Get Ideas on How and Where to Tuck In a Murphy Bed
Small and multiuse spaces benefit from beds that appear only when they’re needed
Don’t have space for a guest bed or sofa bed? Enter the Murphy bed, which swings up or folds into a closet or cabinet when not in use. This ingenious item allows you to fit an extra sleeping space into the most spatially challenged area.
But once opened, the doors reveal a double bed that pulls down to convert this one-bedroom loft into a “‘two-bedroom” property.
Thanks to an upholstered headboard, a charcoal-painted interior and the inclusion of contemporary art above the bed, this petite sleeping space has the snug, polished feel of a boutique hotel room.
Discover how to decorate around dark walls
Discover how to decorate around dark walls
Let It Hover Above the Sofa
Don’t have space for a foldout bed and a sofa? Be inspired by this clever London studio. A double bed pulls down from the wall behind the sofa (see below) and “floats” just above it to create a sleeping space.
Don’t have space for a foldout bed and a sofa? Be inspired by this clever London studio. A double bed pulls down from the wall behind the sofa (see below) and “floats” just above it to create a sleeping space.
“You just tuck the back cushions down the side, and then it’s ready,” says Olga Alexeeva of interior design company Black and Milk. “It’s nice and high, just right for watching TV. You feel as if you’re in a boutique hotel!” The bed, sofa and shelves are a set, which Alexeeva ordered from an Italian manufacturer. “It’s not bespoke, but the company was able to modify the shelves to fit with the sloping wall,” she says.
Take a tour of this studio
Take a tour of this studio
Transform a Home Office
The owners of this home packed plenty of functionality into a relatively compact room thanks to some hardworking furniture. A slim built-in desk and custom shelving ensure that the space can be used as an office or reading room during the day.
The owners of this home packed plenty of functionality into a relatively compact room thanks to some hardworking furniture. A slim built-in desk and custom shelving ensure that the space can be used as an office or reading room during the day.
At night, the chair stays tucked under the desk, and the cabinet opens to reveal a pull-down double bed with integrated lighting. This design is perfect for a multiuse room or studio apartment.
Create a Nook in an Open Plan
This seems like a regular open-plan living space with a central staircase. But look behind the wall …
This seems like a regular open-plan living space with a central staircase. But look behind the wall …
… and a hidden bed appears. The cabinet door and nearby bookcase become screens for privacy. They also help create the feeling that the bed is in its own room.
Utilize a Sliding Wall
This rather custom solution is something to consider when redesigning a truly tiny studio apartment. The designer created a sliding wall that allows the space to be used as a living room during the day …
This rather custom solution is something to consider when redesigning a truly tiny studio apartment. The designer created a sliding wall that allows the space to be used as a living room during the day …
… and a bedroom at night.
A built-in bedside unit with shelves and electrical outlets is tucked into the bed opening, and the TV in the sliding wall swivels so that it can be viewed from either side.
Don’t Forget Your Pets
Inspired by these Murphy beds? Maybe the furry members of your household need one. If you think this seems like a regular laundry room, look again.
Inspired by these Murphy beds? Maybe the furry members of your household need one. If you think this seems like a regular laundry room, look again.
Ta-da! It’s a dog-size drawer bed.
What a neat idea for pet owners with limited floor space.
Tell us: Do you have a Murphy bed? Please share a photo in the Comments.
More
How to Add a Murphy Bed
Find Murphy beds in the Shop section
Tell us: Do you have a Murphy bed? Please share a photo in the Comments.
More
How to Add a Murphy Bed
Find Murphy beds in the Shop section
How does one fit a foldout bed into this chic apartment without ruining the contemporary feel? The owners turned the bed into a beautiful feature in its own right. At first glance, this looks like a standard row of cabinets.