximize the sleeping arrangements at this Whistler home, she expanded and enclosed the upper floor loft space, and built a triple bunk bed for the kids. Check out the rest of this rustic-chic cabin.

Photo: Ema Peter

Pattern Play

Gillian Segal simultaneously renovated a family’s Vancouver residence and Whistler vacation home. While the former leans more on historical design references, the latter favours more casual-contemporary features—and doubles down on texture. “Working in both large- and small-scale patterns… helped to contribute a sense of play to the space,” says Segal. “And that’s something every vacation property needs.” Step inside both homes.

Photo: Janis Nicolay

Ship Shape

The coolest thing about this bunk room isn’t the nautical theme, although we certainly love the ship-lap lined walls and porthole windows. No, it’s the fact that it’s located inside a treehouse—and is such a far cry from the ramshackle backyard clubhouses most of us remember from our youth. Learn more about this Kathleen Lin-designed space.

 

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.