Wall beds create instant bedrooms

When you’re thinking about where to put house guests, think about this.  How many times a year do you actually use that spare bedroom to put up company?   And you are thinking of building a guest bedroom downstairs, would you really rather use your basement for a theatre room or perhaps that new billiard table?

Sometimes the only solution is to move to a new house which is always an exciting proposition.  In the meantime, think about whether installing a wall bed is right for you.

Wall beds are often referred to as Murphy beds.  They were named after Bill Murphy of San Francisco.  He designed this closet-type of bed in the late 1800s and took out the first patent.  The patent has been changed many times since then and the Murphy name is finally a trademark. While used as a generic term, not all wall beds can be called Murphy beds, nor can you expect the same quality.

Where to put them

Wall beds are being installed in huge luxury homes in Calgary as well as in studio or micro apartments where space is at a premium.  Calgary wall bed retailers are also selling wall beds to customers who are downsizing their homes and want extra bedrooms to be used for more than one purpose.

Wall beds, historically, are behind a cupboard door flush with the wall ,but many of today’s freestanding beds are enclosed in wall units.  When the bed is closed, they are only 16 inches deep and take up the same space as a standard bookshelf.  However, if a client wants a bed truly hidden in the wall they can be accommodated as long as plans for the bed are incorporated into the construction of a room either in a new build or during a renovation.

Wall beds can fit into rooms assigned as theatre rooms, home gyms or offices and in upstairs bonus rooms.   The work station/home office combination is the most popular area for wall beds.

Wall beds in free standing units can be incorporated with custom cabinetry that hold anything such as televisions, sewing machines, printers, gaming systems and books.  The units can be wired for sound and lighting.

Easy to make up

If a wall bed is installed correctly, it should take just two fingers to push it down from the wall in the evening and return to an upright position in the morning.   The bed weighs, on average, about 90 kg (198 lbs.) however, the spring mechanism should be easy to manipulate.  The handles to pull the bed down should be at a child-proof height; however, even if a child did manage to pull the handles, the leverage system will prevent the bed from crashing down on him or her.

Most beds are designed for a standard depth mattress, which is 10 inches.  A specialty mattress, such as a memory foam mattress, has to be kept horizontal so that it doesn’t sag so are not appropriate for this application.

They may look like built-in cabinetry however the units are mounted to the studs behind your wall with wood screws and shouldn’t leave gaping holes in the wall.  That means you can disassemble your wall bed and take it with you if you decide to move to a larger home after all.