[Review] DONCO Kids Low Study Loft Bed
Assembly
The study loft bed arrived in four boxes. Considering that there were a lot of boxes, I already knew from the start that there were many pieces to put together. I opened the box containing the parts for the bed frame first. It’s the longest box. You shouldn’t have any trouble looking for it because there is a label on each box indicating what’s inside. The rest of the boxes are smaller and lighter. Just open one box at a time, assemble the pieces, and open another box only when you’re done with the first setup. This will keep you organized. Nevertheless, the instructions are very easy to follow. I suggest asking for another person to help you out with the assembly. My husband held the pieces up while I bolted them in. It’s easier that way. Don’t rush into building it. Take your time, so you don’t cause nicks on the wood. It took us 3 hours to complete the setup. That’s with a few breaks in between.
Inclusions
The bed came with everything that was shown in the pictures except for the mattress. That includes the bed frame, dresser, pull-out desk, and bookcase. A standard twin mattress would fit right in. The rails on four sides of the bed offer safety. You don’t need to worry about your child falling from the bed. The only part of the bed without any railing is the area above the ladder.
You don’t need to use a box spring with this. You can set the mattress right on top of the frame. If you use a box spring with this, the mattress may get too high that the bed rails won’t be able to keep your child from falling. A thinner mattress would work better. An 8-inch thick mattress would work best.
The desk slides out from underneath the bed. It glides through runners that attach themselves below the bed. There are casters under the desk. A child can pull it out by himself. We bought a foldable chair for our son to use with the desk. You should understand that you cannot compare the size of the desk with a regular one. It is a small desk, but it does its purpose. The drawers slide in and out smoothly as well.
Features
Both of the dresser and bookshelf are removable. They are not attached to the bed at all. You can place them in other parts of the room. Removing them would also reveal a large play area under the bed. It also makes a great reading cubby for your child. Although you can pull the desk out, you can’t remove it completely. It can’t stand on its own. It only has two casters at the front, and its edge is attached to the bed. You can choose not to install the desk, but you’ll miss out on additional storage. There is ample of room for your child’s things under the desk. The sliding desk is also one of the highlights of the bed, so it would be a shame if you didn’t use it.
As the dresser and bookshelf are removable, I can easily clean the bottom of the bed. I can also slide out the desk and vacuum beneath it.
The loft bed does not stand too close to the ceiling. My son can climb up and down the ladder without difficulty. Yes, the steps are a bit narrow. However, you only have to take two steps to get to the bed. The bed is not as tall as most study loft beds on Amazon are. That’s why I would recommend this for kids who will be using a loft bed for the first time.
Storage
The bookshelf is very spacious. You can put in tall books. The drawers are wider and deeper than expected. The depth allows me to fit a lot of my son’s clothes inside. You can also place your child’s toys in there. Even the pull-out desk has a shelf! I am pleased with the ton of extra storage space this loft bed has provided us. My son’s room isn’t that big, so adding a study table where he can do his homework wasn’t an option. Since we already have a bed, desk, dresser, and bookshelf in one piece of furniture, my son gets to keep the floor space in his room where he could play. With the dresser and bookshelf moved out from under the bed, our son gets even more space for him to play.
Materials
Most of the study loft bed is made of pinewood. It is a pretty solid wood, so I’m confident about having my child sleep on it every night. The back of the dresser and the bottom of the drawers are what look like MDF. That is fine by me because you don’t really see them. I won’t feel comfortable about placing heavy objects inside the drawer though. That’s about only the bad thing with this loft bed. The whole thing is solid. The bed won’t collapse. It does shake a little when my son tries to climb up to his bed, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
The entire study loft bed is dark brown with a red tint. It’s a very attractive color. The wood grains make the loft bed even more beautiful. The finish is smooth. There is no unpleasant texture and sharp edges. Even the backs of the dresser and bookcase have a smooth finish.
My Two Cents
My son loves his study loft bed. He’s been sleeping on it for 7 months, and so far so good. Whoever designed this thing deserves a raise. The compact design of the bed is very impressive. I love that they maximized every space there is under the bed frame. There is no wasted space. If you’re struggling to fit furniture in your child’s room, this is perfect for you. It would be great if the manufacturer would release a larger version of this for adults!
Brand: Donco Kids
Product: 760-CP Low Study Loft Bed
Purchase the product on Amazon Marketplace
