Unusual Beds Not Only For Sleep You've Never Seen Before

Let's take a look at some of the most unusual beds not only for sleep that you’ve never seen before.

October 5, 2022・

10 min read

Leaving the comfort of your bed to go to work or school is one of life’s hardest struggles. So it comes as no surprise that humans spend around a third of our lives sleeping. But choosing the perfect bed is no small matter.

However, you may wonder whether all the features included are entirely necessary to your sleep cycle. Let's take a look at some of the most unusual beds not only for sleep that you’ve never seen before.

The Book

This one was designed by Yusuke Suzuki to combat the lack of space often found in urban apartment blocks in Japan. Shaped like a large book, it unfolds to reveal a mattress and pillows from what would be considered the book’s “pages”. That’s one way of making stories come to life!

La Montana Rusa

This creation from Cuban furniture designer collective Los Carpinteros translates to “rollercoaster” which, considering its appearance, is totally apt. Pink cushions cover the bed frame as it moves up and down and curves back on itself in an imitation of popular rides. But if you’re thinking that this bed isn't exactly practical, that’s ok: it was actually designed to be a piece of furniture artwork - and was exhibited at a gallery in New York in 2008.

Home Cinema

Polish company iNyx markets this as “the world’s most advanced bed” and it’s easy to see why. It includes everything you need to create the ultimate home cinema experience from the comfort of your bed. Features include a canopy with automatic blinds, LED lights, a full sound system and, of course, a retractable cinema screen.

Outdoor Mosquito Net Hammock Bed

Most people love spending time in their garden during the summer months, but this can often be ruined by pesky bugs such as mosquitos. This hammock bed by Hammacher Schlemmer is the ideal solution.

In fact, their website even describes the product as a “mosquito thwarter” through the use of a zipped nylon net which covers the entire structure.

VW Camper

Designed by Circu – Magical Furniture, this VW Camper van replica is called the “Bun Van” and was inspired by the Disney film Cars. Its outer shell is made from fiberglass with a chrome-plated finish, while the interior boasts a TV, desk, fridge and sofa, as well as a bed.

Their range of products also includes the Little Mermaid clam bed inspired by Ariel. The clam bed sits atop rocks and consists of two pieces joined together by a large hinge, with the fibreglass coated in a color-changing paint.

Faz Daybed

This may just be a daybed, but it will still set you back a decent sum: almost $10,000 in fact. Designed by Vondom, the Faz comes complete with the latest Bluetooth sound system and an illuminated LED-lit base. There is also an optional Sunbrella Fabric parasol, which ensures that it is resistant to extreme cold, heat and UV rays.

Self-Making Bed

If there’s one household chore that's almost universally hated, it’s making your bed in the morning. Enter the self-making bed by SmartDuvet.

It utilizes an inflatable sheet, which you can add to your existing duvet cover. This sheet is attached to an air pump which inflates and returns your duvet to its initial, straight and smooth position.

Flottua

This design makes use of a visual illusion to make it appear as if it's levitating. It’s the brainchild of Daniele Lago, an Italian designer who developed it in 2004. By attaching the bed to the wall and making use of one under-bed beam which can be concealed by lights, the bed gives off the full impression it's floating above the ground.

Floating Hammock

This isn't a hammock, or a bed: it’s a bit of both. Known as The Floating Bed, this product was designed to provide better sleep and health benefits, all through its gentle rocking motion. The bed features a memory foam mattress and an entirely flat surface to sleep on, to make you feel like you're floating through the air.

Giant Birds Nest

This one is every bit as strange as its name suggests: it’s a giant size replica of a bird's nest. It comes in three different sizes, and the biggest one is advertised with space for up to 16 occupants.

You can stretch out on its comfortable egg cushions which are designed to create ergonomic seating positions. A similar concept was also created by two Israeli designers and exhibited at a gallery in 2008.

Feel Seating System Deluxe

This product boasts customers such as Google, EA and Loreal, with demand apparently being so high that it's listed as out of stock on their website. Comprising 120 soft foam balls, it's big enough to accommodate singles, couples and families, with plenty of space to “sink in and float away completely”.

Yin and Yang

Based on the Chinese Yin and Yang symbol, this bunk bed has space for two people. It was created by Italian designer Alessio Pappa and would be ideal for couples who want to share a bedroom but maintain their own personal space. That being said, its wooden frame doesn’t look totally comfortable to sleep on.

Hamburger

Food and sleep are probably two of humanity’s favorite things, so it was only a matter of time before someone combined the two.

The hamburger bed is the work of Kayla Kromer, who purchased a 70s-style circular mattress and created the rest herself. After Kayla sold the bed in 2009, it made its way into the hands of multiple new owners from eBay before finally ending up on display at the Hamburger Museum a year later.

