Murphy beds, or wall beds as others call them, are essentially bed frames that are space-saving as they can be folded against the wall when not in use. They are named after their inventor, William Lawrence, Murphy who tinkered with hideaway beds in the late 19th century while he was residing in a single-room apartment in San Francisco. Fast forward to decades after, murphy bed manufacturers have paved the way for murphy bed innovations. For instance, a lot of them can already be folded into a cabinet, a book case, or etc.
The main purpose of murphy beds is to enable a small space to accommodate a large bed and use the same space for other purposes when the bed is not in use. Such a solution is designed for bedrooms, condominiums, or apartments that are small in size with limited walking or storage space. The space can likewise be used as a dining room or living space where guests can stay. Basically, the bed can be folded up when necessary. That said, if your house is spacious, you probably will not need one. Otherwise, it should be your best bet.
The Upsides and Downsides of a Murphy Bed
No matter how cool the concept of murphy beds is, there will always be downsides of using it. First is how a murphy bed is inferior in terms of convenience and ease of use. This is because of the additional folding work that a murphy bed owner needs to do on a regular basis. Also, since the bed is temporary, installing any gadgets or special hardware is not so ideal. The look of murphy beds may also vary compared to regular beds. Also, if you are currently renting, you will first need to have your landlord’s approval before installing it and in case you will need to leave the place, the uninstallation will be a hassle and might cause wastage.
On the upside, nonetheless, it cannot be denied how murphy beds are definitely space-saving compared to sofa beds and regular beds. It is one of the most sought after space solutions that does not compromise comfort. These days, you can likewise easily come across a murphy bed manufacturer that can offer lots of amazing designs that can fit your requirements. It may be a hassle to take it out and put it back on the wall but it is only a matter of habit-building and should not be a major issue. Last but not the least, murphy beds still win in terms of affordability compared to moving into a more spacious home if you are financially restricted.
Awesome Murphy Bed Ideas You Can Choose From
Depending on where you are located, you can have access to a range of murphy bed manufacturers who can turn your dream murphy bed ideas into a reality:
- Cabinet Murphy Bed. This is one of the most common murphy bed ideas people follow. What happens is if the murphy bed is folded, it can transform into a faux cabinet with bookcases on each bedside when raised up. The challenge now that a good murphy bed supplier can definitely pull off is making sure the things stay in place regardless of the folding.
- Bookcase Murphy Bed. There are murphy beds that can accurately turn into more sophisticated book cases when folded. The bookcase acts as a concealer to cover your murphy bed when it is not in use. Here, though, the bookcase is wheeled, thus it can easily swing out to enable the bed to come out as necessary.
- Bookshelf Murphy Bed. This style is not the same as the bookcase concept. Here, the murphy bed when fold up will show shelves that hold magazines and books.
- Horizontal Murphy Bed. If you want to give your murphy bed an extraordinary vibe, you should go for this look. The bed will fold down on both sides. The concept will only consume less space as it will come out from the side it is folded into.
- Mirror Murphy Bed. Here, when your murphy bed is tucked into a wall, the other side will show a mirror its size. The only downside of this design, though, is that you will not be able to have access to the mirror once the bed is taken out. The workaround? Buy an extra mirror if you cannot last a period without one.
- Murphy Bunk Bed. Murphy bunk bed can be your ever wanted solution if your home is spacious but you want to reserve some space for your kid’s playroom. A lot of kids find bunk beds really fun to be on, thus your challenge as a parent might be folding it without them complaining.
- Minimalist Murphy Bed. This concept provides a murphy bed that simply but beautifully converts into a wall when the bed is folded up. From the name itself, it is using a minimalist approach, i.e. just a plain wall that gives a spacious illusion to you and your potential guests.
Final Thoughts about Murphy Beds
Regular beds can range from affordable to elegant ones but for those who are willing to invest in the latter but do not have enough space at home for it, a murphy bed is the ultimate solution. Compared to murphy beds, it is true that regular ones are a lot easier to set up and do not need a lot of hardware knowledge. However, it is a fact that not all people can afford a spacious house. This is where murphy beds come handy. They can act as full-sized sleeping beds installed in living areas. Depending on the complexity of the bed’s design, setting it up might require some drilling work into the floors or walls and along the way, there might be necessary repairs to carry out.
Nonetheless, it all boils down to what you really need. If your living space is currently small, then it is okay to go with a murphy bed. When you are space-pressed, a regular bed might be easier to get but having a murphy bed installed in your crib will pay off in the long run.
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