Arranging a podium in a children's bed can significantly save space and give a feeling of free space and air. At the same time, the bed retains its original function - a place to sleep, and acquires a number of additional ones, depending on the designer’s ideas and the client’s needs. The variety of models allows the use of such structures in small-sized Khrushchev-era buildings and in country houses.
A podium is understood as an elevation made on a metal or wooden frame covered with sheet or panel material
Features of a podium bed in a children's interior
A children's room should, at its core, be a place for relaxation, study and play. Therefore, it is very important to think through the space of a small room so that everything has its place. A podium in a nursery is a convenient and compact solution.
The podium is a functional area of the children's room - educational or play area as needed
Advantages:
- Clear identification of functional areas. The podium bed, even when closed, visually divides the room into a play and study area. This allows you to place everything that children need in a small area.
- Practicality. Thanks to its compactness, you can arrange additional storage space in a small room. Toys, bedding and clothes can be hidden away to keep the room tidy. It is easy to hide unaesthetic utility lines under the elevation.
- Preservation of free space. The bed can be easily removed after the child wakes up. The room provides space for games, entertaining friends or home workouts.
- The podium in the room gives it a special touch. The nursery becomes an unusual object, the child’s own space, in which there is never a dull moment.
Installation Features: 7 Important Recommendations
When ordering a podium bed or installing the structure yourself, you need to take into account the features of such an interior solution:
If the podium includes not only a sleeping area, but also a passage area, it must have sufficient sound insulation. The non-standard curved shape of the top shield of the podium should have a frame of the same shape. Structural strength is more important than saving materials. When choosing a place to install a podium structure, try to place it in the same place where a regular bed would look natural. If the podium is technical, hiding communications, it is important to maintain access to them. Otherwise, you will have to disassemble the entire structure to repair the cable or fix a water leak. When ordering a concrete podium, a careful calculation of the load on the building’s floors should be carried out
Therefore, it is recommended for private houses and first floors. The podium should not block the passages or clutter up the space.
We do not close the passages in the room
Types of podium beds
There are many sliding and roll-out structures on the market, equipped with various mechanisms and having several additional functions. The purpose of such beds, regardless of their design, is to preserve maximum space combined with versatility.
The design of a podium with a bed is, in principle, quite simple and quite accessible for self-production
Pull-out bed-podium
The podium for such a bed can occupy half the room or be commensurate with the size of the bed.
In the first case, the structure may occupy most of the room. When closed, the room has a clear zoning: at the top there is a play or study area, at the bottom there is space for receiving guests or free movement.
In a room for two children, two pull-out beds can be hidden under the podium
In the second case, the bed becomes part of a wardrobe or shelving unit and takes up much less free space.
This type of transformable furniture saves a lot of space, since there is simply no sleeping area during the daytime.
In both cases, the bed is pulled out from a secluded place only for sleeping.
Pros:
- the ability to hide a sleeping place for times when it is not needed;
- under the large podium you can place two pull-out beds: for a teenager and a younger child;
- the freed up space makes it possible to create a physical education corner in the children’s room and place an instrument for music lessons;
- The free space of the podium is perfect for storing large items, books, toys and other children's “treasures”.
The saved space can be used as a play area or for installing other pieces of furniture
Minuses:
- the height of the podium is relatively small, up to 0.8 m, but it is better to install it in rooms with fairly high ceilings;
- the sleeping place must be of an “adult” size; remodeling the structure as the child grows up will be problematic.
Podium bed with drawers
This type involves placing a bed on top, and using the space below it to equip storage areas. The design of such beds can be in two versions:
- The sleeping place is located at the height of a small chest of drawers. The placement of drawers, shelves or cabinets with hinged doors is arbitrary here.
A variant of the podium, in which, in addition to storage boxes, there is also a convenient pull-out table - A higher podium in a children's room looks like a kind of second floor. A convenient staircase leads upstairs, the steps of which can also include drawers. Below you can place a dressing room, shelves with books and toys, or a study area. This model is suitable for children over 3 years old.
Obviously, two-tier furniture requires fairly high ceilings.
