After last week’s guide to cribs, cradles and bassinets, I thought we should look at the options for bigger babies and toddlers. Cot beds are a really good buy as they can last from around the six month mark up to (sometimes) seven years. Nat and I both had Brio Sleeps – now sadly discontinued, but a great second-hand buy if you can find one. Prices in this category differ wildly, from around the £50 (yes, really) mark for a basic cot, to over £1,000. Bear in mind you’ll also need to add the cost of a mattress to your total bill. Let’s start with my favourite fantasy cot, Kalon Studios’ Caravan cot, £995, LullaBuy. It’s made of luscious maple, has two height positions and converts into a cool platform toddler bed (five other colours are available if you’re not a fan of yellow). A thing of beauty.
At the other end of the budget scale is Kiddicare‘s purple cot at an amazing £51.99. Yes, it will only last until your child is 18 months, but it’s great colourful option if money and space are tight and brilliant for grandparents’ houses.
Another well-price option is the Sundvik cot from Ikea, £90. Made from beech, it has two positions and one side can be removed.
If you’re a minimalist you’ll like the clean lines of the Mothercare Mido cot bed, £139. It has three height positions and will take your little one from birth to four years.
You can’t go wrong with monochrome. The Mamas & Papas Ski cot bed, £475, is made from beech and beech veneer and suitable up to four years old. Liking the retro vibe.
Another black and white number is the Bloom Luxo Sleep, £650, Lula Sapphire. The price tag might seem steep, but this little beauty will take your baby from its first days to school age. Drop sides make for easy feeding early on.
We love the playful designs of Ninetonine here at BG and the Zebra cot is a classic. Handcrafted in oak and lacquer with a drop-down side and daybed conversion kit (£140). As a bonus, for every piece of Ninetonine furniture you purchase, Ninetonine will plant a tree in your baby’s name. £599, Funky Nursery.Â
Like the BE Mini I featured last week, its big sister converts into a desk once it finishes its life as a cot. Available in a rainbow of colours, £590, Bebe Moda.
Talking of rainbows, the Foppapedretti Rollino cot bed has great detail on the end, a drop side that folds out of sight underneath and a storage drawer. Pretty and practical. £391.99, Wayfair.
The environmentally friendly option is the Ku Kuu eco cot bed, £545, Natural Mat. Made from natural birch ply and eco MDF it has real longevity as the bed is suitable for a seven year old. Love the muted tones.
‘Black? For a cot?’ I hear you cry. So wrong and yet so right. I adore the sleek, chic Sebra Kili and think of the cool factor for a schoolchild (it will last up to seven years) with a black bed. For your little emo in the making. £725, Kidsen.
The Oeuf NYC Sparrow cot bed, £670, Bobo Kids, is a contemporary classic, particularly in this pigeon grey colourway. It has three positions and a conversion kit will set you back £195 to transform it into a bed.
I am partial to a bit of dark wood and who could resist the undulating curves of the Leander Cot Bed, £810, Little Fashion Gallery. Birch. It too converts into a bed suitable for children up to six years.
Ok, back to fantasy land with my final selection, the Stella cot by Cyrus, €1500, Kids Love Design. Stars, white minimalist styling, castors. It’s the stuff dreams are made of, but perhaps not the most practical buy on the block as its lifespan is limited and there’s no height adjustment. But if those numbers come up…
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