apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I don't have a suggestion as to type of bed. But wanted to point out that if you buy only the bottom half now and they discontinue the style/design you choose, you might be stuck.

I was going to say the same thing as above. That is a very chancey thing to do especially today with businesses going down. I would suggest you buy the entire bunk system and put the upper portion in storage.You can also buy them as 2 independent twin beds that happen to connect with dowels to become a bunk.In the meantime either use other as a guest or again store the wood parts and put off buying the mattress. I am an Interior designer of children's rooms and I design and build bunkbeds. If I made you one, I would also suggest that the top bunk be used for play.Put a carpet remnant or small size(lower than a mattress) for playing on.Fill with toys.and stuffed animals. If I can help...

We used the top of our bunk bed for play when my DD was 3.5 and moved out of the toddler bed/crib to make way for her little brother. I had a sheet of MDF cut to fit the space where the mattress goes, and we put her dollhouse and other chokable toys up in the "play loft." It worked very well, and when she was six, we moved her mattress "upstairs" and brought the dollhouse down.

The Argington Uffizi Bunk Beds are modern and less expensive than the Nurseryworks: http://www.shopbabybliss.com/product.php?id=92. There are also the Room and Board Moda Bunk Beds which have a similar look to the Nurseryworks but are less expensive as well: http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=19491. But for both of these it appears you have to buy the set at the same time. We just bought bunk beds for our daughter and wanted something simple and white and not overly girly. We bought these http://www.simplybunkbeds.com/twin-over-twin/wood-bunk-beds/hannahtwinovertwinbunkbed.cfm and so far are pleased with the material and the construction (although we've only had them put together for one week).