Best Kids Double Beds Australia 2026: IKEA vs Forty Winks vs Fantastic Furniture
Somewhere between the cot going to the tip and the first sleepover request, every Aussie parent hits the same wall: the single bed is suddenly too small, the room needs to do double duty as a guest space, and you’ve got twelve browser tabs open trying to work out whether a “double” from three different furniture chains is even the same size. It shouldn’t be this confusing.
A kids double bed is one of those purchases that quietly matters more than it looks. Get the frame right and it’s the bed that survives primary school sleepovers, the teenage years, and probably a share-house move after that. Get it wrong and you’re either paying for a wobble-prone flat-pack that needs re-tightening every school term, or you’ve overspent on a design your seven-year-old will grow out of stylistically well before they grow out of it physically.
This guide cuts through the IKEA-versus-furniture-chain debate with what actually matters: mattress fit, under-bed storage for shared rooms, how the frame is actually delivered and assembled, and where the real price gaps sit. We’ve also folded in the pieces that tend to get bought in the same shopping trip, a kids bedside table and a kids fold-out couch for the sleepover overflow, because a bed rarely arrives alone.
What to look for in a kids double bed
Before you get pulled into a debate about grey oak versus white oak veneer, it pays to check the boring stuff first. This is the checklist we’d run through with any kids furniture purchase that’s going to take a hammering for a decade.
- Frame height and clearance: a lower frame suits a young child still getting in and out solo; more clearance underneath means room for storage boxes or a pull-out trundle if a sibling or sleepover mate needs a spot.
- Slat base quality: a sprung or reinforced slatted base holds a mattress’s shape far longer than thin, widely-spaced slats, which matters when two kids are bouncing on it during a Saturday morning wrestle.
- Mattress size, not just “double”: Australian double mattresses measure 137cm x 188cm. Some imported or generic frames are sized for the US “full” measurement, which is close but not identical, so always check the frame’s listed internal mattress dimension before you buy a mattress separately.
- Stability and anti-tip design: look for a frame that’s been assessed against the relevant Australian Standard for furniture stability, particularly if the bed sits against a wall the kids will climb over.
- Delivery and assembly reality: flat-pack frames are cheaper but need an afternoon and an Allen key; some furniture chains include assembly and delivery in the price, which is worth factoring in if you’re time-poor.
- Room to grow with the child, not just the room: a double bed bought for an eight-year-old should still make sense for the same kid at fourteen, both in size and in look.
The best kids double beds in Australia for 2026
Realistically, IKEA dominates the market for dedicated, well-specced double bed frames at a price a family can justify without also buying the mattress on lay-by. All three of our top picks are IKEA frames, and we say that plainly rather than padding the list with a product we’re not confident is genuinely a standout, because a short honest list beats a long invented one.
1. IKEA MALM Bed Frame (Double)
The MALM has been a fixture in Australian bedrooms for years, and it earns the overall pick because it strikes the best balance of clean, grows-with-them design and genuinely useful storage. The optional under-bed storage boxes slide in on castors, which is the single most requested feature for a shared kids’ room where floor space is tight.
It ships flat-pack (mattress sold separately), with an approx. RRP in the vicinity of $300 to $450 for the frame alone depending on the finish and whether you add the storage boxes.
- Low-profile headboard option suits a kid’s room without dominating it visually
- Under-bed storage boxes available separately, ideal for a shared bedroom
- Solid, well-reviewed slatted base holds mattress shape well
- Flat-pack assembly takes a genuine one to two hours, more with two adults
- Veneer finish, not solid timber, so it’s not the pick if you want something to refinish down the track
IKEA MALM Bed Frame (Double)
2. IKEA TARVA Bed Frame (Double)
TARVA is the honest budget answer: solid pine, no veneer, no frills, and priced to make sense if you know this bed has a five-to-ten-year job to do before it’s handed down or moved on. Because it’s raw pine, you can also stain or paint it to match a room refresh later, which most veneered frames won’t allow.
