When my daughter was nearing her 7th year I decided it was time she had her own house. After multiple design sketches, I settled on a country cottage in the Chiltern Hills vibe and went about building an elevated bed that could have supported a car let alone a little girl and her dad for bedtime cuddles, book reading, and lights out “imaginations”, which would often start with an imaginary vision through the cottage windows, setting us off on a tale of adventure before her little eyes closed for the night.

I never imagined when I was building it just how inspirational a themed bed could be for a child. It brought fun and an eagerness to go to bed, something a ‘normal’ bed simply won’t.

The cuteness belies the absolute fundamentals of this bed, most notably safety and comfort. The cottage facade is heavily and mechanically secured through its base and ‘headboard’ which secure to the loadbearing structural timber to the floor and longitudinally along the length of the bed into the corner post and wall fastening. The bed platform accommodated a single mattress, a space for books, and far too many teddys. The cottage door is made like a real door and just big enough for me to be able to put my hand through it whilst holding a cup of water (yes that actually was my criteria).

Finishing touches with the trees and model sheep, the flowers, and some liberal use of green and yellow spray cans brought a touch of storybook illustration to what we called “Ash Cottage” after our late dog. Below the bed, I made a desk and shelving to provide a suitable launchpad for paint, crayons, glitter, and anything else to fall on the carpet.