The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced the majority of the population to stay indoors to prevent the deadly coronavirus from spreading. Students, employees, people who are working with contractual jobs, and gamers alike have retreated to the safety of their homes. Because not all homes have the same size and setting, most of us found our bedroom to be the most conducive place to conduct our business or perform our jobs.

While the bedroom is meant to be a place for relaxation and rejuvenation, we cannot help but maximize its function due to the work-from-home setting that most employees are adapting to these days. This is where clever design becomes beneficial.

Speaking of gamers, their indoor setup makes it perfect for them to uphold the government’s stay-at-home directive during the quarantine. With enough food supply, they will have no reason to go out and risk getting infected with the coronavirus.

If you are a gamer like me who is considering converting your boring bedroom into an awesome video gaming room, here are some loft bed ideas that will make your quarantine life more bearable.

But first, let us know the definition of a loft bed and its difference from a bunk bed.

What is a loft bed?

Loft beds are closely related to the bunk bed. It is distinct from a bunk bed because only the upper bed is installed while the lower portion is removed to accommodate a space that can be dedicated to either storage or workstation. You can usually find loft beds on tiny houses. A person can access a loft bed by climbing a ladder or cleverly-designed stairs which also function as shelves or cabinets. 

On the other hand, bunk beds consist of two beds, with one on top of the other, that form a single unit. Unlike the loft bed, the lower structure of a bunk bed cannot be used as a workstation because it was intended to be a sleeping area.

The loft bed is supported by a sturdy structure to support its weight and the person who is going to use it. It can be mounted on a wall for reinforcement or it can be supported by four sturdy posts. Because the loft bed is occupying the vertical space, any person is free to use the floor space below. 

Why should you put a loft bed in your gamer room?

Like me, most gamers only have a small bedroom where they set up their computers on rather limited floor space. Their bedroom becomes cramped and their movement becomes restricted because of this. 

This is also the place where they Live Stream their games (which could take a long time). After doing so, they need to have a bed to rest immediately. Loft beds are perfect for this kind of situation.

If you want to accommodate your monitor setups and other gaming-related stuff, loft beds are the best option for your bedroom. This way, you don’t need to get a separate video game room.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a gaming setup in your bedroom?

Any decision has their pros and cons. For those who are still undecided, I have listed some pros and cons of having a loft bed in your room:

PROS

• Space-saving functionality.
  
• Can be done using either wood or metal (sometimes both). 

CONS

• Takes time to assemble.
  
• Very confining.
  
• Blurs the distinction between home and workplace. 

What are the things you should do before installing a loft bed?

Before installing a bunk bed, make sure that your home or apartment has good structural integrity. Attaching a loft bed on a crumbling concrete wall or drywall stud is very dangerous. Conduct a comprehensive survey of the structure first to ensure your safety.

Finally, if you are a student living in a dormitory or apartment, make sure that the landlord or building supervisor agrees with your idea to install a loft bed with a gaming setup in your bedroom. Mounting this particular structure without their permission can get you into legal trouble.

What are the best loft bed ideas for gamers?

There are literally hundreds of bedroom and game room ideas that you can use to set up your own loft bed. Most of them can be seen on the internet. However, if the available loft bed plans do not appeal to your own unique taste, you can always design one.

Here are some suggestions that you can consider while waiting for inspiration to come:

• Shelf/cabinet stairs. One clever solution is to install a staircase which can also serve as shelves or cabinets. This way, you can address your access to the loft bed and your storage concerns at the same time. 
  
• Removable/angled ladder. If the space for movement in your present room setup is cramped when the ladder is fixed, one simple solution is to get a removable ladder for your loft bed. Place it if you are going to use the loft bed and remove it if you are using the workstation. 

• Reverse loft bed. If you don’t want to sleep on top of the bunk bed, why don’t you fix the bed at the bottom and out your gaming setup above? This kind of room setup is popular with tiny houses.  

Should you use wood or metal on your bunk bed?

The material upon which you would build your bunk bed + gaming setup should be not only sturdy but also awe-inspiring as well.

