Is there anything cozier than an alcove bed? Not to mention more innovative? It’s often when confronted with small spaces that we challenge ourselves to create the most interesting nooks. Today’s featured beds are no exception. In fact, these recessed resting places are the perfect in-home getaways. The designers and homeowners who’ve created them saw potential in a niche and transformed it into a retreat.

From quiet corners to alcoves with a view, these sleeping stations are perfectly charming. They also capture that feeling of security we had as children when building forts or camping in tents. But don’t think these chic crannies are just for kids! Surround yourself with compact style as you check out the alcove beds below:

Painted Alcoves

The first featured alcove is a seating space painted blue to match the cushions. This nook is striking in its use of tone-on-tone color, and if that weren’t enough to call attention to the area, there’s industrial lighting to illuminate it! But more than a place to sit, this alcove is a place to nap! Curling up with a magazine has never been so stylish. Not to mention, when guests visit, this blue space becomes alcove sleeping heaven! [from Shelterness.com]

Once a hospital, this modern dwelling in Battersea, England is bright and airy. Which makes the olive brown recessed sleeping space under the stairs a true standout. Notice how the bedding matches the walls?! The raised platform and unique shape add character. Not to mention, the area is roomy enough to accommodate a bedside table and plenty of cushy fabric!  [from SHOOTFACTORY]

This next painted alcove was actually a closet! Until an expectant mother realized its crib-holding potential, especially since the room is shared with two other children! Featured in a previous Decoist post on shared bedrooms for kids, this space shows how a little creativity can lead to stunning design results. Note the scalloped edging on the tomato red accent wall. Perfectly whimsical! [from Apartment Therapy]

Bright and Airy Alcove Beds

While colorful alcoves catch the eye, crisp and refreshing bedding can be just as alluring. Check out the stony alcove below. When a recessed area is this distinct, it doesn’t take much to create a stellar sleeping space! The alcove bed below can be found at Trullo Della Selva, a getaway in Puglia, Italy. Note how the dwelling’s stone walls are perfectly complemented by a wrought-iron headboard and cream bedding. [from Trullo Della Selva]

We now take a modern turn with this renovated Minneapolis home, complete with gleaming woodwork and thoughtful spaces. Like a seating area that can also serve as a bed! Note how contemporary artwork and wall sconce help define the nook, making it a unique entity. Yet white walls and fabric ensure that it perfectly integrates with the rest of the house. [photo by Cameron Wittig via Dwell] 

The walls aren’t white in our next space–a corner alcove–but cushions are bright like the sunny view welcomed by a plethora of windows. As with many an alcove sleeping nook, this one doubles as seating. Yet this seating can transform into napping territory for two! [from Fernau & Hartman]

Space-Saving Sleeping Nooks

Sometimes an alcove bed is built so perfectly into the wall, it maximizes the space in a room! Take this cozy compartment at the Sleeping Lady Resort in Leavenworth, Washington. A tidy little cranny, it has a matching compact recessed sink that allows the room to maintain its open floor plan. [from About.com]

Other times, a slanted wall makes an alcove stylishly inevitable. As shown below, a single bed fits the space like a glove, and white paint visually enlarges the area, keeping it fresh and clean. With neutral walls, the room’s argyle bedding and striped pillows take center stage! [from Hus & Hem via Desire to Inspire]

A similar effect is created in the room below, which is a perfect kid space! Floral bedding is enhanced by a blossomy wall hanging, and even more privacy is achieved with a curtain. In fact, a curtain and a rod can instantly transform living room alcove seating into a guest bedroom! [from Hus & Hem via Desire to Inspire]

Speaking of kid spaces, the room below features an apple green wall that proudly frames an alcove bed covered by a polka dot spread. Other space-saving features in the room: the bed’s built-in drawers, and recessed wall compartments that can be accessed with the help of a sliding ladder. [from enpundit.com]

Elegant Alcove Beds

We end with two alcove beds that are the epitome of glamorous. Roomy, comfy and full of cushions, these sleeping sites are cozy yet distinguished. The first can be found in a room designed Victoria Thompson. The bed’s ikat fabric matches the window treatments and serves as a background for an array of patterned pillows. Windows keep the space bright and open. [from Lonny]

This last bed is a reminder that you can always make your own alcove! If your dwelling doesn’t boast any recessed spaces and a construction project is out of the question, try a canopy bed. Interior designer Celerie Kemble has created the space below, which incorporates a perfectly framed bed, as well as a seating area complete with a round coffee table! [from Lonny]

As shown by many of the images above, alcove beds can also serve as strategic seating. If you live in a studio apartment or are otherwise pressed for space, consider having your alcove bed pull double duty. Not only will you maximize room for yourself and your guests, you will enjoy a cozy place to sit as well as a cozy place to sleep!