I’ve always had a real fascination with Murphy beds – you know the mattresses that fold down out of a wall, closet or cabinet that were popular decades ago.
They are so smart and functional. And increasingly, they’re attractive too.
Look at the beautiful example at right that I found at Better Homes and Gardens.
According to Tailored Living, which makes Murphy beds, their popularity is on the rise again.
“Homeowners are realizing they can do the same things in a smaller home that they did in a larger one with smart space design and home organization,” said Dave Angers, director of product development for Tailored Living.
“For example, instead of having two separate rooms for a home office and a guest room, homeowners are creating multi-function rooms and spaces in their homes,” Angers said.
“A guest room may get used a few times a year, but the rest of the time it just sits there,” he said. “By incorporating a Murphy wall bed into the space, the room can function as a private guest room when you need it and a home office, craft room, den, or study when it’s not accommodating guests.”
Just check out the Tailored Living example below, which shows the company’s “summer flame” option open and closed.
I think it’s pretty handsome and a far cry from the original Murphy beds that literally looked just mattresses falling from the walls. The beds were introduced in 1900 and are regaining popularity they haven’t seen since the Great Depression, according to Angers.
Tailored Living franchisees (see one of their beds at right) have incorporated Murphy wall beds into children’s room designs, the company says.
By day, the beds are tucked away to maximize floor space and allow the room to be used as a playroom or study hall. In the evening, the beds can be lowered for sleeping.
In a teenager’s room or dorm setting, a Murphy bed can be incorporated into a study nook or storage space, so there is plenty of room to hang out with friends by day and a restful place to sleep at night.
Even hotels are incorporating Murphy wall beds into their rooms. Rather than rolling in an extra bed, hotels will simply lower the Murphy wall bed to accommodate additional guests or children.
Here’s another fun example from BHG. This is actually a vintage Murphy bed that was installed in a tiny cottage. The door swivels open to reveal the bed.
I found the beautiful example below at MyHomeIdeas.com. It was featured in Southern Living and is a Murphy bed in a garage apartment.
(Who needs a home when you can rent a garage apartment that looks like this?)
Finally, here’s a recent take on the Murphy bed. It’s a desk-turned-bed and is made by the Hiddenbed company.
I saw it featured once on Oprah in a Nate Berkus episode.
Essentially, it starts as a desk and then the bed folds down over the desk, leaving everything in place. Nice!
