How to Arrange Bunk Beds in Rooms with Bay Windows

In a bedroom with a bay window, the bunk bed should almost always go against a solid wall away from the bay, so the window stays open, the light flows in and the top bunk is never close to glass. Use the bay itself for something that benefits from daylight, such as a window seat, a reading nook or a desk, and arrange storage on the remaining walls so the ladder has clear floor space in front of it.

Bay windows are a familiar sight in British homes, especially in Victorian and Edwardian terraces and 1930s semis. They bring wonderful light and a sense of space, but they also take a wall away from furniture planning. Our bunk beds UK sale includes frames in a range of sizes, which helps when you are working around a bay. Here is how to plan the layout so the room works for sleeping, playing and studying. Wardrobes, chests and other pieces for the remaining walls can be found in our modern bedroom furniture UK range.

Why the Bunk Bed Should Not Go in the Bay

It can be tempting to put a bunk bed in the bay, especially if it seems to be the largest open space in the room. In practice, this rarely works well.

• Safety. A child on the top bunk should never be close to a window they could reach or open.
• Light. A tall frame placed in the bay blocks much of the daylight the window was designed to bring in.
• Shape. Most bays are angled or curved, so a rectangular bed leaves awkward gaps.
• Temperature. Bay windows can be cold in winter and warm in summer, which makes sleeping beside them less comfortable.

Keeping the bunk bed elsewhere protects the room’s best feature and makes it safer.

Find the Right Wall

Look for the longest uninterrupted wall in the room, preferably one without radiators, windows or doors. In many bay fronted bedrooms, this is one of the side walls, running at right angles to the bay. Placing the bed along this wall leaves the bay clear and allows the bed to be seen side on from the doorway, which tends to look calmer than facing the bed head on.

If the room has a chimney breast, an alcove on one side may suit the bunk bed, with a wardrobe in the opposite alcove. Measure carefully, as walls in older homes are rarely truly straight.

Plan Around the Ladder

The ladder needs a clear patch of floor in front of it. Consider where the ladder sits on your chosen bed: at one end or along the side. In a room with a bay, an end ladder often works well if the bed runs along a side wall, as it leaves the long side of the bed facing the room and keeps the path to the bay clear.

Check that the ladder does not sit in the swing of the bedroom door or in the path between the door and the bay. You want a natural walkway through the room that does not cross the bottom of the ladder.

Turn the Bay Into a Feature

Once the bunk bed is placed elsewhere, the bay becomes a valuable space in its own right. There are several ways to use it.

A window seat

A cushioned window seat in a bay creates a cosy spot for reading, daydreaming or quiet time. A low storage bench or blanket box with a padded cushion on top works well and provides storage underneath. Our blanket boxes UK sale include designs that can serve as a seat in a bay while holding spare bedding or toys.

A study area

Natural light makes the bay a good place for a desk, particularly for older children doing homework. A compact table placed in the bay, with a chair that tucks underneath, keeps study separate from sleeping. Our children’s tables UK include sizes that fit neatly into smaller bays.

A play corner

For younger children, the bay can be a play area with a soft rug, a basket of toys and floor cushions. It keeps play away from the bed and gives the room a clear zone for each activity.

Work With the Shape of Your Bay

Bay windows come in several shapes, and each suits the room differently.

Angled bays

The most common type in British homes has a central window flanked by two angled side windows. The angled sides create a natural nook that suits a built in window seat or a cushioned bench. The flat central section works well for a desk.

Square bays

Square or box bays project straight out from the wall with right angled corners. They are the easiest to furnish, since standard rectangular furniture fits neatly. A desk, a low bookcase or a reading chair all sit comfortably in a square bay.

Curved bays

Curved or bow windows are found in some Georgian and Regency homes. They have a softer, more elegant shape, but rectangular furniture can look awkward against them. A round rug, a small round table or a curved cushion arrangement often suits these bays better.

Whatever the shape, measure the bay at floor level and at the height of the windowsill, since the depth often changes. Leave space for curtains to close and for windows to open fully without catching on furniture.

Dress the Window Thoughtfully

Bay windows need careful curtain planning, especially in a bedroom where darkness matters for sleep. A curved or angled curtain track that follows the shape of the bay lets curtains close fully. Alternatively, fit a separate blind to each window pane, which gives a neat finish and makes it easier to control light.

For children’s rooms, choose blackout linings or blackout blinds. If you use a window seat, make sure curtains hang behind the seat rather than in front of it, so the nook remains usable when the curtains are drawn.

Keep blind cords secured out of reach, using cleats or tensioners, as loose cords are a known hazard for young children.

Arrange Storage on the Remaining Walls

Bay fronted bedrooms often lose a wall to the window, so storage needs to fit the walls that remain. A wardrobe can go opposite or beside the bunk bed, while a chest of drawers can sit on a shorter wall or in the space beside the bay.

Keep tall pieces together on one side of the room where possible, so the other walls feel more open. Placing a tall wardrobe right next to the bay can block light, so position it a little further back.

For more ideas on organising a shared children’s room, our guide to storage furniture for UK homes where children share rooms covers practical zoning approaches.

Use a Rug to Connect the Zones

In a room divided into a sleeping zone and a bay zone, rugs help define each area. A rug in front of the bunk bed softens the floor by the ladder. A separate, smaller rug in the bay marks out the reading or play nook. Using rugs in related colours ties the two spaces together.

Balance Light Across the Room

The bay brings plenty of light to one side of the room, but the far wall, where the bunk bed often sits, can feel darker. Paint the walls in a soft, light colour to bounce daylight around, and choose a lighter frame finish so the bed does not absorb light.

In the evening, add a reading light to each bunk and a lamp in the bay area. A central ceiling light should be positioned so it does not hang close to the top bunk.

Consider Heating and Draughts

Many bay windows have a radiator beneath them. If so, avoid blocking it with a window seat that sits flush to the wall, as this traps heat. Leave a gap, or choose a seat with an open base. Thick curtains can also trap heat behind them, so tuck them behind the radiator or use blinds instead.

Older single glazed or poorly sealed bay windows can be draughty, which is another reason to keep sleeping spaces at a distance from the glass.

Bringing the Room Together

A bay window bedroom works best when each area has a clear purpose: sleeping along the solid wall, a light filled nook in the bay and storage on the remaining walls. Our full range of bedroom furniture includes wardrobes, chests and beds to complete the arrangement.

Browse bunk beds and furniture for every corner of the room at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put a bunk bed in a bay window?

It is best avoided. A child on the top bunk could reach the window, and the bed would block much of the daylight. Place the bunk against a solid wall instead.

What is the best use of a bay window in a children’s bedroom?

A window seat, a study desk or a play corner all make good use of the natural light. A blanket box with a cushion can provide seating and storage together.

Where should the wardrobe go in a bedroom with a bay window?

Place it against a solid wall away from the bay, preferably on the same side as other tall pieces, so it does not block light from the window.

How do I dress a bay window in a child’s bedroom?

Use a curved curtain track or individual blinds for each pane, with blackout linings for sleep. Secure any blind cords out of reach of young children.