Finding the Best Loft Beds With Desks: Tips & Advice

Let’s talk loft beds.

With the shrinking size of many secondary bedrooms, parents may find there isn’t much room in a kids’ bedroom for a desk or storage. The loft bed is one solution, freeing up space for a work desk and even some storage.

We interviewed several furniture industry veterans (as well as surveying our own parent readers) about how to buy this item. We came away with these three pieces of advice:

  1. Consider whether you need to move the ladder. Some loft beds (mostly models made of wood) have ladders you can switch between the left or right side. Other styles made of metal have ladders that are soldered in place. Consider whether you might need to move the ladder before deciding which model is best for your needs.
  2. Measure the height of the ceiling! This is a common complaint we heard from folks—they set up a loft bed only to discover the ceiling is so low, there is little room to actually climb into the bed! Measure first before ordering.
  3. Always use the anchor straps. While we have picked loft beds that are sturdy for this article, it is always safest to use safety straps to anchor the loft bed to the wall to prevent movement or tip-overs. Find the studs in the wall and anchor the bed there for the most stability.

Best Metal Loft Bed with Desk: DHP Studio Loft Bunk Bed over Desk

Yes, there are two basic choices when it comes to loft beds with desks: wood or metal. We know fans of the metal loft beds like the aesthetics and the ease of assembly (no split wood). After looking at several options recommended by our readers, we thought this model by DHP was best for overall quality and construction.

What We Liked

• Shelving design is most helpful.

• Easy to assemble.

• Sturdy.

• Silver and black finish looks smart.

What Needs Work

• Must re-tighten the screws from time to time.

• Can get a bit wiggly.

• Requires two people to assemble. Yes, we judge this model easy to assemble—but you still need that second person to hold things in place.

• Ladder can be rough on little kid feet. One solution: install cut-up pool noodles on the ladder rungs!

Best Budget Friendly: Novogratz 4371429N Maxwell Metal Full Loft Desk & Shelves

Loft beds with desks can get rather pricey. If the budget is tight, this would be our pick: Novogratz’s loft bed. Quality is very good and the desk area is surprisingly large.

What We Liked

• Smart design.

• Affordable.

• Easy to assemble.

• Large desk area, compared to other styles we researched.

• Extra floor space under the bed area .

What Needs Work

• Not as much shelf storage as others.

• Can get a bit wiggly.

Best Wood Loft Bed with Desk: SOFTSEA Twin Loft Bed with Desk

If you’d prefer a wood loft bed versus metal, this model by SOFTSEA is our best bet. The bed frame is made from solid wood (pine)—the side panels are MDF, which takes the finish nicely. Loved all the space for the desk area.

What We Liked

• Easy assembly.

• Decent price for a wood model.

• Best for young kids around age 10, in our opinion.

• Twin-size bed.

• Two sets of shelves on the back are great for storage.

What Needs Work

• Instructions could be more detailed, say some of our readers.

Best With Flexible Desk: Max & Lily High Loft Bed

This model is more pricey than others we recommend in this article, but it has two key advantages: first, the finish on the New Zealand pine here is excellent. Second, the desk unit for this loft bed can be mounted inside (under the bed) or outside the unit, giving you even more area under the bed for storage. We liked that flexibility.

What We Liked

• Easy-to-use ladder.

• So cute!

• Excellent fit and finish on the wood—note the flush-mounted hardware.

• Easy to set up.

• Great for small rooms.

• Ladder can be installed on either side of the unit.

What Needs Work

• A bit pricey.

• Can be a bit wobbly.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!