Sterling Extra Tall High Sleeper

The Sterling is the heavy one. Made from rubberwood, a dense hardwood, with 6cm corner posts and slats a full 2.2cm thick, it's built the way a bed for an adult is built, and the manufacturer rates it for up to 20 stone (127kg). Climb in and it doesn't move.

It lifts the bed to 163cm and leaves 161cm clear underneath, enough for a proper desk and chair, a small sofa, a run of storage or a gaming setup, so the room does two jobs in the footprint of a single bed. That's the point of it for an eight-year-old's homework years, a teenager who wants a hangout, a student in a small room, or a spare room that's an office six days a week.

There's nothing clever about it, which is the appeal. No built-in desk, no wardrobe, no shelving. A very strong frame with vertical slatted guard rails, a wide ladder, and the space beneath left open for whatever you want under it.

It comes stained in light oak, or painted in Farrow & Ball, the British paint maker known for its rich, heritage colours: Hague Blue, James White, Dove Tale, Nancy's Blushes, Dayroom Yellow, All White or Sage Green.

Takes a standard UK single mattress, 90 x 190cm, no deeper than 15cm. That depth is a safety limit: the guard rail is designed around a mattress up to 15cm, and anything deeper lifts the sleeper and leaves less rail. The MemoryDream 15 is the one we'd put on it.

We'd recommend it for children aged 8 and over on the top. This is a tall bed, so check your ceiling height against the dimensions below before you order.

Key facts

• Size: 206cm long x 100cm wide x 205cm high to the top of the guard rail
• Sleeping height: Slats at 163cm, so about 178cm to the top of a 15cm mattress
• Under the bed: 161cm of clear height, open for a desk and chair, a small sofa, storage or a gaming setup
• Mattress: UK single (90 x 190cm), maximum 15cm deep
• Ages: Recommended for children aged 8 and over; built for teenagers and adults too
• Weight limit: Up to 20 stone (127kg), from the manufacturer's guidance
• Material and finish: Rubberwood, a dense hardwood, with 6cm square corner posts
• Colours: Light oak stain, or Farrow & Ball paint in Hague Blue, James White, Dove Tale, Nancy's Blushes, Dayroom Yellow, All White or Sage Green
• Ladder: 40cm wide, on the right-hand side
• Bases: Slats 9cm wide and 2.2cm thick, 5cm apart
• Safety: Vertical slatted guard rails, designed around a mattress up to 15cm deep
• Assembly: Flat-packed for self-assembly, with fixings and instructions
• Delivery: Free, made to order in 1 to 2 weeks
• Guarantee: 12 years

Room fit

The Sterling takes 206cm of wall and 100cm of floor, with the ladder on the right-hand side, so keep that side clear. The slats sit at 163cm, so with a 15cm mattress the sleeping surface is about 178cm from the floor. Allowing about 70cm above the mattress for a younger child to sit up and 80 to 90cm for a teenager means a ceiling of about 250cm for a child and 260cm or more for a teenager or adult. A standard 240cm ceiling leaves only about 62cm, so measure before you order.

Questions parents ask

Will it fit under my ceiling?
Measure first. With a 15cm mattress the sleeping surface is about 178cm from the floor, so a child needs a ceiling of about 250cm to sit up and a teenager or adult 260cm or more. A standard 240cm ceiling leaves only about 62cm.

What can go underneath?
Anything up to 161cm tall. There's no built-in furniture, so the space is free for a desk and chair, a small sofa, storage or a gaming setup.

Which mattress does it need?
A standard UK single, 90cm by 190cm, no deeper than 15cm so the guard rail stays effective. The MemoryDream 15 is the one we'd put on it.

What's Included

• High sleeper frame
• Guard rails
• Ladder
• Slatted base
• Fixings and instructions
• Mattress not included