When Martin Schack Engel began producing children’s furniture in 1972, it was not the start of a business idea conceived overnight. The family business behind LIFETIME Kidsrooms, M. Schack Engel A/S, has roots stretching all the way back to 1837 – and it is that heritage that still underpins every single bed we build today.
From a small workshop to an international company
The first beds were made from solid pine, and the first collection was named RUNE. As early as 1974, the company took an important step forward: a new collection called CLASSIC introduced a system in which the bed’s components were assembled using wooden wedges – the cornerstone of the modular bed concept that still defines LIFETIME today. The idea was simple yet striking: a child’s bedroom should adapt to the child, not the other way round.
What began as a small Danish workshop now supplies furniture to children’s bedrooms in more than 30 countries around the world. As more and more families have discovered our beds, our production has grown and evolved alongside us – yet the same standards of quality and craftsmanship on which Martin Schack Engel built the company still apply to every single bed that leaves the factory.
Craftsmanship passed down through the generations
Today, the fourth generation of the family is still part of the business, and with that legacy comes a commitment: never to compromise on quality. From the carefully selected pine – FSC-certified and sourced from sustainably managed forests in the Nordic and Baltic regions – right through to the final assembly, we maintain the same high standards, no matter where in the world our beds end up.
Quality built to last
In 2022, we celebrated our 50th anniversary, and with a 5-year guarantee on all our bed frames, we demonstrate that our craftsmanship is built to last well beyond a child’s childhood. It’s not just a bed we send out the door – it’s a piece of craftsmanship which, just like the children it’s made for, is built to grow with them and last for many years to come.
