Do it Yourself Murphy Beds
As financial pressures force more and more people to consider smaller homes, Murphy beds are surging in popularity. The ability to make living space do double duty is what Murphy beds do best, since they allow you to literally "put your bedroom away" when you are done with it.
Several companies now make the hardware necessary for building your own Murphy bed. All you need is some idea about how you will use it.
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Realities
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There are some real considerations if you are thinking about building a Murphy bed. For example, it is true that a Murphy bed allows you to use the same space for different purposes at different times of the day. But will you need to move things each night to use your bed, and move them back the next morning? That may not seem like a burden now, but will it in three months? And if the items you need to move are bulky, will you have enough room for the bed when you open it?
Will you want to go through the daily process of lowering your bed each night and lifting it again the next morning? Taking a quick nap can become a major undertaking when you have a Murphy bed. You may be able to avoid this problem if you have a sofa or day bed elsewhere in the house.
Vertical Mount
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Vertical Murphy beds are what most people think of when they hear the name. After all, most people have seen at least one comedy movie where someone lies down on a Murphy bed, only to have it snap upward and trap them inside the wall.
Of course, such a stunt is impossible in a real Murphy bed. The hardware, which generally incorporates some sort of hydraulic lift, does make it easier to lift the bed; but it never makes it that light. Still, a vertical mount Murphy takes very little horizontal wall space, and is often the best choice.
Horizontal Mount
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Horizontal Murphy beds can be used in rooms with limited headroom, like attics and dormers. The extra wall space they require is offset somewhat by their less-intrusive presence -- that is, they do not extend as far into the room. Consequently, they may not require as much moving around to make room for them when folded down.
This can also make the horizontal Murphy bed useful for other purposes. If you do much entertaining, you can use them as foldaway seating and for lounging areas.
Hardware
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Several companies now make the hardware you need to build your own Murphy bed and most make plans available. You will need to follow their instructions but, in general, you will build the cabinet, then attach the frame mechanism to the cabinet as per their instructions, and finally attach the footer to the frame.
After that, it is merely a matter of adding your mattress and catching some sleep.
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