To want to see a cabin bed put together in a shop before spending hundreds of pounds

[BrowncoatWaffles]

Shamelessly posting for traffic.

Looking to buy 2 x cabin beds for the DC. Have spent a lot of time looking at various options, comparing measurements etc. But, apocalypse allowing, just want to go into a shop and look at a couple actually put together to look at wood quality, sturdiness etc. DH and I braved a range of different furniture and specifically bed shops (chain and independent) today but despite going to more than a dozen different places didn't find one kids bed in a showroom anywhere.

What are we missing? Do people not buy kids' beds in ordinary bed shops? Is the assumption that people would have gone to somewhere like Mothercare to see this kind of kids' furniture? If so, where do they go now? It seems like a crazy amount of money to spend without seeing the beds in person first!

In associated news, can anyone recommend a mid level cabin bed please?

My local dreams store had a few cabin and bunk beds in last year.

We had a similar issue years ago for ds.
Looked in as many places as we could find. Only found a couple. One was in a huge tesco (quite flimsy, not ideal for keeping into his teenage years) and one in dreams
We chose the dreams one.
Nice bed. Reasonably well made. Lasted well. But their delivery service was diabolical!
If you can borrow a large car or small van, then collect it from dreams.

We've bought one from Next in the past - it was on display in the shop. Ikea will have kids beds on display too - but maybe more bunk beds or high beds rather than mid cabin beds. You could look on their website and if you see any you like, ring your local store to see if it's on display?

IKEA would have them built and displayed.

I totally agree. I need one, but a narrow one. Even less luck with those.

Ikea is the place to go.

It is weird that places don’t have them on display though, mothercare didn’t have beds, usually just cost so it isn’t because of that.

The ikea ones don’t look either comfortable or as if they will last long. Nor do the ones I have seen online. Awaiting recommendations with interest

Ours was from John Lewis precisely because they did have them built on the shop floor.

Another vote for ikea. Their stuff is generally very solid, with a good choice of decent mattresses.

If you buy elsewhere chances are you will be paying more for something very similar or certainly no better quality. A lot of the reason ikea is cheap is due to very efficient manufacturing etc, not poorer quality products. Plus customers do a lot of the work in picking, delivery and assembly. If you need it delivered you have to pay the actual cost, not a nominal amount or 'free' when the cost is just built into the product price.

Try JYSK I bought one from there a couple of years ago, they had them all made up in the showroom.

Kids Funtime Beds are AWESOME!

www.amazon.co.uk/cabin-bed-single-sleeper-childrens/dp/B018KF33J6/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&crid=7KDXP9LRCWFL&keywords=mid+sleeper+beds+for+kids&sprefix=midsleeper+bed%2Caps%2C210&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1600937511&sr=8-3
We have these and they are really really sturdy (also the exact height to fit a 2 hole high Kallax unit underneath the actual bed part - with the frame edges hanging down behind them).

Avoid, avoid, avoid Bensons for Beds unless you like things breaking instantly and no chance of getting a refund ever.

We bought one online from Thuka. The quality was fantastic. A friend bought what she thought was the same bed from Argos just a lot cheaper. The quality was diabolical.

I recommend IKEA, their stuff lasts an eternity

Try Flexa. The quality of the ones we had was excellent. All thick, solid wood. My 16 year old is still in the one we bought when he moved out of his cot. We had L shaped bunkbeds, later converted to 2 cabin beds, and a 3rd cabin bed we bought used from ebay, which DD has been in for over 10 years now.

They have stockists all over the country so there may be one near you you could go and look at.

Amazon do fantastic wooden bunk beds. Really strong and sturdy and fresh lovely pine smell 👍

@DominaShantotto

That is so weird. I actually have a bunk bed by that company - but bought years ago before they were on Amazon (or at least I bought direct from them).

I can attest to the sturdiness of those @BrowncoatWaffles and am happy to take photos if you like. I will probably get a mid-sleeper from them, thanks for linking as I had forgotten the name and oddly they didn’t show up on a google search.

@BookcaseOfWonder both of my DC have ikea high level sleepers. They've had them since they were 4 and 6s. Eldest coming up to 14. They both love them and say they are really comfortable. My nephew has the mid level one and loves it too. They do though wish they had bought the high instead as they are going to swap to it for the extra room.

Ds had a mid sleeper bed from Argos, had it from being 9 to 15, only changed as he is 6' tall. Built in metal but has room underneath for IKEA kallax units or small chest of drawers.