Before I can talk about the Murphy bed hardware kit, it's necessary to explain a bit what a Murphy bed even is so with that in mind, have you ever seen those episodes of Popeye where he's in bed and the bed springs up and retracts into a closet? What you were witnessing was a Murphy bed and they're actually pretty cool. What makes them so neat in my mind is several things. First, the come with some really beautiful cabinetry, and they fold up which creates a lot of space if you need it. And if you've got a little bit of an Adrian Monk streak (like me) it's nice to put the bed away so that you can easily vacuum under it (man I'm a nerd).
The Murphy Bed Company, previously the Murphy Wall Bed Company and the Murphy Door Bed Company, was started in 1916 by William Murphy who was first to patent his foldaway bed. The company started in San Francisco but later moved to New York City and has dealers around America.
While originally, the beds were built to store in a closet, many of the newer beds have their own cabinets. And as a plus, you can build your own woodwork and just buy the hardware to make your own Murphy Bed which reminds me--the name:
A 1989 appellate court ruled that the term/name, "Murphy Bed," had become so generic that it was no longer protected as a trademark. I personally think that sucks. Just consider Scotch brand tape or Coca Cola are often used in universal and generic sense and yet they retain their trademarks. This does however open up a lot of room for competition and there are a lot of companies now making "Murphy" beds.
Murphy bed hardware kits allow you to customize your bed to your heart's desire!
Ok I'm getting off track so where was I... Oh yes, building your own. While the Murphy Bed Company is still in operation, there are a few draw backs to buying an Murphy bed and that's mostly that you're limited to the styles that they have chosen. If you build your own from a Murphy bed hardware kit, or commission someone to do it for you, then you can of course have it in any style you want. Another advantage to building your own and that's if you live in a foreign country.
Shipping is significantly less for Murphy bed hardware versus the ready made unit.
Shipping an entire bed from the US to where I live in Japan would cost a fortune. Fortunately, the wall bed hardware kit only weighs about 10 lbs and ships in a pretty small box. And anyone who has seen a Japanese apartment knows that space is very limited. In fact, Japanese people rarely have people over to their homes because the spaces are so small and rooms have to serve many purposes. Usually, Japanese people don't have much furniture either, using futons which are laid on the floor at night and folded and put away in the morning. Well with the Murphy bed hardware kit that I ordered, I built the usual cabinet with book shelves and a backless sofa that has two large cushions. The sofa sits low enough to be under the bed when it's out and when the bed is up and stored away, the large cushions provide great back support for watching movies. I'd love to say that I invented this idea but instead I saw a few of the custom makers who had models like that and so the construction details were already worked out. I've got a new digital camera on order and when I get it, I'll try to get some pictures up because all of our friends have said that it's a great solution especially in Japan.
A custom built Murphy bed hardware kit could save you from having to drive home after working late. A perfect addition for any office.
Other cool ideas that I've seen are of course using them in guest rooms or any cubby-hole big enough to house the cabinet and long enough to contain the bed when its out. I've also seen where a lot of working professionals have had them built into their offices, I guess to forgo going home after working late hours and having to get up early again.
Modern Murphy bed kits are safer so you'll never get trapped like Popeye!
The Murphy bed whether the genuine article or home built is a really great space saving option. I mean when you think about it, why does the bed have to dominate the room that it's in? During all the hours that we're awake the bed is actually in the way with, unless your rich and living in a really large house, reduces your bedroom to a few narrow sections on either side of the bed and one at the foot. And to top it all off, the new design of these beds means that you'll never end up trapped like Popeye.
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I also think the bed should not take up a whole room. But all my walls are full of art, etc, so I cannot sacrifice the wall space. I suppose I could attached my less valuable wall decorations firmly to the under surface of the murphy bed. Maybe a hinged in the middle half murphy bed, aka fold-away bed couch. Drats! No good answer.
Thanks for picture. Hope you have good knees, with the couch so low. Take care.