Want to convert that empty room upstairs into a bedroom your children will actually enjoy?

A bungalow loft conversion is one of the most sensible ways to gain an extra bedroom without sacrificing your garden or spending money on a full extension. However there is one teeny tiny problem….. Converting your loft into a bedroom for children is slightly different from that for adults.

Angled ceilings, odd angles, low clearance areas… they can all become showstoppers OR nightmares.

Decorate it correctly and you’ll end up with a bedroom your children will enjoy for many years. Decorate it incorrectly and you could find yourself ripping it all out in 12 months time. So let’s take a look at some tips that will work.

What’s inside this guide:

  1. Why A Bungalow Loft Conversion Works So Well For Kids
  1. Smart Layout Tips For Awkward Loft Spaces
  1. Storage Ideas That Use Every Inch
  1. Lighting, Colour & Sleep-Friendly Design
  1. Safety Features You Can’t Skip

Why A Bungalow Loft Conversion Works So Well For Kids

A bungalow loft conversion takes your one-storey house and makes it into a two-storey house – and that’s a big deal when you have children who need their own rooms.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Nationwide research shows loft conversions increase a property’s value by up to 24% if it adds a large double bedroom and bathroom. That’s great investment for a project that also gives your children a proper place to sleep, study and play.

Take the case of bungalows. They’re ideal for this type of project. You get enormous roof spaces. The ceilings are usually much easier to raise. And you don’t have to consider the impact on rooms above. Obviously the structural aspect isn’t a DIY task. 

Get a competent loft conversion contractor on board at the planning stage. They can look at trusses, head height and load bearing walls before any design work starts. When done properly a bungalow loft conversion grants you a whole new floor worth of bedroom potential.

The benefit? A private retreat for your kids without having to move house.

Smart Layout Tips For Awkward Loft Spaces

Loft bedrooms have funny shapes. Deal with it. It’s the truth. So you have rafters, angled ceilings, dormer windows and beams in awkward places. Use them to your advantage when designing instead of fighting them.

Here’s what works:

  • Position your bed below the slope of the ceiling: Children only need clearance above their beds when they are standing up. Push the bed into the shortest corner of the room and reclaim headroom for toys and storage.
  • Turn the dormer into a desk or reading nook: Dormer windows allow for plenty of natural light and make an ideal space for doing homework or a built-in window seat.
  • Leave the doorframe at the tallest point: It’s nice entering a room without having to stoop.

If you’re designing bedrooms for siblings to share, consider a built-in bunk on one wall. Bunk beds work great for rooms with low ceilings and can take advantage of strange eaves.

Storage Ideas That Use Every Inch

Storage is where most loft bedrooms go wrong.

You have this weird dead space behind your eaves and most people just drywall over it and ignore it. Big mistake. Eaves storage is every great loft bedroom’s secret weapon.

Here’s how to use it well:

  • Built-in cupboards along the lowest sections of the wall
  • Pull-out drawers under the bed platform
  • Open shelving on dormer cheek walls
  • Hidden toy storage behind hinged eave panels

Children accumulate THINGS. Lego, books, stuffed animals, backpacks, art projects – you name it. The more built-in storage you can create as part of the house itself, the less clutter you’ll have laying about.

Clutter matters more than you think. Studies show that a child’s environment will predict sleep outcomes. Cool, dark and quiet rooms fare the best. An organised, clutter free loft bedroom isn’t just aesthetically pleasing — it can help your child sleep better.

Plan storage that can evolve with your child. That cube unit that contains toys at age 5 should also work for school books at age 12.

Lighting, Colour & Sleep-Friendly Design

This is where sleeping lofts really shine. You have options here that typical bedrooms do not — sloped ceilings and roof windows can bathe the room in natural sunlight during the day, and provide you the perfect cocoon for sleeping at night.

Lighting layers to think about:

  1. Velux skylights: Natural light doubles the perceived size of loft rooms
  1. Blackout blinds: Essential for bright summer mornings
  1. Bedside lamps: Soft, warm lighting for reading
  1. Fairy lights along beams: Adds magic without being too bright

Choose calming colours for your walls. Reds, oranges and yellows can look playful, but they are energising colours which aren’t conducive to sleep. Soft blues, sage green, warm whites and muted pastels are far better choices.

Want to personalize without going crazy? Try a single feature wall, playful rug or removable wall stickers. That way you can easily change things up as your child grows – no repainting required!

Loft bedrooms can become very hot as well. So consider your ventilation plans. Roof windows can be opened, use a ceiling fan and add insulation. This will help regulate temperature within the room. Sleep experts advise keeping your children’s bedrooms around 18 degrees ideally.

Safety Features You Can’t Skip

Loft bedrooms must conform to stringent building regulations, if children will be occupying them. It’s not the place to scrimp and save.

The non-negotiables:

  • Safe staircase: Proper rise/run ratio, handrails on both sides, and good lighting
  • Window safety locks: All roof windows need restrictors so they can’t open fully
  • Smoke alarms: Hardwired and interlinked across the home
  • Fire escape route: Most loft bedrooms need an escape window or protected stairwell
  • Sturdy balustrades: Around any open landings or stair openings

Beyond rules and regs, consider how children behave in rooms. Built-ins with padded corners, soft-close drawers, rounded furniture corners – they all matter. Build bunks? Make sure you have guard rails surrounding the top bunk, not just on two sides. Children roll over. Children climb. Children act in unforeseen ways. Plan accordingly.

Putting It All Together

A bungalow loft conversion is one of the best improvements you can make if you have a growing family. You gain an extra bedroom, more space, increased property value AND a room your kids will love.

To recap:

  • Work WITH the awkward angles, not against them
  • Build storage into every nook of the eaves
  • Use roof windows for natural light, blackouts for sleep
  • Pick calm colours and update with accents
  • Don’t skip on safety — regulations are there for a reason

Do the structure and storage architecture right, and everything after is dressing. Now go build something they’ll adore.