Children’s bed: how to choose a soft bed your child will not outgrow in two years
A children's bed is a strange purchase. The parents choose it, the child sleeps in it, and a few years later it turns out that the best criterion was not "one with little cars on it" but "one you can still sleep in at twelve". We have been making children's beds for many years and have seen both outcomes. Here is what to look at so that the bed does not have to be replaced the moment the child grows.
The mattress first, the bed second
Let us say the thing a bed maker finds slightly awkward to admit: the most important part of a bed is the mattress. That is what the child sleeps on, not the headboard. So the order of choosing is this: first the bed size and the mattress, then the model that fits them. The good news: in Interia children's beds the base is firm where it needs to be and soft everywhere the child touches it.
What size to choose: 90 or 120
The standard for a children's bed is 90×200. But if the room allows, we suggest looking at 120×200. Here is why:
- The child grows, the bed stays. A 120 is comfortable for a seven-year-old and for a teenager.
- Parents end up lying there too. The bedtime story, the "stay with me a bit", an illness, a thunderstorm — 90 cm is tight for an adult and a child.
- Between wide side guards and a bigger mattress, choose the mattress. It is a rule we repeat for every bed, children's beds included.
Mickey, Tom and Zaya are made for 90 or 120 cm mattresses. Foxy — 90, 120 or 140. And if you need a non-standard size, that is not a problem: the mattress size can be changed on practically any model.
The most common mistake: outer dimensions
The outer dimensions of a bed and the mattress size are different things. A bed for a 90×200 mattress takes up more than 90×200: add the guards, the headboard and the soft rails. Before ordering, measure the room and check three things:
- Whether a proper walkway is left — especially at night, when you go to the child in the dark.
- Whether the bed blocks the sockets (the night light, the charger, the humidifier — you will need them).
- Whether the wardrobe and the door open.
The outer dimensions are on each model's page, and the 3D models can be downloaded and placed in your room plan.
Safety: soft everywhere the child touches
Children do not walk past a bed — they crash into it, jump on it, climb over the guards. So in a children's bed we look at three things:
- Soft base and soft guards. All our children's beds are fully upholstered: rails, headboard, guards. You cannot hurt yourself on a bed like that the way you can on a wooden corner.
- Side guards. One or two guards can be ordered for any of our children's beds, so the child does not roll out in their sleep.
- Height. For the very small, the lower the safer.
If your child is 3–4 years old
Most of our children's beds are bought for children from about five. But for the very small we have the ideal option — Foxy. Foxy is low: the rail is only 20 cm high. A small child climbs in unaided, and if they roll off there is nowhere to fall. Two headboards are already part of the structure, and guards can be added. And there is one more thing parents appreciate from the first evening: the side guards are wide and soft. It is comfortable to sit on them, read, and stay there while the child falls asleep.
A design you do not tire of
Three of our children's beds — Mickey, Tom and Zaya — were designed for Interia by Viktoriia Shkliar (FORM architecture studio), one of Ukraine's finest designers and architects. In 2019 the series received the Red Dot Design Award — one of the world's most prestigious design awards — in the Product Design category. What is good about them besides the award: they are beds with character but without cartoon childishness. A child recognises a creature in them; an adult simply sees a well-made object. A design like that does not have to be replaced when the child decides they are "not little any more". Foxy is by another Ukrainian designer, Iryna Lysiuk. The slim headboards take up minimal space and the wide side guards are comfortable to sit on. Foxy fits any interior and turns a child's room into a soft corner. And if you want a bed that does not shout "I am a children's bed" — look at Dreamota. It is a bed for a calm room, where it is not the focal point but simply a pleasant part of the interior. We like interiors you do not tire of: home is for resting, so pale colours, white walls and the colour of natural wood are closer to us than everything red, patterned and buttoned. Dreamota is the quintessence of that: flowing lines, a minimum of seams, and very carefully judged thicknesses of headboard and rails.
Kazka: a bed you can rebuild and wash
Kazka is for anyone who knows what a child with plasticine is. Every cover comes off here: the armrests, the cushions, and even the rail. A removable mattress cover can be ordered as well. And Kazka is a kit. It can be assembled exactly as you need: with armrests or without, with two headboards or with one running along a mattress and a half. And, if you want, with a storage box.
Which children's beds Interia makes
- Mickey, Tom, Zaya — the Viktoriia Shkliar series, Red Dot 2019, for 90 or 120 cm mattresses.
- Foxy — designed by Iryna Lysiuk; low (20 cm rail), ideal for the very small; 90, 120 or 140 cm.
- Kazka — a kit with removable covers throughout.
- Dreamota — calm, flowing lines and a minimum of seams.
Guards can be ordered for any of them. A storage box can be added to most models: toys have to live somewhere too. The full range is under Beds.
Fabric: do not fear pale colours, fear the wrong fabric
A children's bed survives felt-tips, juice and plasticine — if the fabric is chosen well. Look for one that cleans easily of dust and stains. That matters more than the colour: a practical fabric in a pale shade lasts longer than a dark one nothing comes out of. The fabric gallery is on the site, and the samples can be seen in person in our showroom in Cascais, at Joaquim Teotónio Segurado 68A.
Soft children’s beds in Portugal
Our children’s beds are upholstered and soft, and we make them to order, in the fabric you choose, in 25–44 working days. Delivery and assembly are free in Greater Lisbon (Grande Lisboa).
- Mickey, Tom and Zaya — designed by Viktoria Shklyar (FORM studio), Red Dot 2019 winners. Mattress 90×200 or 120×200.
- Foxy — designed by Ukrainian designer Iryna Lysiuk, ideal for little ones (3–4 years old): low, with a 20 cm side frame and two headboards, easy to climb into and not scary to fall out of. The wide edges let a parent sit alongside to read.
- Kazka — every cover comes off. It is configured like a construction set: with or without armrests, two headboards or one, with a storage niche for bedding. There is also the Kazka Sofa.
Foxy and Kazka go up to 140×200. One or two side rails can be added to any of our children’s beds. See all 90×200 beds and 120×200 beds, or visit the studio in Cascais (Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–19:00) — ask us which models are on display.
Frequently asked questions
What size children's bed should I buy?
The standard is 90×200, but we suggest 120×200 if the room allows: it is comfortable for a child, for a teenager, and for an adult lying alongside.
From what age are Interia children's beds suitable?
Most models are bought for children from about five. For 3–4 year olds Foxy is ideal: a rail of only 20 cm, two headboards, easy for a child to climb into unaided. One or two guards can be ordered for any of our children's beds.
Can the covers be removed and washed?
On Kazka every cover comes off — armrests, cushions and rail — and a removable mattress cover can be ordered as well.
Can a children's bed be made in a non-standard size?
Yes, the mattress size can be changed on practically any model.
Which Interia children's beds won a Red Dot?
Mickey, Tom and Zaya — designed by Viktoriia Shkliar (FORM studio), Red Dot Design Award 2019, Product Design category.
Do children's beds have a storage box?
On most models it can be added as an option. Foxy does not have one.
What are Interia children's beds made of?
Plywood, metal, foam and the upholstery fabric of your choice.
How long does a children's bed take to make?
An individual order takes 25 to 44 working days.
How long does a made-to-order children’s bed take in Portugal?
Production takes 25 to 44 working days. In Greater Lisbon we deliver and assemble free of charge.
Can I order side rails for a children’s bed?
Yes. One or two side rails can be ordered for any INTERIA children’s bed.
