A Loft Bunk is Magic for Crowded Dorm Rooms

by: Don VanPelt

When you hear the phrase “dorm room,” what do you think? Usually there are two reactions – big smiles, or wrinkled-brow frowns. College dorm rooms are the stuff of legend, for cramped space shared by roommates who’ve never met, each bringing everything they can carry from home that they think they MIGHT need. Each student tries to put a houseful of memories into a single room, and still have room to sleep, eat, socialize, and of course, study!

Part of making this huge transition is making this one room work as home base, living room, bedroom, snack kitchen and walk-in closet – fortwo people! Thank goodness then for the loft bunk bed. It must have been invented by a college student. What better tool to transform your dorm into a cool, swinging living room, one that you just happen to live and sleep in? A loft gets your bed up and out of the way, making room for you and your roommate’s STUFF.

Many students meet their roommate first online, and have a chance to chat about the types of appliances, etc. they will bring to the room. Computers, TVs, music systems all need a space, along with books and study tools. Most dorms have a dresser, desk and bed for each student.

Beyond that, they are fairly free to modify. Loft bunks give seating space, room for storage underneath, and allow your sleeping space to remain separate for just that. Some are meant to incorporate a desk into the framework, so that is something to consider. Will your dorm provide one, or should you build it into your loft bunk plan?

Some lofts are meant to be sofas, some are meant to fold out like futons. Choose what suits your needs and your space.

There are dozens of kits and patterns for the best method to build your own loft bed, but they can be purchased already assembled as well. If you want to use the existing bed, consider that; otherwise, you can start from scratch, too.

Add a futon mattress for seating below your loft bunk, and you have a spare bed for a friend if need be. (Maybe add a curtain for privacy?) A word of advice: contact the university your child is planning to attend to see if they have any restrictions about modifications to dorm rooms. Once you have a green light, your imagination is the limit to making your loft bed into a creative living space!