All interior design advantages
Podium bed
Podium in a children's room has a number of positive effects:
- Makes your home a little more open - thanks to the hidden bed. This provides unoccupied space for games, home exercise or entertaining little guests.
- Allows you to define clear functional areas - even a closed bed helps create a learning and play area. This approach is necessary to accommodate all the things children need in a minimal space.
- It is practical - in a compact space there are more points for storing things. The home will remain tidy and there will be no scattered toys. It is easy to hide communications on the bottom side of the product: heating radiators, etc.
The podium-bed in the nursery gives it unusualness and becomes the “highlight” of the interior. The baby has his own space in which he will never be bored.
Working area from above
Types of structures by organization
There are many models of raised decking with a bed. All of them are divided into three main types:
- Traditional.
- Improved.
- Retractable.
Creates more space
The choice of a specific type of structure should take into account:
- visual image;
- financial opportunities;
- room style;
- the need to install additional work and sleeping places;
- room parameters (ceiling height, area, regular or irregular shape, arches, ceiling beams).
There is no clear opinion about the podium bed even among designers. Many are confident in the advisability of such an organization only for very large premises. But not everything in this matter is clear. It is possible to install it even in a modest-sized apartment with a not very favorable layout.
Be sure to consider the style of the room
The frame version has a relatively simple organization. It uses metal, wood or a combination of several materials.
The average height of the podium in an ordinary apartment is from 0.25 to 0.55 m. If you need to organize storage systems, then the height should be about half a meter.
Often the podium has a rectangular shape. But this requirement is not considered mandatory. The round, semicircular shape also looks no less interesting.
It is basically rectangular in shape
The podium usually has a completely flat top floor. But perhaps even a wide mattress can be placed in the recess below the sides. This will make it possible to use the protruding planes as bedside tables and additional shelves.
Traditional podium
This type is the simplest to implement. It looks like a rigid frame made of wood with a covering of wear-resistant material and a mattress on top. The height of the flooring is usually about half a meter.
The casing is made from the following materials:
- linoleum;
- skin;
- wood;
- carpet, etc.
Traditional podium option
One of the easiest ways to decorate the outside of the podium is to paint it in several layers. The right shade will create a harmonious space in the room, where each element has its place.
Improved version
This type of bed is similar to the previous one, but with added functionality. The podium has retractable storage chambers for things: for bed linen, clothes, etc.
The decorative and originality of the structure is combined with practicality of use. Storage systems in the form of drawers can be combined with open shelves for books, souvenirs, frequently used small items, and blankets. A system of entire segments with different appearances is welcome.
The option is supplemented with functionality
Retractable mechanism
A bed with a pull-out system is a comfortable sleeping place that can be pushed under the podium. The roll-out device allows you to use the resulting free podium for organizing a workplace or storing things.
In withdrawable systems, it is necessary to pay attention to the quietness of the drawout. To do this, the wheels must have a high-quality rubber coating that does not scratch the floor and makes it possible to move the bed out and in quietly
Plastic wheels are not suitable. If used frequently, they may leave marks on the floor. In addition, plastic has a short service life and quickly becomes unusable.
Pay attention to the quietness of the withdrawable mechanism
Types of podium beds
Retail chains offer a wide variety of designs, sliding and roll-out types. They are equipped with various mechanisms and have secondary functionality. The main purpose of a podium in a children's room is to free up space by carefully placing all the necessary things.
Podium bed with drawers underneath
The sleeping area in the structure is located at the top; the unoccupied lower space is intended to serve as storage. The variety is produced in two versions:
- Tall - resembles a two-story structure; to access the elevation, steps are formed in which additional drawers can be placed. Below is a study area, bookcase or wardrobe.
- Low - the sleeping place is located at the height of a small chest of drawers. Shelves and cabinets with hinged doors are placed in random order.
A high crib-podium (more than a meter in height) is suitable for babies after 3 years.
The photo shows an option with drawers located below
Pull-out bed-podium
This option may vary in volume:
- For half the room - it takes up most of the space. When closed, it has clear zoning: the upper part is given over to study and games, the lower part is for meeting guests or free movement.
- Equal to the sleeping compartment - absorbs less space. The structure becomes part of a shelving unit or wardrobe.
Any of these options involves a secret bed, hidden from view during the day.
Pull-out bed type
Podium for two
In a children's room with a podium for several children, the basic principle is adhered to. On top there is a play or study area, under which two beds with a pull-out mechanism are hidden. This project is convenient for small-sized apartments, with a small space that does not allow you to equip a full-fledged place for relaxation and games.
