How to choose your mezzanine bed in 5 steps?

Mezzanine beds are THE space-saving beds. If you have a room with a high ceiling, this is often the preferred solution to overcome the lack of space or storage. You want to set up a studio, your child's bedroom or even a living room with a mezzanine… How to choose it? Which materials to choose? What are the elements to check or avoid?
We are here to answer all these questions and share with you our experience on space saving beds.

1 – What materials should you choose for your mezzanine?  

You may already have your preference regarding the choice of material for your mezzanine. It is above all a matter of taste! For a more contemporary and warm feel, you will prefer solid wood models. If instead you bet everything on a sober and simplistic design, you will undoubtedly opt for metal structures. But let us remind you of the benefits for each.

For your future acquisition, you will generally have the choice between a wooden or metal mezzanine.

Wooden mezzanine beds (in kit) are more accessible on the internet. Available in one or two places, the high beds are mostly proposed in solid wood. You will more easily find frames in fir, spruce, or solid pine. It doesn't matter which type of wood you prefer as long as the cross-section of the posts is sufficient to guarantee its stability and solidity.

+ Wide choice of finishes and customizable (raw wood, varnished or stained)
+ Robustness
Tip : if the section of the posts is sufficient, your mezzanine will be strong enough not to be fixed to the wall. For comparison, we offer posts with a cross section of 6.5 cm to 9 cm.

- Price proportional to the quality, quantity of wood and its origin.
These criteria are valid for solid wood products. You will also find MDF beds, with lower quality but more accessible in terms of price.

 
Metal mezzanine beds (in kit) are easily found in stores or on the internet. Available in one or two-seater version, its accessibility is its main asset. An interesting quality / price ratio which nevertheless has some drawbacks:

+ Affordable price
Tip: Make sure you have the right cross-section studs for proper strength

- Fixing to the wall is mandatory
- Material more sensitive to time (signs of oxidation)
- Limited customization

2 – Ceiling space

Once you have chosen the type of mezzanine you want (wood/metal), the ceiling space you have will help you define the dimensions of your mezzanine. It is tempting to go for high mezzanines in order to make the most of the space under the floor. However, there are a certain number of criteria and rules to take into account in order to give priority to your comfort or that of your child, on a daily basis.

- Ceiling height : see the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the minimum ceiling height to be had for the installation of the mezzanine. For beds 2 metres high, it is generally recommended to have a ceiling height of at least 2.5 metres (standard height).

- The height of the mattress : see the manufacturer's recommendations for the height of the mattress to be used. Often there is a maximum thickness that should not be exceeded. First of all, to ensure that the height is respected with the safety railing (see part 3 Safety : (4)). And secondly, to guarantee comfort in the sitting position.

- The mattress / ceiling height: it must be adapted to your needs. The person using the bed must be able to sit comfortably and serenely. For children and teenagers, the height between the top of the mattress and the ceiling must be at least 60 cm.

Once you have all these dimensions in hand, you will be able to choose the model that best suits your needs.

 3 – Security

We couldn't write this article without making you aware of the safety of this type of bed. This is THE criterion to take into account before making your choice.
In France, high beds (over 60 cm) are subject to strict regulations. When making your choice, you should give preference to beds that comply with the safety requirements of the standards in force. It is not always easy to ensure this, especially if you decide to buy your bed on the internet. To help you, we will share four points to check before you buy, detectable at a glance!

1) You must be able to explicitly read the statement "conforms to safety requirements" (in written form or as a pictogram). This mention refers to the standards: NF EN 747-1 and NF EN 747-2 or NF D62100-1 and 62100-2.

The EN 747-1/2 standard defines the dimensional and mechanical safety specifications (strength and durability) of raised beds.
The D62100-1/2 standard defines the dimensional and mechanical safety specifications (resistance and durability) of mezzanine beds.

2) You must be able to explicitly read the statement "sleeping high is not suitable for children under the age of six" (in written form or as a pictogram).

3) The sleeping area at height must be equipped with safety barriers (all around the bed, except for the bed access opening).

4) The height between the safety barriers and the floor must be at least 26 cm. After installing the mattress you must keep a height of at least 16 cm between the top of the mattress and the top of the railing. These dimensions are not always given, but the supplier must be able to provide you with them.

If the high bed is intended for a child, there are additional precautions to be taken into account throughout the use of the bed :

- It is recommended to use the crib against a wall to prevent the child from getting stuck (the distance between the crib and the wall should not exceed 7.5 cm, and should be at least 2.30 cm).
- Don’t attach or hang elements (ropes, strings, garlands, belts, bags...) on the upper parts of the mezzanine.
- Don’t modify or tinker with the bed. The bed is specially designed with rounded corners and angles to prevent any risk of accidents.

4 – Fitting out and saving space

The mezzanine bed offers many design possibilities. The lower part of your bed can be arranged in different ways: as a sleeping corner, a desk corner, a sitting corner or simply as a relaxing corner. To make the best use of your square metres, the most important thing is to keep these two words in mind: practicality and creativity!

Access from the bed :
If your room lacks storage space, the choice of access is an opportunity to increase it. On the internet you will find stairs or ladders with interesting storage capacities. You can combine the useful with the pleasant by opting for a staircase with storage cubes. Its design will please you as much as its multiple functions: staircase, bookcase, storage unit... arrange it your way.

The options for accommodation :
Concerning the organisation of the fittings, you can take advantage of the posts on your mezzanine bed to install suitable accessories. You will easily find desks, hanging shelves, bedside tables and many other pieces of furniture on the Internet. These are very functional and can also inspire you for other furnishing ideas.

With inspiration and a personal touch, you can create a living space tailored to your needs.

5 – A personnalisable mezzanine

Once you have chosen the type, dimensions and layout of your high bed, the finish remains to be defined. This last detail is very important if you wish to have a mezzanine in your image and in accordance with the atmosphere of your room.

At ABC Meubles, you can customise the colour of the different elements of your mezzanine. We manufacture them on request in our workshop in Normandy. Let your creativity and your desires speak for themselves!

As an example, our Sylvia model is available with different accesses: cube staircase, miller's staircase and simple sloping ladder. We manufacture it in single (90x200) and double (120x200 / 140x200 / 160x200) seat models.

We offer you a wide choice of colours. In wood, colour or two-colour finishes, you are sure to find what you are looking for. And if you wish to paint or varnish your bed yourself, we also offer the raw finish.

If you have any questions or enquiries, we can be reached by e-mail commercial@abc-meubles.com.