Kids Bedroom Makeover: Built-In Bunk Loft and Map Wallpaper

We tackled most of this project in our son’s third-floor bedroom — well, most of it. Below is Emma’s entertaining account of the makeover they created for their five-year-old, Angus.

We moved into this three-storey 1876 house three years ago in Ontario, Canada. It wasn’t actually brownstone and certainly not in New York City, but it had character. Over time we’ve been converting what used to be four separate apartments back into a single-family home. This bedroom sits on the top floor and originally served as the living room of a medical student at the nearby university; the “before” photos were taken when we first viewed the property.

Once we finished the essentials in the rest of the house — like a working kitchen and a functioning bathroom — we turned our attention to this room. Our goals were practical and ambitious: add closets and design a space that was so irresistibly fun our son would never want to leave. In other words, a room that would keep him close enough to look after us in old age. (We’ll revisit that plan if he becomes a drummer at 16 or decides married life means no more bunk beds.)

To achieve this, we built a custom, built-in bunk loft. My husband handled most of the construction while I pointed out where things didn’t line up — sometimes helpfully, sometimes not. We aimed for a playful, campy beach-club vibe, and he added a cedar shake roof to give the loft the feel of a real playhouse, or perhaps a seaside crab shack. The cedar detail made the structure feel cozy and authentic, and it turned the bed itself into a focal point for play as well as sleep.

I’d been eager to try a world map wallpaper since I first saw it online. In truth, I bought the paper on impulse before we’d even moved in. Wallpapering is notorious for testing relationships, so we approached the job cautiously: a bucket of paste and a few glasses of wine on a late night after the kids were asleep. The wall wasn’t wide enough for a complete globe, so the trickiest decision was choosing which regions to include and which to leave out. I’m sure our son will be amazed one day when he discovers places like New Zealand, Fiji, and Alaska plastered across his wall.

Finishing this room was a lot of fun. It became a place for sleep, imagination, and play. The combination of the built-in bunk loft, textured cedar roof, and the map wallpaper created a sense of adventure that suits a young child perfectly. Our goal was a room that feels like a hideaway — a small world of its own where bedtime becomes part of the story.

Angus is lucky to have a bedroom that blends creativity with practicality. The built-in storage and closets keep clutter under control, while the loft and decorative details invite hours of play. A well-designed kids bedroom makeover should balance durability, safety, and fun; this space checks all those boxes and gives a young child an environment that encourages exploration and imagination.

This type of bedroom makeover works well in older homes being restored to single-family living. Built-in furniture like a bunk loft maximizes vertical space, which is especially useful on upper floors with limited square footage. Choosing durable finishes, such as cedar for accents and washable wallpaper, helps ensure the room stands up to everyday use while keeping a playful aesthetic.

Overall, this project turned a once-dormant student living room into a whimsical, practical retreat that a child can grow into and love. It demonstrates how thoughtful design, a few well-chosen materials, and some DIY determination can transform an ordinary bedroom into an unforgettable space.