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Murphy Bed 101: Info Guide For Starters

Owning a Murphy bed is like having an additional room – may it be a home office, playroom, fitness studio, home theatre – to your home all at a fraction of its cost.

It can serve as an extra bedroom when in need but at the same time keeping the room’s functional space for when the Murphy bed is not used.

People who own Murphy beds can invite family and friends over and still have enough space.

Murphy beds offer a host of advantages over a typical bedroom set.

Because of its ability to fold up, a Murphy bed permits spaces or rooms to serve and have multiple purposes.

Determining the right model for a home can be quite tricky with numerous options in the market.

Murphy Bed 101: Info Guide For Starters

If you are wondering what a Murphy bed is and if you are new to the concept of wall beds, this guide will provide you the basics before purchasing your own Murphy bed.

Wall and Floor-Mounted Murphy Beds

Most Murphy beds are either floor-mounted or wall-mounted. This indicated where the Murphy bed is secured.

Traditional spring mechanism systems require floor mounting and make it stable.

This usually caused lasting damage to the floor. Murphy bed units that are floor-mounted, once installed, tend to also be tougher to remove.

The vast majority of Murphy beds for sale in the market are wall-mounted.

Murphy beds secured to a wall are attached to studs and do not cause much damage when moved.

Traditional wall-mounted units make use of gas pistons as their lifting mechanisms in raising the platform up and down.

When looking to preserve floors, baseboards, and moldings, some Murphy bed brands offer a lifting mechanism that offers alternatives such as utilizing tension created near the bed’s base to live the mattress.

Some Murphy bed units use a standalone platform that is attached only to the fixture when in the upright position thus very little weight is pulling against the adjacent wall.

Murphy Bed Mattress Types

Murphy beds do not need a special mattress.

Nearly any mattress can be used for a Murphy bed. Considerations such as the thickness of the mattress, the firmness or comfort one prefers, and the weight of the mattress.

It is helpful to keep in mind that Murphy beds do not have box springs and instead mattresses are attached to bed frames and are retained using an elastic strap to hold the mattress in position while upright.

To avoid slumping or the folding up of the mattress while upright, mattress straps must be kept tight.

Some Murphy bed manufacturers recommend choosing thicker mattresses to preserve in the long-term the wholeness of the mattress.

Inherently, the thicker the mattress is the less likely it is to slump or bend.

When using a thicker mattress, the wall also acts as a support.

How Murphy Beds Came To Be

The Murphy bed’s popularity has waxed and waned from year to year. But chances are you are already familiar with Murphy beds.

Murphy Bed 101: Info Guide For Starters

Since its invention, the Murphy fold-down bed has often appeared as props in movies and television shows.

Murphy beds are most popular among people and families living in smaller apartments as they are one of the surefire space-saving furniture.

William Lawrence Murphy came up with the idea for a fold-out bed. He lives in San Francisco in 1900.

He was prompted by a need to come up with this invention. Legend has it that he was interested in a young opera singer, however in that time, to invite a woman to enter a man’s bedroom is considered taboo.

To circumvent the situation, he put a mattress on a metal frame.

The said metal frame can be folded up when not in use.

This allowed him to put away his bed in his closet and transform his single-room abode from a bedroom to a parlor where his love interest could enter.

Later, Murphy marries the young opera singer that inspired his idea of the wall bed.

Murphy applied for a patent in 1911 to start his own business, the Murphy Bed Company.

Murphy called his invention “The Disappearing Bed” but is ultimately best known to date as The Murphy Bed.

Murphy beds also get by other names throughout the decades such as wall bed, fold-away bed, pull-out bed, and hideaway bed.

Murphy beds continue to serve a need in all sorts of living spaces.

Although, the technology employed in Murphy beds now is not to be said as without improvements since its invention.

Some Murphy beds do not have heavy metal frames or springs but have a simple system of rounded wooden rockers on the floor that rolls up and down the bed platform.

One thing that stood the test of time for Murphy beds is their space-saving ability.

Benefits of Owning A Murphy Bed

Practicality is the main factor to consider when thinking of long-term investments.

If maximizing the floor plan is desired in instances like reclaiming spaces in guest rooms, a Murphy bed may be a perfect idea.

Murphy Bed 101: Info Guide For Starters

Here are some of the practical considerations when thinking about owning a Murphy bed:

1. Transforms Standby Spaces

A Murphy bed can be used to creatively transform spare spaces in any home.

For ideally transforming underused rooms into designated rooms with specific functions like home offices, fitness studios, or artist rooms.

The creative possibilities for unique Murphy bed use are endless.

2. Multi-functional

Murphy beds allow for spare rooms to serve multiple functions as the furniture itself is dual-use.

A lot of Murphy beds are equipped with desks and cabinets. Other models have installed LED lightings, electric ports, and outlets.

3. Long-lasting

As opposed to earlier versions of Murphy beds, modern models are made to be durable.

Today’s Murphy beds can last for generations. Often, the durability of a Murphy bed depends on whether it is made from cheaper or costlier materials.

4. Comfortable

Considering that any mattress can be used on a Murphy bed, owners can choose more comfortable options to use.

The majority of Murphy beds can utilize mattresses up to the thickness of 12 inches.

5. Can Be Customized

Murphy beds are as versatile as bed companies equip them.

Murphy beds are available in the market in different orientations – vertical and horizontal, with various sizes and finishes.

There are also creative customizable options for a Murphy bed such as finishes that match other furniture in the room.

Overall, a Murphy bed is multi-functional and space-saving furniture. It is practical to own and can be improvised for use in many creative ways.

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