When choosing a material for your loft bed, you need to study which one will give you the best confidence in major areas of concern like safety and aesthetics.

Here are some of the pros and cons of wood/lumber versus metal:

Material	Pros	Cons
Wood/Lumber	Can be easily cut using a simple saw Can be joined using nails, screws, and wood glue	Bulky Expensive  Rots faster than steel
Metal	Sturdy Lighter than wood Cost-efficient	Creaks a lot Needs to be welded together It bends in the middle especially if it exceeded the weight limit

With these advantages and disadvantages about wood/lumber and metal in mind, you will be able to come up with gaming room ideas that will fit not only your budget but also your specific needs as a gamer.

How to come up with a gaming room setup strategy

One of the reasons why you should set up a gaming room bunk bed is to maximize the space inside your bedroom while accommodating more of your gaming equipment at the same time.

There are apps that can help you plan and visualize your loft bed gaming room ideas.

• Room Scan Pro
• MagicPlan
• Floor Plan Creator
• Planner 5D
• Amikasa
• Home Design 3D

These apps are compatible with both iOS and Android users. With one of these apps, you can easily come up with a strategy on how to best execute your loft bed game room ideas.

How to make your own gaming room loft bed

If you don’t want to spend a fortune or you simply don’t like the existing loft bed designs on the market, one practical solution that you can use is DIY or do it yourself.

But building a gaming setup in your bedroom involves a lot of woodworking. If you have little to zero experience in creating loft beds let alone carpentry, making your own loft bed can be a real challenge. Fortunately, there are tutorial videos on YouTube that you can consult and use as a guide when you are building your own loft bed.

But before anything else, you need to prepare these tools to help you make your loft bed:

• Hammer
• Nails/screws 
• Saw 
• Drill
• Ratchet
• Sandpaper 
• Paintbrush/roller
• Paint (your choice color)
• Bunk bed pins

Now that you have the necessary tools, here is how you could make your DIY bunk bed with a gaming setup project come true:

1. Survey the structural integrity of the bedroom. Surveying the strength of the walls of your bedroom will give you an idea if it is strong enough to hold the screws and the weight of the wood or metal that you are going to put into it.
   
2. Consult your app-based gaming room ideas and choose the best one. Turning to the designs that you made with the phone-based apps will give you a rough idea of the important points or positions in your bedroom where to make the measurements.
   
3. Prepare the bedroom. Remove the contents of your bedroom to get a clear view of the space. Make sure that the walls are clean and dry. Remove the dust on the floor using a broom or vacuum cleaner. Remove the curtains or drapes and open the windows to ensure a healthy flow of air. This will ensure that you have a comfortable working space. 
   
4. Prepare the tools and materials. At this point, you must have a decision whether to use wood or metal as the material of your DIY bunk bed and gaming setup. Make sure that there is more lumber or metal available to prevent unnecessary trips outside. 
   
5. Cut the wood or metal according to the measurements you have made. For those who have ample experience in carpentry or metalworking, this is an easy job to accomplish.
   
   If there is absolutely no way to cut the wood or metal in your area, have it pre-cut and pre-drilled on the hardware store to avoid the hassle. This may cost you a little, but at least you don’t need to worry about finding a space to do the cutting and drilling.
   
6. Assemble the pieces of your chosen material. Make sure that the loft bed pin pieces are tightly joined together to avoid wobbling.

Some tips when installing your loft bed:

• Use a level bar when mounting the bunk bed on the wall. This ensures that every surface in your video game room is perfectly horizontal.

• If you are using wood/timber, make sure to apply more construction-grade glue. This provides extra strength to your loft bed.

• Sand the corners of the timber for additional safety. If you have chosen wood or timber as the main material of your loft bed, you need to smooth or round the corners to prevent any accidents.

• Paint the wood/timber or metal to match the color of your bedroom. Painting your video game room enhances its mood or ambiance. You need to improve your room’s ambiance if you want to stay there for a long time. 

What are the accessories you need to put in your gaming room setup?

If you are the type of person whose life revolves around your bed, why not make everything inside your room within arm’s reach?

