Why is it better to give up a bed?
A bed in a one-room apartment, no matter what size it is, will “eat up” the most important thing: living space. And if you are going to separate the sleeping area from the guest area with partitions, then the space will visually become even more compact.
Another argument “against” is related to the fact that the recreation area is needed exclusively at night – accordingly, during the day 4-6 square meters of the bedroom will be empty, which is unacceptable in a one-room apartment.
Read also: 9 best ways to hide a bed in a room
If you decide to give up the sofa, without separating the bedroom and living room, be prepared for difficulties with receiving guests: sitting on the bed is at least uncomfortable, at most – simply unhygienic.
Why do you need a bed in a one-room apartment?
It is worth finding a place for a bed in a one-room apartment at least because it is much more comfortable to sleep on. The bed was originally created for sleeping: thanks to the orthopedic mattress, there is no negative impact on the back muscles.
Modern sofas can also be found with an orthopedic base, but due to the folding design, over time some parts will sag or move apart, which will negatively affect the quality of sleep.
Important! The mattress on the bed is much easier to replace than the base of the sofa. The latter will have to be changed completely.
The second advantage of a stationary sleeping area is that there is no need to fold the bed linen and assemble the sofa every morning, and unfold and unfold it again every evening. It is quite easy to make the bed.
And the last advantage of a separate sleeping area in a one-room apartment is its remoteness and intimacy. This is especially true when more than one person lives in the apartment. Even if one of the family members is busy with their own affairs in the living room or kitchen, you can sleep peacefully in the bedroom.
The photo shows a one-room apartment with a bed and a sofa
Recommendations for choosing
The design of a one-room apartment with a bed should take into account the small dimensions of the space. Accordingly, the bed should be compact and unobtrusive.
Take a full-size double bed no wider than 140-160 cm, it is better to limit a single bed to 120-140 cm.
Preference is given to a weightless appearance – instead of a bulky headboard and sides, for example, choose a thin frame made of metal tubes. Or give preference to a classic minimalist model with drawers below – they will help solve the problem of storing bedding and other things.
How to place it conveniently?
There are many real ideas for placing a bed in a one-room apartment. You should choose the right one based on the architectural features of the room, its size and your personal preferences.
Podium
Allows you to create the most ergonomic and economical, relatively free space, layout of a one-room apartment with a bed. The idea is to build a podium that can be used in two ways:
- Above is space for any area (office, living room, dining room), below is a pull-out bed that is used exclusively at night.
- A mattress is placed on top, and below (inside the podium) storage drawers are built in – a large volume will allow you to do without a closet completely or replace it with a smaller one.
If the sleeping area is located above, it can be separated from the main room with a curtain or screen.
The photo shows the functional design of a one-room apartment
Niche
Does your small apartment have a niche? Use it wisely! To understand the best way to place the bed, you should take measurements and choose one of the options:
- Sideways to the far wall. Suitable for niches of 190-210 cm. The only downside of the setting is that you can only exit through one side, which can be inconvenient for couples and families with children.
- Headboard to the far wall. For niches of 140 cm and more. If the bed takes up all the space from wall to wall, choose a model without a wall at the feet. If the recess is 30-40 cm larger than the bed, make an approach to it from one side. If there is more than 50 cm of free space, it will be enough for approaches from each side.
The photo shows a sleeping place in a niche
A transforming bed in a closet
Do you want to create a recreation area and save space in a one-room apartment at the same time? Take a closer look at models with a lifting mechanism that can be tucked away in a closet.
Transformers are more expensive than regular ones, but they are suitable even for very small apartments where there is no space for standard placement. During the day, the mattress and bedding are hidden in the closet, and at night they are taken out with one easy movement.
Bed under the ceiling
When creating the interior of a one-room apartment with a bed and a sofa, many forget about using vertical space. And it’s completely in vain: if a bunk bed has already become a common way to save space in children’s rooms, then why not move the adult sleeping area upstairs?
To implement this, you will need a canopy at a distance of ~1 meter from the ceiling and a ladder that will be convenient to climb into the improvised bedroom.
Important! Don’t forget to make a fence on all free sides so that you don’t accidentally fall from a 2-meter height.
The space underneath is convenient for placing a sofa, a work area or a spacious wardrobe.
Important! A bed on the second tier is not suitable for elderly people – it will be difficult for them to climb up and down a high ladder several times a day.
On the balcony
Some people use the balcony space as a warehouse, others make a recreation area there, but few are able to see the real potential of this space. Having a spacious loggia in a one-room apartment, you can easily turn it into a separate bedroom with ready-made walls, an entrance door and, importantly, windows.
First of all, the balcony needs to be prepared: insulate the walls, install sealed warm double-glazed windows. Next, you need to do the finishing and furnish it.
In long narrow locations, the mattress is placed with the headboard to one of the sides, leaving room at the feet for entry and exit. On a free square loggia, you can sleep with your head to the room behind it, having enough space on the sides or in the corners for bedside tables.
Important! Balconies usually have many windows, so if you have a bedroom here, you should decorate them with thick curtains.
The second option is to attach the loggia to the room, removing the partitions (after obtaining permission from the BTI). If you can’t knock down the walls, just remove the double-glazed window – there will be more space visually, and the windowsill will replace the bedside tables.
The photo shows an option for using a spacious loggia
Sofa bed
If the listed options are not suitable, there is only one left: a fold-out sofa. Transformer furniture fits perfectly into the concept of a one-room apartment: use fewer things, but each will perform several tasks at once.
The main thing to pay attention to when choosing a sofa bed is the transformation mechanism. Firstly, it should be convenient for you to fold it in the morning and disassemble it in the evening (otherwise, the sofa will stand constantly disassembled, which ruins the whole concept of its advantages).
Secondly, the layout option also affects the ease of use. For example, eurobooks often suffer from a difference in levels between the two halves. Sliding models with wheels can damage the flooring. And the accordion, although comfortable for sleeping, folds out far forward: not every one-room apartment has enough space for it.
The filler is no less important, choose dense orthopedic foam, which will not sag, like ordinary foam rubber, in 1-2 years. It is desirable that there is a block with independent springs under the polyurethane foam – such a sofa can completely replace a bed in terms of comfort for sleeping.
Separate with a partition
Zoning the bed in a one-room apartment allows you to separate the sleeping and guest spaces from each other, turning a one-room apartment into a full-fledged, albeit small, two-room apartment.
Curtains are often used as dividers: they are easy to install, hide what is happening on the bed from prying eyes, do not take up much space, and you can choose any shade. But there is one drawback: they do not soundproof at all.
The second option is furniture. Various racks are used most often – they divide the space, but do not look too bulky. In addition, you can store a lot of things on sections and shelves.
Important! Take safety measures in advance: items from the shelves should not fall on you while you sleep.
The photo shows a structure with shelves for zoning and storage
The third method is a portable screen. It is rarely used, but it can protect sleep from the sun and prying eyes.
The last method of separating the bedroom includes stationary partitions: made of plasterboard, glass, wood, etc. In a one-room apartment, it is better to refuse to build blank walls, replacing them with a glass and metal structure, or by assembling a “rack” from plasterboard. Vertical slats look no less cozy, they separate, but do not interfere with the penetration of light and air.
Design Ideas
When deciding to put a bed in a one-room apartment, you should evaluate all the pros and cons, think over the layout, and only then choose the appropriate option.
