Berkeley Parents Network: Beds for Kids

Berkeley Parents Network

Beds for Kids

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > What/Where to Buy > Beds & Bedding > Beds for Kids

Places to Buy Beds

2001

We are in the market to get our daughter a "big girl" bed. We are going to go straight from crib to twin bed (my daughter will be three in August and has been perfectly happy in her crib, but I want to do some research so I can narrow down our choices so she can help pick relatively soon). We want something wood and something that can potentially last through high school (is that wishful thinking?). A friend recommended checking out the Berkeley Kids' Room, which we will do. I wanted to find out other places that folks would recommend we check as well. I have checked the UCB Parents website and noted what is there, but would welcome other suggestions as well, particularly in Contra Costa County. We are in Walnut Creek but are willing to travel anywhere in the Bay Area to find a high-quality, low to the ground, wooden bed (probably a trundle bed with matching nighttable and other pieces). Thanks. Lori

Cartan's in San Ramon has a really nice selection of beds for kids that are nice enough to last long term. Also, there is a bed store for kids and teens on Contra Costa Blvd. in Pleasant Hill (by Tap Plastics) - I can't remember the name, but it's probably worth a look too. Good luck! Dylan

Although not inexpensive, (approx $750 regular twin, trundle beds more) Pottery Barn Kids has wonderful children's beds. Much of their stuff it catalog only, but they do have a store in Corte Madera. I have seen a number of their beds and the quality is very good. Another source is Goodnight Room on College, although their beds are even more expensive than Pottery Barn Kristi

If you want to look close-to-home, I would check out Cartans in San Ramon. They have a fair selection of big kid's furniture and catalogs for you to look through. I actually went to Kids Furniture/Lullaby Lane in San Bruno (I live in Lafayette!) because they have so much on the floor for you to see; it really helps me to see the pieces in person vs. on paper. Kids Furniture carries all the same furniture as Cartans, plus some. I also find the sales people at Kids Furniture to be more knowledgeable about the furniture they sell--at Cartans the manager knows his stuff, but staff don't seem to, at least the ones I talked to.

I struggled, too, with wanting to get my just-3-year-old daughter something that would last her many years. I thought the furniture made by EG was well made (solid wood throughout, including the backs of case pieces and all drawer sides) and attractive--not too little-girlish. You can check out their furniture at egfurniture.com (we ordered some pieces from their Whimsy line). Good luck, and keep in mind it seems to take 8-12 weeks to order most furniture. Christina

FYI. Berkeley Design Center over on Adeline and Ashby have a good selection of children's furniture. We got bunk beds there for our boys. I have no experience with loft beds. It seems like it would be hard to be under when they get too tall. June

Unfortunately, I have a negative experience to post. We recently purchased a bed for my daughter from Famous Foam Factory on San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley. We brought it home and built it and then realized they had given us the wrong style of head and footboards. We were told it would be our responsibility to take the bed apart again and bring it back to the store and they ordered the correct bed. This weekend, my daughter was sitting on the bed and it suddenly collapsed. A portion of the side rail was constructed poorly with the screws too low and the wood just split and it fell apart. I called the store and they suggested I again take the bed apart and bring the broken pieces to them for replacement. I did this and they did have a replacement part. When I got home and compared it to the other side of the bed, I could clearly see the replacement part was built better and the original parts were built poorly. I called the store again and they are ordering the other side replacement which means I will have to build the bed a fourth time when it arrives. I asked them to come and take the bed apart and make the replacement and they flatly refused. They did not inquire if my daughter or anyone had been injured and they only said they were sorry about that shoddy quality and "that happens sometimes." I believe, if they know their product halfway, and they know "that happens sometimes," they could prevent it happening by not selling the defective side rails. That's a no brainer. So while the store did agree to replace the defective parts, I think they are unethical in selling junk in the first place and people need to be aware of the total lack of service if they shop there. Barbara

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