Approx. RRP for the double frame sits roughly in the $150 to $220 range, making it one of the more accessible ways into a genuine double bed frame rather than a converted single.
- Solid pine construction, paintable or stainable to suit changing tastes
- Noticeably lower price point than most double frames on the market
- Simple slatted base, no storage integration, so a separate storage solution may be needed for a shared room
- Basic aesthetic, which some families love for its plainness and others find too utilitarian
- Flat-pack, self-assembly only
IKEA TARVA Bed Frame (Double)
3. IKEA HEMNES Bed Frame (Double)
HEMNES is the premium pick because it’s solid wood rather than veneer, has a more traditional, less trend-dependent look that tends to age well through the tween and teen years, and comes with the option of matching under-bed storage boxes and a daybed-style headboard.
Expect an approx. RRP somewhere around $350 to $500 for the frame, which sits above MALM largely because of the solid pine build rather than any extra features.
- Solid pine frame, more durable long-term than veneered alternatives
- Classic design that doesn’t read as “childish”, so it suits a room through to the teenage years
- Storage boxes and matching bedside furniture available in the same range
- Heavier to assemble and move than MALM or TARVA
- Higher price point than the other two IKEA options for a comparable size
IKEA HEMNES Bed Frame (Double)
IKEA vs Forty Winks vs Fantastic Furniture: what’s actually worth it
This is the comparison most parents are really googling, so let’s be straight about it. These three retailers approach a kids double bed very differently, and the right one depends on how much of the buying process you want off your plate.
IKEA: cheapest frame, most assembly
IKEA sells the frame and the mattress as two entirely separate purchases, almost always flat-pack, almost always self-assembly (or paid assembly as an add-on). That’s how it keeps prices down. If you’re comfortable with an Allen key and want the most bed for your dollar, this is where the value sits.
Forty Winks: bundled, but you’re paying for the bundle
Forty Winks typically sells frame-and-mattress packages together, often with name-brand mattresses, longer warranties, and delivery included. That convenience shows up in the price. Their kids’ and teen ranges rotate through the year, so rather than naming a specific model here that might be gone by the time you read this, our advice is to use the comparison card on this page to see what’s currently listed and compare it directly against the specs above.
Fantastic Furniture: the middle ground
Fantastic Furniture generally sits between the two on price, with a broader range of complete sleep packages aimed specifically at kids’ and teens’ rooms, and delivery included as standard on most items. Like Forty Winks, exact models come and go with the season, so check the live listing rather than assuming a specific product is still current.
- Choose IKEA if you want the lowest cost per bed and don’t mind assembling it yourself
- Choose a bundled package if you’d rather have the mattress, frame, delivery and warranty sorted in one transaction
- Always confirm the mattress size listed against the Australian double standard (137cm x 188cm) before paying for a bundle
- Ask about delivery timeframes for bundled packages; some run several weeks out, which matters if you’re racing a house move or a room reno deadline
Kids double bed comparison
| Product | Brand | Approx RRP | Key features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MALM Bed Frame (Double) #1 | IKEA | approx. $300 to $450 | Low headboard, optional storage boxes, veneer finish | Shared rooms needing under-bed storage |
| TARVA Bed Frame (Double) Budget | IKEA | approx. $150 to $220 | Solid pine, paintable, basic slatted base | Families wanting the lowest-cost genuine double frame |
| HEMNES Bed Frame (Double) Premium | IKEA | approx. $350 to $500 | Solid pine, classic design, matching storage available | A bed that needs to look right through primary school and the teen years |
| Kids Sofa Bed | Anko | approx. $150 to $250 | Fold-out chair to single sleep surface, compact footprint | Sleepovers or spare rooms where a full double frame won’t fit |
Want to see how these stack up? We’ve reviewed 33 storage & organisation in total.
Rounding out the room: bedside tables and fold-out couches
A double bed rarely gets bought in isolation. Once the bigger bed is in, most parents are also solving for somewhere to put a lamp and a water glass, and somewhere extra for a sleepover guest to crash without dragging a mattress off the spare bed.
