Box room options: Ikea stackable bed or narrow trundle or something different?

[Crampulet]

Hello, we have a box room that is 1.7m x 3.2m and trying to figure out our best options for it to function well as a home office/guest room for the present and as a teenager's room in the future. It has a built-in wardrobe, so no need for additional wardrobe. The door is at one end of the long room and the window is the opposite end. We would like to have a single bed and a desk as the main things, with the option of creating a double bed for visitors. Due to the shape of the room and the doors of the wardrobe, the only configuration is to have the bed lengthways and the desk next to it under the window. Likely would opt for a foldable desk to make it easy to get it out of the way when double bed is needed. The options we are considering are:

IKEA stackable bed (https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/utaker-stackable-bed-pine-00360484/): this is 83cm x 205cm per bed, when placed next to each other it would just about fit. Advantage is that it allows for a 85cm wide desk next to it, but in the double-bed configuration it is a very low bed, not sure how comfortable that is.

Single bed + narrow trundle: A normal single is approx 100cm x 200cm, so two of them wouldn't fit next to each other. I reckon with a bit of diy we could make the trundle narrower (70cm) to fit the room exactly when in use and cut a foam mattress into this narrower width. Main disadvantage is that only a smaller desk would fit next to a standard single.

Narrow single + trundle: diy-ing both the single and the trundle to be approx. 85cm wide each. Would still be an acceptable size as a single bed and would allow for a decent sized desk, but would mean significant extra work from us to modify both beds (although I believe doable).

What do you think about these options, would any of them work you think? Or do people have other inspired thoughts? Cabin bed is not an option due to mobility issues. Thank you!

What about a wall/Murphy bed that folds up and out of the way when not in use?

Thanks, do you mean to have the single bed (which we would like to have there available permanently) and another single on the opposite wall that would fold down? I feel that would take away from valuable room width when folded up, unless I misunderstand what you are suggesting.

I have just googled Murphy bed, the price of that would be prohibitive unfortunately, but also not sure how well it could work in this room.

www.amazon.co.uk/Wooden-Daybed-Trundle-Storage-Bedroom/dp/B09XLGDGM5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?adgrpid=71107722887&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.x1-BROsTG-7BpW2WwG3UoBpzfiF5jhK5tNkj28ut2aEGB6_uVy43r2FFj6M3xAU-B4Qi9n4JicOXrYDZ7SlBlMdBPGbe9zYi0m0fotj7JVRowpvaChAAU-pxw-M-VYiQfG0oFthU_EYrKP02OMaUJbH3_Fo3v0f-fJGvVfhR4OO5E2vIWjujyCDIwyON_D-Gr_0ojGOIwXfT9nbvcQFPRA.fdl4l5DZ9sNW21Fivw9HVYgoAHcEc8QUQuer_NWk5G4&dib_tag=se&hvadid=335575427727&hvdev=m&hvlocint=1006696&hvlocphy=9189087&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3957263276301650477&hvtargid=kwd-318234443225&hydadcr=2282_1785788&keywords=single+bed+that+converts+to+double&qid=1709638329&sr=8-1
How about something like this? It's pull-out rather than a trundle, which means you can extend it to exactly the width you desire.

What about an Ikea Hemmes day bed? Looks more like a sofa than a bed so fits in with the office theme, has drawer storage underneath you can access when in single bed mode and means in double bed mode you are not low to the ground.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hemnes-day-bed-w-3-drawers-2-mattresses-white-afjaell-medium-firm-s49521503/

I would start with the bed and then figure out the desk. There are lots of fold up or fold down desks out there or one you could fold down and remove when it is used as a guest room. For future teen they only need a single bed. Even Dh and I in our superking only get 90cm of space each, equivalent to a single.

@movingnorthsoon Thank you, yes, we were initially actually thinking of the IKEA Hemnes daybed that also pulls out like this, but I tried it at a friends place and you really need to push it when closing it back so if it was pulled out to the wall I don't think we would be able to grip it to close back in. Or at least it looked like it would be very impractical, so we gave up on the idea even though initially seemed like the perfect thing.

Sorry for the horrible link!
It's easier to manage than stackable and unlike the trundle, you still get under-bed storage. You have a full size single when not extended.
You could get the second mattress at 70cm, to make a 160 double. Or if your guests are happy to cuddle up together in a queen size double, then just cut your extra foam mattress to 50cm, giving them 140 in total, plus 30cm on the side for walking in!

It is also very future proof and can be used as a full size double if teen moves out to his/her own place and takes it with him/her ..

@SquireMcDoll Yes, this would be my dream if we could make it work! I should have put it in the opening post that this was the first we considered but didn;t feel it would work if you can;t push from the drawers' sde to close it back in. If I am wrong about it, would love to hear from those who have this model as I love the concept!

