Everything You Need to Know About Space-Saving Wall Beds

Considering putting in a fold-away wall bed? Senior Writer Georgia Madden from Houzz Australia spoke to design experts to give you all the answers, below.

Short on space and need a room to do double-duty? A fold-away wall bed (also known as a murphy bed) could be the perfect solution; it’s guest-ready in seconds and folds out-of-sight when not in use so you can utilize the room for other purposes. We spoke to five design experts to get the lowdown on this snazzy space-saver.

Why Have A Wall Bed?

“Murphy beds are like magic – one minute you have a wall of cabinetry and 10 seconds later you have a fully made-up bed,” says Maryanne van der Reijden, interior designer and owner of MvdR Design. They’re ideal for rooms that need to do double duty, she says, “For example, if you want a guest room but can’t devote the space only to guests. In my experience, the room is usually one that doubles up as a study or an entertainment room – frequently a room where the kids can have sleepovers, play electronic games and the parents can close the door.”

Where’s The Best Place To Put It?

“Generally we use them in smaller rooms where floor space is a bit of a squeeze,” says Andrew Jhavery, managing director and owner of Ark Joinery. “They’re also great for multi-purposing a room such as kids’ bedrooms, rumpus rooms and studies, as they give greater flexibility to the room and its use.

“Murphy beds are a great way to use otherwise under-utilised storage areas and allow you to keep mess and clutter packed away and out of sight,” he says.

They’re also well-suited to studios and small apartments in urban areas, says Justin Loe, director at StudioJLA. “In dwellings like these, flexibility of space is often imperative. With a murphy bed, during the day you could use the space to work and then convert it to sleeping quarters in the evening,” he says.

Does Quality Vary?

“There’s a huge difference between the cheap and expensive options,” says Ian Ugarte, founder of Invida, a company specialising in micro-apartments. “For example, you can go to an Italian brand, which will cost you around AU$12,000 to $15,000 for a perfectly weighted and balanced murphy bed, which converts to a sofa or a desk when folded up; or you can go all the way down to something you’d buy for around $500 at an auction site – and there’s a range of everything in between. “Be sure the frame of your murphy bed can handle the weight of an innerspring mattress, which means that the hydraulic arms have to be weighted correctly,” he says.

“In evaluating the quality of a murphy bed, look at their mechanisms and how they perform – both of which are integral to ensure user safety,” says Loe.

Kate St James, interior designer and co-founder at St James Whitting, concurs, adding, “Gas strut-assisted mechanisms allow ease of opening without the strain. Also, select a style with a sturdy metal frame and a pocket-sprung mattress for a quality sleep.” Wall beds can be customised to suit a variety of different uses and are available in a range of bed sizes, configurations and layouts, says Jhavery. “For example, you could have a kid’s single fold-away bed as a vertical stack in a narrow room, or you could have a queen-size horizontal stack fold-away bed in a wider, flatter room where you may want floor space available even when the bed is down.”

“I tend to order the bed mechanics and an excellent-quality mattress and then custom-design the cabinetry around it. I find the bed is more hidden in this way,” says van der Reijden.

“We would recommend enlisting the services of a joiner, and most likely a carpenter and/or a builder to assist, as the unit needs to be securely fitted to the floor and wall, and the surrounding elements need to be structurally capable of supporting the mechanism,” says Loe.

“Another important factor is making sure your installer is experienced and understands how the system is supposed to work,” he says. “It’s not overly complex, but we have seen many cases where the installation hasn’t been completed correctly, resulting in a poorly functioning murphy bed.”

Tell Me More About The Cabinetry Wall

“Murphy beds should always be integrated into seamless joinery or they will look like a clunky piece of furniture tacked onto the room,” says Jhavery. “The best murphy beds incorporate additional joinery surrounds and will usually take up an entire wall so the bed integrates and hides away seamlessly.

“You should always use a qualified and experienced cabinet maker or manufacturer, and make sure they have the capability to do 3D photo renders of the space before you proceed into production. It should be an actual CAD file of your room – not an artist’s representation – as this makes it easier to accurately gauge the scale and ratio of the joinery to the room.”

How Deep Does The Cabinetry Wall Need To Be?

Around 600 millimetres, which is consistent with the depth of most joinery units in your home, says Loe.

What Extras Can You Integrate Into The Wall?

“Anything you like – power points, charging stations, bedside tables, bedheads, floating shelves or LED lighting,” says Jhavery. “We’ve even incorporated surround-sound systems into the adjacent carcasses and a TV on the opposite wall so the kids can watch movies from their murphy beds.”

Do You Need A Special Mattress?

A mattress specially designed to suit a murphy bed is recommended, says van der Reijden. “It will be designed and stitched so it won’t slip when upright. Other mattresses, especially those with a high degree of latex, will sag to the bottom because of their weight.

What Do They Cost?

Prices for an integrated wall bed start from around AU$10,000 for a quality design, manufacture and installation, says Jhavery. “Just like anything, you can find cheaper as well as more expensive options. We have installed complete set-ups in large houses with all the bells and whistles for over AU$100,000. It really just depends on the size, complexity and your vision for the space,” he says.

Here at Hurst Homes we offer complete customised homes that can be as individual as the owner. We guide your through the entire process including your selections to ensure you create your dream home. Just another reason why we are considered Waggas best builder. With over 30 years in the industry as a Wagga Builder you can trust Hurst Homes with your dream home. For information on our upcoming custom wagga house & land packages, contact us today on 0438 692 962 or fill out the contact us page on our website.

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