Here are the things that should be included in your loft bed gaming setup:

• Shelves. This is where you will store your personal stuff such as books, computer accessories, collectibles, and other things. Adding shelves in your loft bed room setup will increase the storage capacity of your gamer room.

• Closet. Adding a closet will help you store not only your clothes but also your bed sheets, blankets, and pillowcases. This will help you keep your room clutter-free at all times.

• Drawers. Gamers have plenty of accessories. This is where you hide small things such as pens, papers, headphones, microphones, and other important cords and cables that are necessary for your streaming or vlogging needs.

• Cabinets. Having cabinets in your loft bed + video game room can also help you keep your clothes out of your way.

• Lighting. Having separate wiring for your bedroom and workstation makes a huge difference. Wire your lighting near your loft bed for convenience. This way, you don’t need to get up unnecessarily just to turn off the lights.

• Folding screen/divider. If you are streaming to the gaming community on a regular basis, you need to get a folding screen or divider. This is to prevent your audience from seeing the clutter in your bedroom that is facing the camera.

• Sound system. Your gaming setup in your bedroom is not complete without a sound system. You can place your preferred brand and model of speakers on your shelf, dedicated desk, or have it mounted on the wall.

• Internet connection/Wi-Fi. Internet connection is very essential to your gamer lifestyle. If you don’t want to experience hassles such as lag, you need to have your Wi-Fi connection inside your video game room.

• Air conditioning.  Gamers like us also deserve nice air conditioning every now and then. Installing an air conditioner will not only make you feel comfortable inside your bedroom but also help your computer reduce its heat especially if you have been using it for a long time. If you are using a PC, the air conditioning will help prevent the CPU from overheating through the cool air that circulates around your bedroom + entertainment center. 

• Soundproofing. If your gaming sessions are always on the wild side, you certainly need to have a soundproof video game room. Good quality soundproofing measures such as extra curtains not only on the windows but also on the walls or soundproof foams will lessen the noise coming from your gamer room by up to 45%. This way, you won’t disturb or annoy the rest of your family and neighbors especially if you are playing until the break of dawn.

How to keep your loft bed gamer room organized

Converting your bedroom into a gamer room does not automatically mean that it will be clean and organized. You will still need to maintain its cleanliness and keep your possessions organized at all times to make this space homey. 

Here are some loft bed game room ideas that you can do to keep your room less cluttered:

• Keep small items in your drawer. Keeping small items inside the drawer prevents your gaming desk from getting cluttered.

• Keep the cords and cables neatly tucked away. Stray cords and cables can be dangerous especially in a cramped place like a bedroom. You or your visitor might accidentally trip on it thus causing your computer to shut down. To prevent this situation in your room setup, make sure that you keep the cords tucked under the loft bed, workstation, or behind the furniture.

• Always make your bed after waking up. You need to realize that your bedroom is not a teen boy room anymore. Making your bed after waking up is the first thing that you should accomplish every day. It makes the loft bed + gaming setup more presentable.

• Put a trash can in your room. Nobody likes trash in their bedroom, right? If you just carelessly throw your trash especially food packets, you will be inviting insects such as ants, and ultimately rats. These creatures can damage your precious gaming setup. By placing a trash can or trash bin in your loft bed gaming setup, you will be able to reduce the chance of cluttering. 

• Install a cup holder on your workstation.  The liquid is the natural enemy of any electronic gadget or appliance. If you like having beverages in your loft bed + video game room, you need to prevent them from spilling. Cup holders in your gaming desk will secure the container of your favorite beverage in place and prevent it from damaging your precious gaming setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final word

Having an amazing gaming room setup in your bedroom will make your gamer life more comfortable. Gamers with free time have done this and they have been loving it. After all, your sleeping quarters and computers will be in the same place.

However, you need to make sure that you will not change your decision after installing the gaming bunk bed. This is why you need to research the existing designs before buying materials.

So while the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet showing signs of surrender, take this time to design and make your own bunk bed + gaming setup. Trust me – it’s going to be challenging and fun!