@movingnorthsoon Thank you! Do you think it would close easily once pulled out to the wall? This is my concern, that it would be something difficult to manage. (Maybe the stacking/unstacking would also be difficult, unfortuanetly don't know anyone who has the stackable bed so can't try.)

I guess then you just don't extend it all the way wall to wall! Make it a queen-size double when extended. Not perfect for long term but fine for guests!

How soon do you need to buy the bed? I am close to an Ikea and am going next week so I could see how easily it closes as I now see the issue you have.

Yes, I see what you mean. It just creates the issue of having to store the narrower mattress elsewhere, as otherwise the two mattresses of the IKEA daybed would just live on top of each other when in single mode.
Sorry, I know I seem like I am frowning on every suggestion, I really am gratefel, just trying to think through what would work well practically. I am quite mad at the size of this room! 😂

How kind of you, thank you! We are weeks/months away from having to make the decision, so there is time to mull it over. Unfortunately, no IKEA close by to try these things but we tested our friend's Hemnes and it didn't seem to slide easily at all.

Putting my Kirstie hat on, no way you can pinch some space from whatever room is next to it? Just because long term it will become a bedroom rather than the office/guest.

I will still have a play with the Hemnes bed for you to see how it feels. I do love an Ikea shop and mine is close enough that when friends visit they say can we just pop to Ikea.

Yes, we have thought of this, the room next to it is a bit larger, so we could probably take about 30cm from there and make them roughly equal sized rooms. Just not sure if we might end up with two not very good rooms at the end by doing that. Also fear that it would cost quite a lot, would be happy to hear about recent experiences on this if others might have done it.

And thank you so much for the offer, will be grateful for your feedback on the Hemnes! Or if you happen to see the Utaker stackable bed and get the option to try how easy it is to lift one off the other - don't hurt yourself though!
I really envy you for the closeby Ikea! :)

Who is going to use the bedroom? My box room is a sort of office / spare room. I thought about putting a high sleeper in but the main person who stays is my dad who is 80+.

You can get folding mattresses that go on the floor but can be folded up to store. Agin it depends who will be using the bed.

Or what about a futon?

I just thought if the other room was decent but not worth making that room unworkable if it only makes that one 2m wide also.

I have added checking out the day bed and the others to my Ikea list on my phone and I will let you know. The stackable ones are good but low down and your guests will have to exit the bed at the bottom anyway, so it does make the Hemnes a bit more difficult due to the sides. Ds1 used to have a single trundle bed that could be popped up to the same height as his bed and it was hard because it was in a tight gap next to his wardrobe etc. So I can envisage the problem you have with the walls.

The 50cm mattress should fit under the bed, and still leave space for sheets etc.

We have something similar, it was DPs childhood bed, still going strong! He used it as a single, then a double (160 mattress), then when we moved in together, it was our double. Since we upgraded to super-king, it is our guest bed, depending on who's visiting, we use it as a single or double. The mattresses are stored under our regular bed.

It does take standing beside the bed to push it in, and when the single mattress is on, it isn't easy (perfectly doable). I lift the single mattress into vertical position to push in, very easy then!

It is not always great living near to Ikea but it does allow you to come home and have a think about stuff rather than buying and then it not quite working out.

I'm really taken by these and will probably get one for DD when we have to redo her room, which is a similar shape and size.

It's a slightly narrow single, which I don't think most people would notice, but which helps you fit a desk in. It then pulls open into a double which just fits in your dimensions AND has storage drawers.

I also like the corner headboard. DD's room has the radiator under the window so this will keep her head away from it.

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/flekke-day-bed-frame-with-2-drawers-white-00320134/

We have a room the same size and similar layout (but no built in wardrobe just a standard box room).
Its not ideal but we’ve had to put a single bed at window end, not helped that there’s a rad under the window and put a small corner desk nearest the door - it was very very tight for width and not blocking any of the door frame. With room width of 1.7m we had less than a metre of room width without impinging on the door opening at that end of the room :(

Hi, yes, this is a very good point. So the main people that use the room at the moment are:
From the household: I use it as an office 4 days a week, hence preference for a decent sized desk
Guest: most frequest users are a single adult (tall male if that matters), an
adult couple and a mother with a toddler that co-sleep.

We are about 5 years away from one of our kids moving into the room, so maybe don't have to think about that right now, but when that happens it will be their bedroom and I will set up my office space somewhere else in the house.

Thank you, this is really useful to know!

I have the IKEA stackable bed in my loft room. It is very low (an advantage for me) and as a single it is very narrow. If an adult is using it then I think you would have to assemble it as a double. Very easy to stack and move around. I have an expensive wool under blanket and my (fussy) family find it comfortable, actively choosing it in preference to a comfortable single. Unlike most zip links, the join between the 2 is nit uncomfortable.
I find its versatility useful and would buy again.