The $120 IKEA Kids Bed That Looks Way More Expensive Than It Is
My daughter, now six, coincidentally graduated from her crib to a toddler bed at the same time we moved house and, even more coincidentally, around the same time her sibling, now nearly two, needed a crib of her own. (We admittedly fudged the timelines a bit to sync up these events.) Cut to my hunt for the perfect kids’ bed with staying power.
The MINNEN Kids Bed from IKEA
I was on the lookout for a vintage or vintage-look bed frame at a modest price point. I was prepared to splurge on a mattress so wanted to keep the bed frame under $200. The other consideration was that the teeny tiny footprint of our daughter’s bedroom in our 1914 home meant we weren’t in the market for anything larger than a twin or single-sized bed.
I’d bookmarked IKEA’s MINNEN extendable bed frame after seeing it in a few kids’ rooms via design websites and magazines and have always loved its whimsical vintage-inspired look. It currently comes in white and pink color options. (The yellow you see in the lead photo is either a discontinued color or a nice spray paint job!) And at $120, the price was right.
MINNEN Bed
Here’s the description from IKEA’s website: “It grows with your child, so they always have a bed that fits their size. Both a convenient and practical choice that allows you to easily create the snug sleeping environment that your child needs.” Sold!
As someone who’s slept in this bed more times than I’d like to admit, I’ll be the first to say it’s super comfy. While the metal frame may seem unsuitable for bedtime reading, we just prop a bunch of cushions against the headboard for a cozier effect. Its pseudo side rails also make it a safe choice for toddlers transitioning out of a crib and for making sure cherished lovies don’t fall off the bed.
An additional benefit to the MINNEN (that I hadn’t originally sought out) is that under-the-bed clearance is a little under a foot, giving us usable space for storing off-season clothing, linens and costumes (we use these fabric storage cases, also from IKEA) and a solid spot for hide-and-go seek. With the MINNEN extendable bed, look, feel and price point all line up for, IMO, the perfect bed for little kids (uh, and grown-ups, alike).
