While 99% of the population are happy to sleep on a conventional bed, there is a group of people who like to push the sleeping envelope as far as it can go. And astute designers are creating a very profitable, albeit small market for ridiculous beds.
Here are 10 commercially available beds that take the idea of a bed to the extreme:
- Nested bunk beds – This is probably the most sensible of all the beds in this list, but unusual nonetheless. The idea of the nested bunk bed is that there are 7 or 8 beds packed together, much like a set of nested tables, that wheel apart when it’s time to go to sleep. The idea was developed in South Africa and is being used where large numbers of children need to sleep, and live, in a compact space.
- Round beds – Similar to the idea of heart-shaped beds from cheesy Las Vegas hotels in the 1980’s, round beds are making a comeback. While the shape may be unusual and slightly quirky, finding linen for a round bed is always going to be tricky.
- TV beds – For millions of people, watching TV in bed is a pastime. So why not build the TV into the bed frame? Bed manufacturers like Hollandia are now able to supply beds with a pop-up plasma/LCD screen, an iPod jack and a complete surround sound system.
- Folding Murphy sofa bunk beds. Murphy folding beds have always been popular in cramped living spaces. And now bed manufacturers are creating combination Murphy beds consisting of a folding top bunk and a permanent lower sofa bed.
- Murphy cupboard beds - The base of a divan bed is ideal for storing linen and clothing, which is why most manufacturers offer drawers in their divans. But New York designers are now developing folding Murphy beds with cupboard space in them. When the bed is tucked away, the cupboard acts like a wardrobe. This is a very clever use of wasted space, although it remains to be seen how easy it is to prevent your clothes from creasing.
- Canopy Beds – For the ultimate in enclosed sleeping & entertainment quarters, the Hican canopy bed is a spectacular idea, provided you can afford the £46000 it costs to buy one. To justify its price, the bed features sliding blinds on the sides, surround sound, LCD TV screen, iPod and Hi-Fi capabilities and is incredibly beautiful to look at.
- Starry night bed - This technologically advanced bed features ‘anti-snore’ technology, temperature control, a complete sleep diagnostic centre, Internet connectivity and a wireless remote control system.
- Ice bed – Ice hotels are all the rage amongst the well-heeled looking for alternatives to a normal holiday. And most ice hotels feature hand-carved ice beds for their guests. Thankfully, they also provide warm water-proof linen.
- Ceiling bed – Another space-saving idea, the ceiling bed hangs from the ceiling, and can be retracted when you want to use a space for something else.
- The loop bed – The Loope Lupita is more of an odd display item than a real bed, but the idea of sleeping on a looping bed should satisfy even the quirkiest tastes.
Tags: Bed, divan, folding bed