Murphy Beds

Move over there is a new old bed in town, Murphy Beds

Oh yeah, those old Murphy beds made for good entertainment, like the old funny skits of a cartoon and TV show character landing on a mattress and it would fly up and close them up into a wall? Today there is a resurgence of the old beds and it is gaining more and more popularity as we will find out as we talk About Murphy Beds.   The name Murphy Bed, much like Xerox or Kleenex, is often used broadly to describe a product by consumers. But unlike those 2 registered trademarks, in 1989 Murphy Bed it lost trademark protection for the name when it was ruled “generic” through common use after it’s nearly 90 years. These hidden mattress storage systems store mattresses either vertically or horizontally. The large storage systems are also regularly referred to as wall units; pull down beds, wall beds, even fold down and hideaway beds.

Trapped under the Murphy Bed

Uses for Murphy Bed

Commonly Murphy Beds we’re only used for studio apartments, smaller bedrooms, apartments, and even on occasion’s college dormitories, however today the wall bed market has grown to include all life styles and homes of all sizes. They utilize vertical space keeping them from intruding on valuable floor space that may be needed when the mattress is not in use . These days their most popular utilization has grown to take in multi bedroom houses especially those that want to achieve double duty for the same space, they have even been widely publicized by top interior designers and are available in a multitude of styles and sizes and will fit any décor, room size, or ceiling height.

Construction of Murphy Beds

Design options can include storage cabinets, office components, and various lighting configurations. Some models even offer a place for a flat screen TV. While in the closed position some Murphy Beds look like quality indoor bookcases with large panel doors in the center. Others may be a simple wood frame. All is revealed when the large front panel is pulled from the top and a simple platform type bed lies out and down.  They can either be wall or floor mounted and the platform style bed lays out flat to 90 degrees. On top of the platform can be the mattress of your dreams and saves money since it does not require a boxspring. It is in the space saver family of beds like daybeds which offer hidden trundles and hideaway sofa beds that conceal a hidden mattress, but neither can compete with the comfort of a Murphy bed due to limited space for the mattress.

Photo Courtesy of les_stockton

Mechanisms can either be operated by a piston type mechanism or springs.The basic idea is a simple easy to open easy to close mechanism that most anyone can operate.4 of the primary building materials used in wall beds are Ply Wood,,MDF Board Particle Board, and of course Solid Wood. There are advantages and disadvantages to all the about mentioned which we will cover in a future article. Finally fit and finish. While style and color may be the deciding factor know that if you can dream it wall bed manufaturers make it. Everything from traditional light and dark wood stains to colored and natural finishes.

Prices can range from a few hundred dollars for a do it yourself Mechanism package with instructions for the do it your selfer up into the thousands of dollars for unique one of a kind beds with every bell and whistle that is imaginable.