Functions of the podium
Due to its highly widespread functionality, a children's room with a podium and pull-out beds deserves the opportunity to be installed in every home with a minimum area.
- An excellent solution in bedrooms with small dimensions is a designed riser; its use allows you to save space.
- With the help of the structure, the floor turns out to be at different levels, which complements the aesthetics of the room. The space remains most balanced .
- A niche with a built-in pencil case is usually used as a sleeping place, which reduces the time for cleaning bedding.
- On the top of the podium there is a workspace or a machine closet.
- It’s good to implement the design if you want to get rid of an intrusive place.
The podium allows you to create certainly unusual solutions, including the installation of exclusive beds, wardrobes, drawers for storing useful small items, thus not clogging the interior with foreign objects.
Options for arranging a podium in the interior
There are several variations of the installation of the structure:
- Square type - suitable for private rooms, helps to divide the space into several free zones. This approach is used to install multiple cribs and create convenient storage points.
- Rectangular type - belongs to the traditional ones, it is convenient and practical. The structure is placed along the wall, adjacent to it at two or three points. In the latter case, the point is a chest of drawers or an additional closet.
- Corner - installed in close proximity to two vertical surfaces. If the bedroom is installed below, then the play space is on top. In the mirror version, retractable parts are created in the lower part.
Before purchasing a ready-made podium with pull-out beds for the nursery, you need to realistically assess the height of the ceilings, the location of the window and the total area of the room.
Podium for the play area
Podium in the living room interior
In a spacious living room, which is used only for its main purpose, a low podium in the television area will help hide the wires. Built-in light along the perimeter of the podium will create a cinematic atmosphere. If you equip this area with a curtain, the podium will become a stage for home theater productions.
Podium in the living room interior
When groups of adults and children often gather in the living room, the guest area - a sofa and a coffee table - can be raised onto a podium, and below can be equipped with a place for children to play outdoors, so it will be more convenient for parents to watch them. This design is also suitable for groups who love to dance.
Podium in the interior of the living room-bedroom
Having a piano in your home means dedicating a special place for it. The podium could be such a place. Arranging a curtain will help you concentrate during rehearsals and not interfere with other household activities, and will also allow you to give mini-concerts.
A narrow podium along the wall in the living room will replace the sofa and allow you to store many useful things. This design will fit into any design, you just need to choose the right fabric for pillowcases on thick foam pillows. By the way, they are not difficult to make yourself.
Multifunctional podium in the living room interior
Podium with sleeping and working space in the living room
Podium in the large living room
White podium in the living room
TV podium in the living room
Podium in the living room-kitchen
Podium in a small living room
Podium in a white living room
Ideas for a small or narrow room
In a small room, the elevation is intended for zonal division and preservation of space. The formed second tier helps to neatly lay out household items and clothes.
The advantages of designs in narrowed and long rooms include the formation of a sufficient amount of space unoccupied by things. Roll-out beds are hidden in a niche and additional shelves are installed. The room will form not only a full-fledged sleeping place, but also a work or guest area located on the platform.
Order or make it yourself
Forming a simple, traditional DIY podium, without secondary opening or retractable structures, requires certain tools, high quality materials and a little experience. Before work, you need to make calculations with sketches and buy the necessary attributes.
It’s easier to order an industrial product, especially if you don’t have qualifications or have a lot of free time. By entrusting the creation of furniture to professionals, you don’t have to worry about its quality and safety characteristics.
Complex systems with many shelves, roll-out mechanisms and doors are definitely better to purchase rather than do it yourself.
Finished drawing
What is important to know when installing a podium
There are several requirements:
- the concrete structure is durable, but it is purchased only for a private house and placed on the ground floor;
- to increase the safety of the podium, it cannot be placed in the central part of the room or a passageway;
- if the bed must hide communications behind itself, then free access to them must be provided;
- You should not get carried away with massive products and install them on a wooden base - weighted versions can cause damage to partitions;
- You can’t save on material - the service life depends on the strength;
- when choosing a place, select an area where a regular bed looks logical;
- When purchasing, you must not forget that children grow quickly and the size of the podium is selected for the future - a durable structure is difficult to disassemble.
If the ceilings in the apartment are low, the height of the product is calculated so that the owner can stand on it at full height. Do not forget about sound insulation - moving along the top part can provoke a booming sound.
Assembly diagram
Podium for a children's room
For a children's room in which several children live, the podium will be an innovative solution to the problem of placing sleeping, play and study areas. A bunk bed can cause arguments over who sleeps on top and who sleeps below. Creating a podium with two pull-out beds on the bottom and two study spaces on top will solve the problem in a wide room.