Kids bedside table
For a kids bedside table, the practical brief is simple: low enough for a child to reach without climbing, sturdy enough to survive a knocked glass of water, and small enough not to eat into a shared room’s floor space. Anko’s Kids Bedside Table range covers this well at a genuinely low price point, and IKEA’s smaller occasional tables from its kids’ MAMMUT range can double as a bedside spot in a pinch if you’re trying to keep the whole room’s furniture from the same supplier.
Kids fold out couch
If sleepovers are a regular event, a kids fold out couch earns its floor space fast. Anko’s Kids Sofa Bed is a compact, budget-friendly option that works as ordinary seating by day and folds flat for an extra sleep spot by night, which is often a smarter buy than a second double bed frame if the spare bed is only needed a few nights a month.
- Keep a bedside table’s height roughly level with the top of the mattress so kids aren’t reaching up or down for a glass of water
- A fold-out couch is genuinely worth it for occasional guests; a permanent trundle or second double frame makes more sense for kids who share a room every night
- Check the fold-out mechanism in person if you can. Cheap hinges are the most common failure point reported with budget sofa beds
- Match finishes loosely rather than exactly. A kids’ room rarely needs a matched suite the way an adult bedroom does
mum. Approved: our top 3 for 2026
The best mix of clean design, useful storage and a price that doesn’t need mattress lay-by.
Solid pine at the lowest genuine double-frame price point around.
Solid timber and a classic look that outlasts the trend cycle of a kid’s room.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a kids double bed compared to a king single?
An Australian double mattress measures 137cm x 188cm, noticeably wider than a king single at 107cm x 203cm. A double gives a growing child more room to sprawl and comfortably fits two smaller children or a parent settling a child at bedtime, while a king single is longer but narrower and suits a single sleeper in a tighter room.
At what age should a child move to a double bed?
There’s no fixed rule, and no specific Australian Standard governs the age for moving a child into a double bed the way there is for cots. Most families make the move somewhere between six and ten years old, driven more by room size, whether the bed needs to double as a guest bed, and the child’s own comfort than by age alone.
Is a double bed too big for a small kids’ bedroom?
It can be, particularly in a standard Australian second bedroom under around nine square metres. Measure the room and leave at least 60 to 70cm of walking space around the bed before committing, especially if a bedside table or wardrobe also needs to fit.
Do kids’ double bed frames have to meet an Australian Standard?
Unlike cots (AS/NZS 2172) or prams (AS/NZS 2088), there’s no single mandatory standard specific to bed frames for older children. It’s still worth checking the retailer confirms the frame has been assessed against the relevant Australian Standard for furniture stability, particularly for anti-tip performance if it will sit against a wall a child might climb.
Should I buy the bed frame and mattress from the same place?
Not necessarily. Buying separately, as with IKEA’s frames, is usually cheaper but means checking the mattress dimension matches the frame’s internal measurement exactly. Bundled packages from furniture chains cost more but remove that guesswork and usually include delivery and a mattress warranty in one transaction.
If we had to choose one, the IKEA MALM Bed Frame (Double) is our 2026 pick for most Australian families, striking the right balance of price, storage and a design that won’t look childish by high school. On a tighter budget, the IKEA TARVA Bed Frame (Double) won’t let you down, and if you want the room to genuinely last through to the teenage years without a re-buy, the IKEA HEMNES Bed Frame (Double) is worth the extra outlay.
Where to buy these picks
✓ Verified prices are checked live at the retailer. Otherwise we show the approximate RRP (an indicative recommended price, not a live retailer price), or “price pending” where we don’t have one.
IKEA MALM Bed Frame (Double)
★ Best for under-bed storage
IKEA TARVA Bed Frame (Double)
Best budget double bed
Kids Sofa Bed
Best for tight spare rooms
IKEA HEMNES Bed Frame (Double)
Best long-lasting bed style
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