Bunking Up In Style - Bunk Beds Graduate From Kids-only Purpose
By Charles Agar / Photos by Carter Photographics

It’s a defining moment in life, whether at summer camp, that first day in the frat house or the army: top bunk or bottom bunk?

Bunk beds take us back to pillow fights and childhood sleepovers, when those simple stacked mattresses meant the freedom to actually climb around indoors. With a little imagination, were transformed into elaborate forts, a diving submarine or a besieged cowboy outpost.

But bunk beds aren’t just for kids anymore, and several Grand County builders are coming up with unique and cozy configurations where anyone might like to lay their head.

“More than half of our customers are putting in bunk beds now,” said Brad Smith, president of Terra Firma Custom Homes in Winter Park. “I think it’s a resort kind of thing. You have this inflow of people and it would be impossible to have a bedroom for everyone.”

From parents and grandparents with kids of bunk bed age to active young couples who want a comfortable “bring-everybody” kind of place, Smith’s clients want the extra sleep space without sacrificing style.

“It’s definitely a growing trend in Grand County,” Smith said of the unique bunk designs. “It’s all about fitting the needs of everyone who might be coming to visit.”

Some of Smith’s recent installations include luggage storage areas below each bed, custom shelving for personal items, and touches like cell phone caddies, plush curtains and even pirate or nautical-themed accents for kids.

Smith said the designer build-ins are a chance for local woodworking artisans to showcase their skills with anything from raw timbers to clean milled wood in an American Craftsman style. “They always put something of their own into it,” Smith said.

It’s important to design bunks with adult-size mattresses and leave plenty of space for ease in changing bedding, Smith said. Floor-level light switches are essential so homeowners and caretakers can control the personal lighting in each bunk without having to climb around. And he is careful to consult with clients over attached or removable ladders.

Toby Dellamano, a custom builder and owner of Archer Dream Homes in Winter Park, knows first-hand the benefit of bunk beds. He packed them into the spacious 4,500-square-foot home where he and wife Stacie live with their sons Cameron, 8, and Connor, 5.

“Bunk beds are all about sleepovers,” Dellamano said. “It’s just a good, comfy place for kids to hang out.”

Recessed in the wall of a downstairs playroom, the designer bunks in the Dellamano home have plug-ins for personal devices and durable private reading lights, something you might find in a first-class train compartment.

The clever setup means that the beds don’t take up a whole room, just one wall, leaving plenty of play space. And snug in their bunks, the kids can giggle into the wee hours while the adults entertain in the upstairs great room.

The Dellamano home was featured in the 2008 Parade of Homes, and since then, clients are increasingly asking for built-in bunks for weekend getaways. Dellamano often designs his bunks with barn board backing or with shelves and curtains. They’re great for guests of all ages, especially in vacation homes that are all about sleep density and accommodating friends from the Front Range.

And still, the age-old question remains: top bunk or bottom bunk?

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