Pros:
- the sleeping area is located on a hill, not hidden: the child can lie down at any time;
- the bed is placed compactly;
- a podium bed can accommodate two children, if together with drawers, you equip another sleeping place on the lower tier;
- no need to pull out and hide a heavy structure every day;
- A sufficiently large space under the bed allows you to hide all the children's things and do without installing additional wardrobes.
Retractable sections throughout the entire depth of the podium can accommodate a large number of things
Minuses:
- the size of the podium bed requires significant space to freely pull out drawers or open cabinet doors;
- It is better to store children's toys and things for daily use next to the bed, and put inside those items that are used once a week or less.
Manufacturing Features
There are no fundamental differences between the podiums in the children's and adult bedrooms. This is a frame made of timber or steel profile, covered with wood or fiberboards. However, in a nursery, the option with pull-out beds is implemented more often: firstly, free space is important here, while in an adult bedroom they like to be cluttered with furniture. And, secondly, the child’s height allows the structure to be made quite tall.
Of course, it is not recommended to get carried away with heights, otherwise during the next renovation the podium will have to be disassembled.
DIY podium bed in the nursery (photo)
Another difference: a podium bed often means its classic “Japanese” version, that is, a 15 cm high platform on which a stationary double bed is installed. In a nursery, this option is useless and unprofitable, since it does not save space. Here the podium is a structure in which you can hide a bed or large drawers. This is especially true in a small children's room.
Bed over the podium
Options for a nursery are almost always more difficult for two reasons: firstly, it is necessary to free up as much space as possible from furniture, and secondly, the small stature of a child allows transformers to be successfully and variably used. As a result, the podium often turns into a real construction set.
An example of a bed over a podium with your own hands (photo)
Bed under the podium
The requirements for the elevation parameters in this case are more stringent, but in general the design remains the same.
The minimum height of the podium is the sum of the height of the bed (base plus rollers), the mattress – 8–16 cm depending on the model, the bed – at least 5 cm, and 10–20 cm for free extension. Together this will be about 50 cm, and, as a rule, higher. It is not recommended to do the following: either the structure will be difficult to roll out, or you will have to remove the mattress and bed and store them separately during the day, which is inconvenient.
If desired and experience is available, the design can be made curved.
Bed under the podium, examples of the master’s work (photo)
DIY podium bed Podium bed in a nautical style Children's with a podium bed
Choosing a color palette
The design of a children's room with a podium and pull-out beds involves the use of calm shades and depends on the size of the structure. Visually, the podium can be perceived as part of the floor or a piece of furniture; you should not place a color accent on it so as not to overload the space.
The design of the podium should fit harmoniously into the overall interior of the children's room.
- The design execution of the structure must coincide with the style of the interior.
- The color and configuration of the podium should be identical or close to the main palette of furniture in the children's room.
- It is better to give preference to light shades of wood, pastel colors of acrylic coating of facades.
- A raised bed is not considered a separate area, so it should be decorated as a piece of furniture, in a single color scheme.
- A variety of decorative design techniques can be used.
In a small room, it is better to use light colors to decorate the podium
A wooden podium will look good against the background of light walls
A large podium provides more possibilities for decoration. The color scheme in this case should not contrast with the floor; a slight difference in shades is possible. If the room is decorated in bright colors, then the podium can be played up in the theme and combinations of primary colors.
Spacious podium finished to match the flooring of the rest of the room
Construction type
Podiums are made of a wooden frame or monolithic concrete. By the way, the frame is sheathed with one of the types of flooring material. Each type of design has its own undeniable advantages and disadvantages.
Monolithic podium. Concrete is poured into pre-made formwork, which will exactly repeat the shape of the finished podium. Then its surface is leveled using a screed. Then the floor covering is laid. This could be parquet, tiles, carpet, linoleum, laminate, etc. The monolithic podium is incredibly reliable and durable. It does not rot, does not absorb moisture and can withstand heavy loads. Its main drawback is its weight, because even a not very tall structure creates a colossal load on the ceiling. A monolithic podium can only be made in private houses; in apartments it will most likely damage the interfloor ceiling.
Monolithic
frame wooden or metal podium. The design is lightweight, so it does not load the floor. This type is ideal for apartments. It is easy to install a frame podium with your own hands, which makes it possible to manufacture multi-stage structures without much effort. To improve the reliability and strength of the frame, its proper rigidity should be ensured. For this purpose, intermediate logs are installed in the structure.
