We know: All About Murphy and Wall Beds

What's a Murphy or wall bed?

The Murphy bed, patented by William Murphy in 1900, is a bed that folds up against the wall or folds up into a closet fully made and in one piece. Murphy bed's are intended to allow a space to be used as a sleeping area at night, and a living space during the day.

Murphy or wall beds are usually built on a spring loaded system with legs that that fold automatically when the bed is raised, so that you can easily tuck the bed away with a single motion.

What about the mattress?

You can usually use a standard spring mattress with a Murphy bed.

Do Murphy beds come in different sizes?

Yes, ranging from twin size to California king size.

What are the different types?

Some wall beds fold vertically, and some fold horizontally.

How do you hide the bed away?

You can either build the bed frame system into a closet area, or you can buy a cabinet that the bed folds into.

What are Murphy bed cabinets?

These are storage areas for the bed. They are often designed with drawers and shelves on either side of the bed storage area. Once the bed is in the upright position, the cabinet usually has doors which hide it from view.

Is it possible to build a bed myself?

Yes, Murphy and wall bed kits are available from companies like Create-a-Bed and American Murphy Bed. And many companies will sell you the wall bed frame so that you can install it yourself.

How much do wall beds cost?

There are usually three components to the total cost of a wall or Murphy bed.

Bed Frame Mechanism: Depending on the size and style of the mechanism, and whether you install the frame yourself, the price can range from a couple hundred dollars to more than a thousand.
Cabinet: A cabinet can make the bed invisible and a room very attractive, but it can also drive the price of the bed way up, depending on the design and materials. Again, cabinets begin in the low hundreds of dollars and go to more than a thousand.
Mattress: You can buy a regular mattress for a wall or Murphy bed or check with companies like The Murphy Bed Company, which sell Murphy bed mattresses. Prices range from $260 to more than $600.