Boxed In – Clever Loft Beds And Space-Efficient Storage Units

Finding extra space in a home is hard enough even when you’re not living in a small apartment or studio. So what then? Things aren’t as grim after all as interior designers and architects are pretty great at making the most of every little inch of space and coming up with solutions such as loft beds or box-like volumes with built-in storage.

Scandinavian Loft Beds
Loft Living Room Decor

Loft beds are a clever and efficient way of dealing with the lack of space in a tiny apartment. This studio takes the idea even further and features a bathroom block on top of which the sleeping area was placed. There’s access to the loft bed via a ladder. On one side of the box-like volume there’s the access point (bathroom door) while on the other the kitchen forms an L-shape. The difference in functions is also highlighted through color. {found on planete-deco}.

Living Cube by Till Koenneke
Living Cube by Till Koenneke Design
Small Living Cube by Till Koenneke

A perfect solution for tiny apartments, the Living Cube by Till Könneker combines several functions into one compact structure in the form of a freestanding cube. In addition to offering storage in various different forms, the structure also adds two new rooms to the volume: a home office hidden inside and a bedroom on top. There’s even space to mount a TV on the side, making this a good addition to an open floor plan with a living space.

storage structure with shelves and a rod for hangers

Loft beds are a good option if you want to squeeze in a guest room or if there’s not enough room in there for a sleeping area. An interesting design based on this idea was created by Kirkpatrick for this tiny home. It features a storage structure with shelves and a rod for hangers as well as a sink and mirror. On top of this there’s a platform which holds the sleeping area, big enough for a mattress and a small desk. Two windows let it sufficient natural light. {found on dwell}.

Walk In closet under bed

Having a walk-in closet is an important deal for some and not having enough space for one can be pretty demoralizing. However, there are ways to improvise. For instance, you can have both a sleeping area and a large walk-in closet without needing double the space. The idea is to have the bed placed on top of the closet. This apartment is a really nice example. It shows how open and cozy such a combo can be. {found on vidaorganizada}.

Designs a Multifunctional Space
Cube Designs a Multifunctional Space
All in one Storage Cube

Managing to fit all the desired featured in a small apartment can be nearly impossible but having a high ceiling can really help. It lets you come up with clever interior design solutions such as sleeping areas suspended above the kitchen or compact work stations under the bed. That’s actually how this apartment was designed by mode:lina. It has a work area with a desk and storage shelves which can be closed off with a side panel that separates it from the kitchen and both these features support a loft bedroom.

Small Paris Apartment
Small Paris Apartment Loft Bed Above

Loft of other apartments offer some pretty inspiring ideas when it comes to organization and space-efficiency. An interesting example is this one designed by tiny sleeping area in the attic which can be accessed via a ladder and which stands suspended above the kitchen island.

Space saving with a suspended Bed
Space saving with a suspended Bed - desk under
Space saving with a suspended Bed living under

Not all suspended beds stand on top of bathrooms, storage units, kitchens or workstations. There is also the possibility to have a loft bed that simply leaves more open space underneath, allowing you to expand the living area. By having a suspended bedroom you basically get more floor space and this can change the layout of the apartment. One such example is this apartment in London which manages to stay chic and spacious despite its small size. 

Redesign the bed

You should consider a loft bed even if you’re happy with the size of your apartment and the number of bedrooms. You could redesign an existing bedroom and give it a suspended bed in order to free up the floor area and to turn it into a lounge area or in order to use it as a home office. It’s a clever idea that worked out well for this charming apartment with turquoise ceiling and wall accents. {found on frenchyfancy}.

Kids Treehouse indoor

Kids are big fans of tree houses, large boxes and anything similar and you can use this to your advantage to save space and make them happy at the same time. Consider a loft bedroom for the kids. You can design it as a suspended box where they can sleep and play, leaving room for a larger playground and more storage space underneath. {found on oeufleblog}.

Popular loft bed and desk
Living room with loft desk and under

The loft bed and desk combo is a popular one, often found in small bedrooms. The two go hand in hand since they’re usually put in the same room anyway. The design doesn’t have to be a complex one. You can keep the space simple and airy by opting for a white-painted bed suspended on a wooden platform with an attached ladder and a sleek and simple design tucked beneath the platform. {found on planete-deco}.

Bed storage for small spaces

Things aren’t always that simple and by that we refer to the fact that not all apartments have high ceilings. As a result, a loft bed isn’t always an option. Even so, there are other s and functionality. For example, the bed can sit on a raised platform which can serve as a storage unit. It would actually be nice to have the window right there and enjoy a panoramic view from bed. This charming idea was used by Studio Oink when designing this space.

Bed with pulley system

Another interesting solution can be to have a bed with a pulley system which allows you to lift it off the ground and to basically store it on the ceiling when not needed. You can use the extra space in tons of useful ways. For instance, you can have a sofa there and turn the area into a lounge space or you can simply have a larger social area. {found on dwell}.

tiny 22-metre-square Taiwan apartment
tiny 22-metre-square Taiwan apartment storage
tiny 22-metre-square Taiwan apartment living

It’s necessary to maximize the space in a tiny apartment if you really want it to be a place you can call home. Use as inspiration this 22 square meter apartment transformed by A Little Design. The apartment is really small but it server every need of its owners thanks to the ingenious unit which placed a loft bed above the kitchen and offers additional storage in the form of open cubbies. {found on dezeen}