High podium for a children's room
A similar option for a rectangular room is two podiums, each of which has a bed and a workplace. In this case, the bed can be placed at the top, and the podium can be equipped with a retractable table and storage drawers.
Podium with a pull-out bed and a workspace for a children's room
The design of a nursery should be dynamic and developing, as the inhabitants of this room grow quickly. When equipping a podium as a play area for a child, it is better to think in advance about how to convert it when the child goes to school. The color scheme of those elements that cannot be repainted should be chosen in neutral colors. So, for example, a teenage boy will say that the baby blue color his parents chose several years ago is not cool. With girls it’s easier in this regard; pink usually remains relevant from the cradle and at least until graduation.
Teenager's room with podium
Podium in the nursery with a pull-out bed
Podium in a nursery for two children
Podium in a teenager's room
Comfortable podium in the nursery
Comfortable podium in a teenager's room
Bed on a podium in a teenager's room
Podium in teenagers' room
Podium in the child's room
Podium in the interior of a nursery
Podium bed in the interior of a nursery
Podium bed in the interior
How to assemble a podium bed yourself
Manufacturing the structure requires following step-by-step steps:
- Sketch - measure the volume of the room, choose the shape of the product and select materials. The drawing is created after checking the received measurements.
- Marking is done on the floor, it includes both the main contour and vertical supports with crossbars for secondary shelves. If the structure must be adjacent to the wall, then the plinth is removed from this part.
- Assembly - the podium itself, the pull-out bed and shelves are assembled separately. Fastening is carried out along the contour of the beam using 16 mm self-tapping screws.
- Install vertical supports - the length should be equal to the height of the product minus double the thickness of the beam. Fastening is carried out with metal corners; if the bed is in contact with the wall, then it is additionally fixed with dowels.
- Installation - cross beams and top trim are attached to the supports. If the size of the structure is large, then the longitudinal ones are secured again. The joints are reinforced with vertical supports.
- The boards are secured between the supporting parts (in the area where the shelves are installed) - the finished section resembles two wooden sidewalls with guides attached to them. If the box is on casters, then guides are not needed.
- The frame is covered with chipboard or plywood, the slabs are attached to the beams.
Assembly is completed by painting, sanding and varnishing. Before installing the structure, the floor is covered with carpet.
Experts recommend paying attention to finished products for the children's room. Some companies carry out preliminary measurements of the premises and create podiums exactly according to the obtained parameters. This approach allows you to get maximum free space, improve its appearance, and get rid of the feeling of clutter.
DIY podium bed
Today we will look at two options for making a functional podium bed at home. Each of them has its own obvious advantages, so you can choose the one you like best.
Pull-out bed-podium
Before starting the bed manufacturing process, you need to take measurements of the walls where you plan to install it. In this case, the height of the product will be 45 centimeters, width 270 centimeters, and depth 170 centimeters. A ready-made mattress measuring 160x200 centimeters will be used here - this should be taken into account when designing a retractable structure.
During the work you will need the following:
- electric drill;
- drill;
- electric jigsaw;
- metal ruler;
- building level;
- square;
- measuring tape;
- a simple pencil;
- hammer;
- fasteners;
- MDF sheets measuring 244x183x16 centimeters (2 canvases);
- bars with a cross section of 5×5 centimeters;
- plywood - 122x244 centimeters;
- supports;
- corners;
- dowels;
- baseboards;
- decorative plugs.
For installation work you will definitely need an electric drill.
Prices for the range of drills
Drill
Step-by-step instruction
Step one: preparation of parts. You must first draw out the parts of the required sizes on MDF sheets, and then cut them using a jigsaw. It is better not to use a bow saw for such purposes, because this can only damage the already fragile material. In addition, if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is recommended to contact a furniture workshop, where professionals will cut the sheets according to all the rules.
We cut MDF sheets to the required sizes
Step two: installation of the base. Before starting to manufacture the bed frame, it is necessary to level the floor and, if necessary, remove the baseboard. This is done to ensure that the finished structure is stable.
Then you will need to do the following:
- Long bars must be cut using a hacksaw into small pieces that make up the bed frame.
- Next, you need to connect these bars together into frame belts using metal corners and screws. At this stage it is necessary to check the correctness of the fastenings.
Installing the base
Step three: the frame is attached to the wall itself using metal corners. So, one side must be fixed on the wood, and the other on the wall, after making holes using a hammer drill. It is necessary to fix the base to the wall with dowels and self-tapping screws. Then, using the corners, you need to attach the lower belt of the base to the floor. Next, the correct position of all these parts should be measured with a building level.