Vertical Bed

We don't usually think of the process of sleeping as being vertical, but Brazilian designer Ernesto Neto proposed this idea to change that. His design encases sleepers in cushions, much like being eaten by a giant marshmallow. This ensures that their body is supported in an upright position while sleeping.

Geometric Bed

If you thought this was an art installation rather than a bed, I don’t blame you. But this really is a bed designed by Jakob and McFarlane. Its geometric design includes a cage of metal bars arranged above the mattress that you sleep on, which surely makes for an unsettling nocturnal experience.

Le Beanock

This hammock bed is unique in both design and features. Crucially, you can unhook it and take it down when you need to clean up or create extra space in the room – and it can be rearranged into a sofa.

It boasts the weightlessness of a hammock with all the comfort of a beanbag – and that’s not all. It’s recently been praised by celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Letto Zip

Designed by Italian company Florida Furniture, this is another bed which allows you to ditch those bed-making chores. It appeals to our frustration towards messy sheets by promising that we can simply zip them up into a straight, tidy bed.

That’s the beauty of it: you’ll find zippers along the entire length of the bed, where you can attach a fully removable cover which also doubles as an extra blanket.

Magnetic Floating Bed

This is no illusion- this bed floats for real. The power of opposing industrial strength magnets is what gives this piece its magical floating quality. But what's really impressive is that this bed can hold up to 900kg of weight. There’s another, smaller version of it which can safely bear 80kg of weight, too.

BedBunker

In the past, people kept their money hidden under their mattresses for safekeeping. BedBunker goes one step further than this, by inserting a 10-gauge steel strongbox into a bedframe.

And if that wasn’t enough to assuage your fears, the steel is ¼ inch thick, so you really can rest assured that your valuables are safe.

Sonic Bed

Designed by Kaffe Matthews, this is more of a portable music venue than a piece of bedroom furniture. That being said, it comes with a range of features to create either a relaxing or social experience. As well as playing music to users, the bed has a webcam and software system built in.

Phat Knits

If you’re a lover of all things knitted, then this bed may interest you. Phat Knits allows you to sleep on giant woven threads, which can be spread out to create a mattress on the floor of your choice.

ITBed

If you’ve ever wanted to pack up your bed and take it with you, now you can! The ITbed is made from 4mm thick cardboard and can be folded up like an accordion for super easy portability.

Doc Sofa Bunk Bed

Most people are aware of sofa beds, but what about a sofa which turns into a set of two bunk beds?

This is the idea created by Bonbon, which promises compact living solutions. With one simple movement, the sofa seat adjusts to provide two separate single mattresses.

Fetal Position

If you like to sleep in the fetal position, then congratulations – you're the target market for this bed! For everyone else, this seems to require far too much precarious positioning to be a comfortable sleeping experience.

Brush Bed

Designed by Ron Arad to be a one-off item, this bed was genuinely inspired by the toothbrush. Perhaps it’s a good thing that this bed isn’t available to purchase, because it doesn’t look altogether comfortable.

Therapy Bed

This one may look strange, but it's actually very sophisticated. It's designed with the work of sleep doctor Alain Nicolas in mind. Ideal for those who suffer from insomnia, this bed allows sleepers to be surrounded by noise-canceling curtains which close automatically to provide a perfect sleeping environment.

Tranquility Pod

This pod makes use of gentle sounds, lights and vibrations to lull sleepers into a relaxed state, with a design that blocks out 90% of exterior noise. A similar version for quick power naps has also been created by UK-based company Metronaps and is called the Sleeper Pod.

The Barrel

If you’re a fan of beer, then this bed is perfect for you because it gives you the chance to sleep like the brewmasters of the past. Crafted out of a real 19th Century barrel, this bed has room for up to two people - but it’s a bit of a squeeze!

Unusual Water Bed

Everyone's heard of water beds, but what about a bed that’s surrounded by water? Sure, it promises tranquility and it’d be easy to take a morning swim, but don't sleep here if you're a sleepwalker!

Ice Bed

If you’ve heard of the Ice Hotel in Sweden, then this may not come as too much of a surprise. But for everyone else, yes – you really can sleep on a bed which has a frame that is crafted from ice!

It’s designed and handcrafted by expert artists from around the world, but even still, the hotel recommends only one night on an ice bed at a time. The frozen mattresses are covered in insulating reindeer skin and fur to make sure you're adequately protected from the chill.

You're also provided with high-tech Arctic-proof equipment including an expedition sleeping bag, long johns, hats, gloves and warm socks.

I hope you were amazed at these unusual beds which are not only for sleeping. Thanks for reading!