Benefits of Wall Beds and Things to Consider When Buying Them

The wall bed also called the Murphy bed after the brand that made it popular is an inventive sleeping solution that adds value to small spaces and makes them more liveable. The bed is designed to fold up into the wall when you are not sleeping. It affords you valuable floor space when folded away, especially if you are living in a small studio apartment.

Though Murphy’s folding bed design popularized the wall bed in the early 1900s, similar foldable wall beds in different forms existed a few decades earlier.

Today, foldable wall beds have come a long way in terms of stylishness, safety features, and usability. If you are considering wall beds for your home, this article provides you with information on the different styles and options you can pick from.

However, let us first consider a few benefits that wall beds can offer your home.

Benefits of installing a wall bed

1. Wall beds can save loads of space

In small apartments and condos, where floor space is at a premium, wall beds can be an important addition, considering the little space they take up compared to a conventional four-poster. Even if you are living in a large, spacious home, a wall bed can be quite convenient, as it frees up a lot of floor area by utilizing the unused space on a wall, and it doesn’t get in your way when not in use.

You simply have to draw the bed down from the wall cabinet when it is time to get to bed. Again, you simply fold it up into the wall area in the morning, and you have a lot of space in the room.

2. Wall beds are safe and easy to operate

You might look at the wall bed and wonder how easy or difficult it would be to operate. Murphy beds are designed using an advanced piston and spring action system, making them easy to open and close. They are also very safe to operate and can be pulled up or down by anybody, irrespective of their physical strength.

3. Wall beds offer the same comfort as conventional beds

Wall beds are created using high-quality coil mattresses, which provide the same comfort levels when sleeping that you can expect from conventional beds.

You will receive a lot of compliments on how comfortable your wall bed is from your house guests.

What are the different styles and options available in wall beds?

The standout feature of a Murphy bed that sets it apart from other beds is the mechanism used for opening and closing. Two of the standard options in the lifting mechanism are:

Piston lift – These offer state-of-the-art lifting techniques that make no sound. They are sturdy enough and offer a lot of safety. Many piston lift wall beds come with a lifetime guarantee.

Spring lift – Wall beds with spring lift technology tend to be a bit noisy. The springs also get loose with constant usage and would need tightening after five years or more.

Some wall beds that come cheaper and a few DIY beds do not incorporate a lifting device. So you might need to open and close the beds manually which requires considerable upper body strength to operate. Such beds are typically stored in a freestanding cabinet or a wall-mounted with the help of straps.

Freestanding Murphy Beds

As you can guess from the name, a freestanding wall bed doesn’t require it to be mounted or fastened to walls or floors. These are perfect for tenants who want to make the most of the limited space by installing Murphy beds but whose landlords wouldn’t welcome the idea of installing the beds by fastening them to the walls or floor.

Vertical or horizontal murphy beds

The Earliest Murphy beds were made to open vertically. Today though, you have plenty of options that can also open horizontally.

If your home has high ceilings and lots of floor space to accommodate the bed when you open it, you can opt for vertical wall beds.

If your home has constricted spaces and rooms with low ceilings, then horizontal beds or loft beds are ideal.

Built-in wall beds

Built-in Murphy beds are hidden behind walls and furniture items. The main characteristic of these beds is that, unlike other wall beds, they cannot be moved when it’s time to leave, as they are permanent structures. Hence, it would not be suitable for those living in rented apartments, as they cannot be moved out when the rental term expires.

Revolving wall Murphy bed

Most wall beds open from a cabinet, but revolving beds are made around a rotating axis and pivot around to conceal themselves when not being used. Some revolving beds might have a cabinet with shelves or closed storage unit facing the front during the day. Just pull to rotate the front panel, and you will expose a Murphy bed which can be brought down when it is time to sleep.

What are the things to consider when buying Wall beds?

The following are some of the things you need to consider when buying wall beds for your home:

Purpose of wall bed – Apart from being a space-saver, Murphy beds can also serve different purposes. When it is folded away, the cabinet may contain shelves, a couch, or a desk area. These are very thoughtful additions if you are operating your office from home. Sometimes, beds use a combination of features, by having the bed transform into a couch with the shelves on the sides. It makes better sense to add utility and resourcefulness to a bed rather than tuck a bed at the back of a cabinet.

Durability – In terms of sturdiness, the best beds you can find are made of solid wood, but usually, these are far more expensive than other options. Going for a less expensive option, you could opt for plywood which can be sturdier and last longer than ones made from particleboard. Opting for fiberboard of medium density can make the beds a lot stronger, but you might find it harder to work with.

Looks and app – Most wall beds aren’t made of solid hardwood, and therefore you would need to choose a finish. With solid wood veneer, the bed can appear a lot more expensive. Ones made with laminate veneers can offer the look and are less costly, but you won’t get the feel of wood like from solid wood veneers. You can get them painted to change the color of the material, and water-based finishes can help keep the color of the wood and also offer protection.

Mechanisms – You would also have to consider whether the Murphy bed would operate on a piston mechanism or a spring mechanism. Spring-based lifting beds would require adjusting over time and special cabinet space to house the mechanism. Pistons use air pressure and do not need to the adjusted. They use a lock to be held into place when they are not used.

Delivery and Installation – If the bed is purchased from a far away dealer, you need to discuss the shipping costs and return policy. It would be best to look for in-home delivery for your wall bed instead of curbside delivery, as the package would be quite heavy.

Read the installation instructions carefully to decide whether you would require to pay someone to get the bed installed or if you can do it yourself. Refer to the warranty for the bed and understand the terms. If the warranty is for a short period, that could mean that the bed isn’t durable enough or likely to last long.

Conclusion

Wall beds are ideal for people who love to invite friends and relatives to stay over for weekends and holidays. They can create space that can be utilized for other purposes by folding the beds away when not in use. Murphy beds are practical and stylish and provide solutions for space-saving in small apartments with congested spaces. You can find a wide range of comfortable, highest quality, and space-saving wall beds with Create-a-bed.