Playful Third-Floor Makeover: A Built-In Bunk Loft for a 5-Year-Old
When Emma and her family moved into a three-storey 1876 “brownstone” in Ontario three years ago, they set out to turn what had been four separate apartments back into a single family home. The third-floor bedroom—formerly the living room of a medical student nearby—became the creative focus for their five-year-old son, Angus. The result is a fun, clever bedroom renovation centered on a built-in bunk bed loft and a lively, map-covered accent wall.
They tackled the house room by room, prioritized essentials like a working kitchen and a toilet, and then turned their attention to this upstairs space. Two key goals guided the makeover: add closets for storage, and create a room so delightful that Angus would love spending time there. To achieve that, Emma’s husband built a custom, built-in bunk loft while Emma offered the occasional direction—and a steady stream of candid observations when pieces didn’t line up perfectly.
The design leans toward a campy, beach-club vibe. A cedar shake roof over the loft gives the structure the sense of a real playhouse—or, as Emma playfully notes, a crab shack. This roof detail, combined with the built-in nature of the bunk and the surrounding storage, makes the room feel like a small, private retreat for play and sleep.
One of Emma’s favorite features is the world map wallpaper. She admits she bought it on impulse before they even moved in. Wallpapering the room turned into a late-night project: a bucket of paste, a few glasses of wine, and steady teamwork while the kids were asleep. The wall wasn’t large enough to show the entire globe, so they had to choose which regions to include—an amusing dilemma that Emma expects will surprise and delight her son when he discovers places like New Zealand, Fiji and Alaska on the map for the first time.
The makeover balances imagination with practicality. Built-in closets solve storage needs so toys, clothes and bedding have a place to live, while the bunk loft creates vertical space for both sleeping and play. The playhouse aesthetic—accent roofing, textured wood, and bold wallpaper—makes the room feel like more than a bedroom: it’s a little world designed for a young child’s curiosity and comfort.
Emma describes the project as a lot of fun to build and finish. Beyond the practical improvements, the transformation was driven by a desire to create a space that sparks imagination and encourages Angus to spend time at home. She’s aware that plans can change—teenagers and drummers have their own ideas—but for now, the room is a joyful success and a proud example of thoughtful, family-focused renovation.
Angus is undeniably lucky to have a room like this. The combination of thoughtful custom carpentry, playful design choices, and a memorable wallpaper feature makes it easy to see why Emma hopes her son will never want to leave home. The project shows how thoughtful built-ins and imaginative decor can turn an ordinary bedroom into a distinctive, functional, and deeply personal space for a child.