In the hands of savvy designers, bunk rooms provide high-occupancy sleeping quarters and space-saving features in even the most high-style of homes.
by Brad Mee
On the list of favorite rooms—chef’s kitchens, luxed-out lounges and dreamy master suites—guest rooms have never ranked particularly high (if at all). But that’s changing, thanks to, of all things, modern-day bunk beds. In homes of all kinds, designers are creating chic, high-occupancy sleeping quarters using custom bunk beds in very innovative, space-saving and head-turning ways. For proof, we present the following bunk rooms designed by talented Utah pros for kids and adults alike.
1. Designer Matt Dickamore of Denton House Design Studio stylishly stacked two twin beds above two queen-sized beds to expand the sleeping space in this modern mountain home in Big Sky, Montana. Dickamore provided each bunk with bedside lighting and designed flip-down railings to help ease the bed-making chore. A base of drawers below the queen beds provides plenty of storage.
2. In the bunk room of a Deer Valley Montage residence, the owners’ passion for contemporary and post-war art inspired designer Beth Ann Shepherd. She began with a multi-colored, flocked-velvet striped pillow fabric, which led to a Tiffany blue wall, chartreuse patterned light fixtures and chocolate-toned handmade rugs from New Zealand. Designed with shapely ladders, two queen and two full-size bunks run the length of the expansive bedroom.
3. In Deer Valley, designer Jennifer Chipman with Alder & Tweed Home Outfitters created a client’s modern bunk room with a sophisticated “grown-up” style. She positioned two top twin bunks across two lower queen beds, each positioned into the room on a platform. The open design features a center staircase and built-in nightstands. Dark woods contrast with a light backdrop and colorful pillows to create compelling contrast.
4. In a house located in Park City’s Old Town area, designer Sheri Russell of In Studio Design painted a wall orange to create an eye-catching backdrop for white stacked bunks. Floor-level drawers and built-in shelves located within each bunk cubby provide abundant storage space. A center wall of black-and-white photos adds extra style to the room and rolling ladders enable easy access to the bunks.
5. Drawers beneath lower full-sized bunks provide ample storage for a Montage residence boys’ bunk room in Deer Valley. A custom console hosts a game center between the lower bunks. To create the mountain feel her client desired, designer Jennifer Chipman combined a rich gray-painted wood finish, faux wood-panel wallpaper from Cole and Son, and cushy leather seating.
6. The bunk room in a St. George home by architect Rob McQuay, builder Markay Johnson, and designers Ashley Johnson and Gregory Abbott provides plenty of sleeping space for visiting friends and family. Two levels of end-to-end mattresses serve as long pillow-backed sectionals as well as beds. A bright red wall, spring-green bedding and an assortment of decorative pillows give the room a color-punched, playful style that flows freely to a covered patio.
7. The bunk room of a Yellowstone Club home in Montana is outfitted with a full-size bed built above a California king. Tongue-and-groove paneling and a palette of white fosters the space’s clean, modern vibe. Built-in bookshelves and wall-mounted lighting add convenience and character. Design by Jill Corona and McKenzie Dickson of Denton House Design Studio.
8. Located above Park City’s Main Street in a Parkite high-rise condo, this bunk room boasts an nontraditional layout that accommodates adults and children. Designer Morgan Veenendaal with Alder & Tweed horizontally positioned an upper platform with two twin bunks above two full beds set upon 12-inch platforms. A 12-inch horizontal white planking forms a floor-to-ceiling headboard for the engaging black-and-white décor.  “The white makes it so light and bright, and the black adds the punch,” Veenendaal says.
9. In Park City, a stunning bunk area is an extension of a Silver Star town home’s screening room. Designer Beth Ann Shepherd of Dressed Design created hidden storage inside the stairs separating the stacked twin and queen bunks. Highly textured pillows, a Chanel-like quilted lounge chair, fur rugs and knit ottomans infuse the space with comfort and sophisticated style.
Photography by:
(1) Gibeon Photography
(2, 4, 6 & 9) Scott Zimmerman
(3, 5 & 8) Doug Burke