Attaching the Frame
Step four: cladding the frame. Next, you need to cover the bed frame with MDF blanks. In addition, it is recommended to make good soundproofing of the podium. To do this, polystyrene foam or mineral wool is placed in its interior. This will eliminate noise when ascending to the podium.
Mineral wool panels
Step five: in the top bar you need to drill holes for the dowels, retreating every 30 centimeters. Holes must also be made on the back side of the MDF sheets.
Next, these holes should be filled with glue, and then dowels should be placed in them and the sheets should be secured.
The bed steps must be secured in the same way.
Step six: then you need to secure the baseboards in those places where the platform adjoins the walls. This can be done using the same hammer drill and dowels. It is important to consider that the baseboard should not be attached to the bed, only to the wall. If space allows, then on the left side of the landing you can make a drawer.
Finished view of the steps
Step seven: assembling the pull-out bed. Assembling the bed involves performing the following steps:
- It is necessary to assemble the parts of the facade, rear wall, sidewall, and bottom using European screws. To do this, you will need to first prepare holes for fasteners.
- Next, use screws to secure four supports on rollers to the bottom of the structure.
The last step is to install the mattress in a roll-out structure
Finished bed
Video - Diagram and installation of a structure with a pull-out bed
Podium bed with sleeping area on top and drawers
This is the most popular model of a podium-type bed, because additional drawers are useful for storing personal belongings, they save space and eliminate the installation of a closet.
To make a bed you will need the following:
- electric jigsaw;
- drill;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- stapler;
- rollers;
- glue;
- finishing varnish;
- ruler;
- measuring tape;
- building level;
- simple pencil.
Prices for popular models of jigsaws
Jigsaw
Most assembly tools can be found by any owner.
Step-by-step instruction
Step one: first you need to cut the parts to the required sizes.
In our case, we will need to prepare material for the following parts:
- outer parts and cross bars (22 mm board);
- sides of drawers (16 mm board);
- internal frame parts (chipboard 19 mm);
- bottom of boxes (thin plywood sheet);
- parts of the frame (bars with a cross section of 50×50 millimeters).
You must first apply markings and then cut the parts using a jigsaw.
Making the markings
Step two: make the frame. The size of the frame of the future bed will be 215 x188 centimeters. Here, both the dimensions of the mattress itself and the width of the beam are taken into account. To do this, cut the bars into four parts along the length of the frame itself. In addition, you will need 4 more parts with a length of 207 centimeters and two parts with a length of 188 centimeters. Using the same principle, it is necessary to divide the parts for the lower frame.
Next, you need to cut the shortened partitions exactly to size.
Vertical bars must be firmly fixed to each other
This is what the frame of its component parts will look like upon completion of assembly.
Step Three: Next you will need to assemble the frame parts. Assembling the frame should be done carefully so as not to damage the wood, because sometimes cracks appear in it during the installation process. The holes must be drilled in advance, and then the parts must be secured with self-tapping screws. Along the perimeter of the location of the future bed, it is necessary to gradually secure the bars with self-tapping screws. For greater stability, it is necessary to connect the ends of the bars into a lock, as shown in the image.
Reliable fastening method
The height of the bars in this case is 5 centimeters less than the structure according to the drawing. Vertical parts must be fixed every 400 millimeters, this will allow you to obtain the most stable structure.
All actions should be performed slowly, carefully checking the reliability of the fastenings
Crossbars made of timber are fixed to the support and for greater strength, the racks are secured to the wall with dowels.
Important point! If the crossbars are long, then additional sections are fixed in the central part of the podium. Failure to do so will result in the bed creaking when exposed to humidity and other factors.
Step four: making the boxes. When designing a bed, it should be taken into account that the total length of the drawers should be no more than 50-60 centimeters. These parameters are optimal, so the design will not take up extra space.
When assembling boxes, you must have a drawing in front of your eyes at all times.
The design of each drawer is unique, with four slats and a bottom. They are secured to each other using screws and self-tapping screws. Then you need to mark for installing the guides. Particular attention should be paid to their fastening. After all, if you make a mistake by a few millimeters, the drawers will not slide out normally.
Guides need to be installed
In a special article we will look in detail at the instructions for assembling a drawer from plywood.
Step five: you will need to do the final finishing of the podium bed. To finish the podium bed, you must use chipboard (laminated) or carpet. The boards must first be sanded with sandpaper, then covered with a layer of stain and varnish. Experts recommend choosing varnish with a matte finish. The paint must be applied in several layers. In this case, each of them must begin to dry, and then the varnish coating can be applied. When decorating the headboard you should use your imagination. You can cover it with soft fabric using a stapler.
Finishing the bed must be done in any convenient way
