Built-in Bunk Beds

I have never been one who EVER wanted to sleep in bunk beds. 

During my freshman year at Auburn, 

I was "tripled" in a dorm room with a bunk bed and a single twin bed. 

I sacrificed precious closet space...anything I could...to ensure that I would NEVER have to sleep in that rickety old bunk.

But times have changed...

I now appreciate the mesmerizing power that a bunk bed has on kids.

A couple of year ago, I came across this photo below. 

This family of 6 had built in bunk beds in their kids' playroom. 

It immediately struck a cord with me and I knew 

that we had to have this in our new home's design. 

Traditional Home

Since our new house will not have a "guest room", 

we decided to incorporate this idea of 

2 sets of built in bunks into our own playroom.

 

Interior Design: Brigid J. McIntyre

OUR BUNK MUST-HAVES:

 • Bunks all along one wall to free up the Playroom floor

Urban Grace Interiors

 

 

• Good lighting, a comfortable mattress, 

plenty of headroom, and a shelf

Southern Accents

I have my own personal reasons for wanting these bunk beds:

1. If you or your kids are sick, you can all sleep on a bunk while you watch tv, rather than sleeping on a sofa. 

(When I was a kid, I always felt sorry for the Brady Bunch kids. 

When they got sick, they had to sleep in their 

rooms and stare at the wall...BORING!)

2. An inviting "Guest room" for... 

• our family and friends

• our children's future visiting college friends

 • our future grandkids

 

3. Spend-the-night Headquarters

 I think these bunks will be a hit with our kids and their friends.

Ironstone...I'm obsessed!

I am addicted to Ironstone!

I have an incurable passion for collecting Ironstone platters, 

pitchers, cake stands, soup tureens...anything Ironstone. 

Tricia Foley

I'll admit it. It's a weird obsession, 

but as I mentioned in a previous post, once I saw the dining room in Something's Gotta Give, I was completely hooked!

dining room from the movie, "Somethings Gotta Give"

Since the Gray family moves quite frequently,

I think my Ironstone collection acts like my security blanket. 

Once I have it displayed, I immediately can 

take a deep breath and feel like I'm home again.

our old Homewood living room

Our old family room

I believe in the age old rule of "Strength in numbers".

One platter is nice, but 21 platters is SO much better!

Viceroy Santa Monica

 When we were designing our new kitchen and dining space, 

I specifically had my Ironstone collection in mind. 

 

My two criteria were:

1. A wall for my crusty old plate shelf for my Ironstone platters.

"The old crusty plate shelf"

 

 

2. Open shelves to display my 

Ironstone pitchers, bowls and soup tureens.

I can't explain why collections of Ironstone make me so happy. 

Maybe it's their simple clean lines, milky white colors or symmetrical placement. Whatever it is, it makes me squeal with delight!

the Laundry Room

I've often wondered why it is that the Laundry Room is the "Cinderella" of everyone's house. This room works harder than anyone, yet it is always hidden away like it is the "red headed step child" of the family. 

You know that I am motivated by "cuteness", so I have decided that my new laundry room is going to come out of the closet and sparkle and shine! I want this room to be as visually inviting as all of the other rooms in our house. 

Kay Douglass

Right now, at this very moment, I am avoiding having to fold 5 massive piles of laundry as tall as my kids. I'll admit it, I despise doing laundry...it's not very visually inspiring.  

Maybe in our new house, my laundry room will stay like Cinderella at the ball and not turn into a rumpled old room to hide behind closed doors when the clock strikes midnight.