Kids' Room Renovation
A baby's arrival is cause for celebration—and for many, it's also a time to confront limited living space. For one Parisian couple, living in a cramped but loved apartment in the 10th arrondissement with a four-year-old, a new baby on the way, and one tiny bedroom to work with, a space-saving solution was needed badly. Enter h2o architectes, a young firm led by principals Charlotte Hubert, Jean-Jacques Hubert, and Antoine Santiard. The trio decided the smartest way to approach the problem was to subdivide the older child's room in two, making separate places for both children to sleep and play.
Rather than simply building a partition down the middle of the 140-square-foot bedroom, which would have created two constrained rooms, the architects decided to build up and within. "The idea of putting the bed on a higher level came up quite quickly in order to win space," explains Santiard. "At the same time we decide to incorporate many ways to use the bed/partition (storage, office, climb, hide with interior windows, doors, etc)."
The bed seems to soar above the playing space, held up by bookshelf columns and a carefully angled staircase.
The result is a massive piece of what is essentially furniture, crafted out of several large sections of painted MDF and secured to the ceiling to keep it from toppling. Six-year old Eva plays and sleeps in the upper level, while small cubbies hold her toys, books, and dolls. There's also a built-in desk for schoolwork and drawing. Jean, now almost two years old, mainly scampers around on the bottom level, where easy access to his bed and toys defines his area. The whole structure is painted light blue, keeping it lightly ethereal. And hidden staircases and peepholes abound to create an overall effect is of a fantastical modern playground for two very lucky children.
To see more images of the project, please visit the slideshow.
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Absolutely love it!!!
An incredible space for kids....but shouldn't it include a safety barrier on the upper "floor"?
Hi I agree about the safety too.
Looks great but I would have my concerns about fire safety regulations too.
Are we sure the children's names haven't been mixed up? I sure thought that was a boy in the picture, but the text kept saying Eva? Maybe we have Jean in the pictures and Eva is the baby sister? Anyhow. Neat idea. I'm curious how it'll work out in a few years. Maybe the smallest one will bunk upstairs?
Curious about a few of the Facebook comments I read on this post, I showed these slides to my four and six year old boys. They loved it! I also think it's great.
Frank---I think the little girl, Eva, just has a shorter haircut!
they allways use models...even kids.
Love it! however i dont like the sharp edges and the inexistent safety barrier at the top. I have a nephew and niece and I ´d be terribly upset about those two alone, playing there. I think we should design ( i was at a time a furniture designer) thinking first in safety for the kids rather than aesthetics.
Good effort - but it looks dangerous to me!
bunk bed don't really have barriers much taller than what is in the pic. but there is concern over the sharp edges. I acree with Loida safety first, aesthetics after. And why are we intent on making our toddlers spend time in modern/contemporary spaces?
well we survived life without car seats and seatbelts in the 70's...that was more dangerous than this cool set up!
We might have survived without car seats and the seatbelts in the 70s but health & safety didnt exist then!
The openess from the bed to the floor below does concern me though I think this is a neat space. Also, hope this isn't an area with earthquakes - all the items in the shelving above the crib would topple the poor baby! Safety should always be considered when building a child's room!
This is exactly how Japan has toppled the issue of its lack of floor space. Build it upwards! This Parisian dwelling is a perfect example of modernizing a small space and utilizing the maximum amount of area while being ultra-tasteful.
I think this was a great use of space. The inventiveness is unbelievable. I am sure you kids will be fine based on the amount thought you put in making there space enjoyable for them.
I have a one year old son. I want him to understand good design and recognize the difference. Nothing compares to having something designed specifically with you in mind. I applaud your work. I have been inspired to do something similar for my son. Thanks!
how much is it?
becuse its awsome!
Yes I agree with Pamela.... a safety barrier is a must for this gorgeous room to be kid safe/proof. If this was designed for my kid's room, I'd be worried ALL the time without the barriers of some sort.
Beautifully built although some safety arrangements could make it perfect, such as: placing small holders for the book case preventing these from falling down directly to the baby's crib, some sort of barrier to that huge window pannel, plexy glass as a barrier in the upper level bed, as light might come in and probably air but preventing the kids from falling down.
Seeing the kid's smile on his face can find how nice design it is...
Its a really nice uncluttered space but (to echo the others) my first thought was supposed the child should accidentally fall over!
Very Creative...Never would of thought of this!
Good effort - but it looks dangerous to me!
Love the design, very chic. As far as safety goes, there are great minimalist sheer fabrics that can be used to keep it safe where the bed yet provide a contemporary look & feel. Regarding the shelving itself above the head rest, we've used fun stuffed animals like "ugly dolls" http://shop.uglydolls.com/home/index/322.0 for extra safe measures. Being a busy mom & working for an amazing Interior Designer (www.HalehDesigninc.com) I've learned a great deal about 'Safety & Luxury' both being a must!
It looks nice, but on the practical level, where are all the clothes? Do the kids have a separate area for clothes??
I definitely agree that you should have a safety bar, but my kids would love this room. When being able to restructure a room think outside the box and use the opportunity to do something incredible with the space. This room would afford many, many hours of creative play time and would change from a space station to a submarine, etc.......love the slide too ;-).
Love it! I don't think safety is an issue at all with kids that age. And I love that the kids are not made to conform to the "girls with long hair in pink dresses / boys with short hair in blue pants" standards!
Good idea. Not that expensive, from a woodworking vantage point. As far as safety goes, I want our child to learn to manage hazards - because he will encounter them. I'd rather he learn these things at home where we can help if he gets hurt. Life is dangerous.
I wish I something like this when I was growing up! My only concern are maybe the sharp edges and the bookshelf above the crib. I think the bed is fine. I grew up living in bunk beds with rails lower than that...was never a concern.
looks cool, but did the designer (who must not have kids) consider the sharp corners as a hazard to small children? Somehow I don't think so... I wonder how cool it would look with a ton of corner protectors all over it? Next time, try rounded edges...
Not sure I'm thrilled about the baby crib sitting against the radiator. Also, I would be afraid that some might try to build this on their own without understanding the engineering. Looks kind of cold to me, but I admit that mine is only one opinion....
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