Buy loft beds

If you have a small bedroom that doesn’t have enough space for all the furniture you need, a loft bed can be the solution.

“They’re a super-efficient way to use space,” said Laura Fenton, author of “The Bunk Bed Book,” published next month by Gibbs Smith. “A loft bed really frees up the space under the bed and offers many possibilities.”

The space under the bed can be used to create a home office, a storage area with cabinets and shelves, or even a play cave for children.

And while loft beds are more common in children’s bedrooms, there’s no reason adults can’t use them too, said Ms. Fenton, who installed one with a desk and storage space in her first New York apartment.

“It’s pretty common, especially in New York City, to have a small apartment with very generous ceilings,” she said. When overhead real estate is just around the corner, she added, “they’re definitely useful for adults.”

How high should your ceilings be? Loft beds come in a variety of heights, but tend to be more comfortable in rooms with ceilings nine feet or higher, Ms. Fenton said.
Which size mattress do you prefer? Models with double mattresses are the most common, but many manufacturers make larger sizes.
How are you going to climb up? Loft beds can have straight or angled ladders, Ms Fenton said, or stairs with rungs or steps of varying depths, so think carefully about what you’re comfortable with.