Frame podiums can be built both in houses and apartments. The main thing is to choose the right source material for the frame and finishing of the finished structure.
Scheme of a wooden frame podium
If the room has high humidity, then the base is made of a metal profile and sheathed with tiles or wood-polymer composite. In rooms with normal humidity levels, the frame is made of wooden beams. The base is sheathed with multilayer plywood or OSB. If laminated timber is used as a log, it must first be treated with special antifungal impregnations and fire protection agents.
Functionality of the podium
The main task of a podium in a small room is to combine functionality in a small space.
- Free place. A small elevation in the room with the ability to hide beds and immediately store things frees the room from additional pieces of furniture.
- Dividing a room into zones for different purposes. A physical education corner, a desk, a play area and a living area - everything has its own place. In this unobtrusive way, the child learns order more easily.
- Making the room on two levels makes the room attractive to a child. A complex space can be decorated in different ways, depending on the stylistic decision. A decorative partition and gentle steps will act as additional places for games.
A platform placed along the short wall of an elongated room will visually expand the room
A separately located podium with a bed will visually change the proportions of a square room
If the podium occupies a large area, it makes sense to make storage hatches in it
Where to install correctly
make a podium everywhere. When choosing a place for it, it is important to take into account some features of a particular room, and the structure itself. The ceiling height in the room in which the podium will be made must be at least 2.75 m. Otherwise, the podium will look ridiculous, visually reducing the space.
The location of the structure in the center is unacceptable. Firstly, it will be very inconvenient to walk around such a bulky podium. Secondly, it will be more reminiscent of a platform for theatrical performances, which is why its original purpose will be lost. The structure cannot be built in a walk-through area.
Cozy corner
The choice of a suitable place for the podium is in many cases determined by the configuration of the room. Its boundaries can be defined by arches, niches and partitions. In a narrow rectangular room, a podium the width of the wall looks great.
Selection of sizes and materials for making the podium
When choosing a suitable model, you should pay attention to several important points.
The dimensions of the podium are determined by the chosen design and the dimensions of the room
All items in the children's room must be environmentally friendly and safe.
It is preferable to choose the size of a pull-out bed according to the height of an adult. The size of the entire structure depends on the size of the bed and the number of storage boxes.
It is better to make small narrow drawers on the podium for the children's room so that the child can use them independently
Solid wood itself looks luxurious. Therefore, it is enough to sand it and varnish it.
The higher the podium, the stronger it should be. A small podium is made of wooden beams, but for a more powerful structure it is better to use a metal frame.
For production, wood, timber, furniture panels or chipboard are used. The load on the floors should be no more than 700 kg per 1 sq. m. area.
The minimum dimensions of the podium are limited by the size of the mattress
Order or make it yourself
Forming a simple, traditional DIY podium, without secondary opening or retractable structures, requires certain tools, high quality materials and a little experience. Before work, you need to make calculations with sketches and buy the necessary attributes.
It’s easier to order an industrial product, especially if you don’t have qualifications or have a lot of free time. By entrusting the creation of furniture to professionals, you don’t have to worry about its quality and safety characteristics.
Complex systems with many shelves, roll-out mechanisms and doors are definitely better to purchase rather than do it yourself.
Finished drawing
Photos of a children's room design with a podium bed in the interior
Before purchasing, it is important to visually imagine what the model will look like in the interior. Manufacturers have 1-2 beds in their showrooms, while voluminous podiums in rooms are shown in photos in catalogs.
There is also a small nuance here. Photo studios and shops have ceiling heights higher than in ordinary apartments. To find out whether the chosen model is right for you, you need to add the height of the podium and the height of the tallest member of the family. In the children's room you will have to do cleaning or spend time with the children; doing this while bending over is inconvenient.
Wooden podium covered with dark varnish in contrast with white furniture
White podium bed with drawers in a teenage girl’s room
Hanging podium for a bed by the window of a room in a Scandinavian style
A competent and practical version of a bed with a podium will allow an active child to fully develop and relax. Children's things will be hidden in additional storage areas; the crib can be taken out and hidden, freeing up additional space for active games.
