Looking for tips on how to jazz up this bunk bed?

[AngeloMysterioso]

Recently bought for our two DS’s and really happy with it, but I’d like to make it a bit more… fun? Like at the moment when DS2 looks up from the bottom bunk all he can see is slats and the bottom of DS1’s mattress. I’m thinking of putting some very low wattage fairy lights down the side of the steps so DS1 can easily find his way down if he needs a wee in the night or wakes up while it’s still dark… any other suggestions?
Pic to show what the bed looks like - ours has a stair gate.

Hopeful bump for the evening crowd…

Hi op,
I had a similar set up when I had my children. After giving it a repaint I added fairy lights that I had wrapped with flowers and gems. I also added curtains to both beds. The bottom is easy but to do the top I would recommend adding a piece of wood to the ceiling to add more support.
Whenever they wanted to change their little secret area I would always buy an extra duvet cover to make the curtains and extra toy/book bags that would hang on hooks at the end of each bed. My dad made them each some little shelves to pop their favourite treasures on (one DD had a fascination with stones for a while).
I would also go to my local DIY wallpaper shop and grab samples of kids wallpapers and spend the evening cutting out each character to them stick to the wall.
I realise that I did all of this when my kids were little and they are now in their 30's, so most of the items above you can buy now.
Another idea was to paint a square black and frame it for an exclusive area for a chalkboard - I believe you can also buy magnetic paint now - so this with letter and number magnets would give them another activity to do.

The best fun we had was when it was a celebration like Christmas or Easter when my DD's could decorate their areas - yes it sometimes looked a bit messy and drove me mad when I had to change the beds but my DD's loved them and have just recently brought a set of bunk beds for my grandsons and nanny has been ordered to get the sewing machine out again to help. I am currently working on dinosaurs and paw patrol!
Just have fun and don't be afraid to try things - good luck

Looking at your beds again you could make them look like a castle.
Use cardboard boxes to make the add ones - defensive battlements at the top and the bottom could be a jail. Pool noodles would be good here.
Loads of bargains can be found in charity shops, poundshops. Keep an eye out for reduced items that you can recycle or repurpose.
Choose the theme together and enjoy the crafting together.

To cover the slates you could tack some black/dark fabric to the bottom of the bed and then add glow in the dark stars, moons etc.

Does he have soft toys still? Could you suspend a net or hammock on the underside of the slats for them to live in?

You can get stick on battery powered lights too which would work for the bottom bunk. I have one in my cupboard under the stairs!

Do glow in the dark stickers or a single push button light or motion sensitive night light, don't add strings of lights, it's a strangulation risk.

If you tuck things into the slats they will fall out every time you change the top bunk sheet and it will drive you mad. You could permanently attach something this way though.

I have just bought some camouflage netting from Amazon to hang on the bottom bunk so with DC's soft toy animal collection it will look a bit like a rainforest.