At the end of the XIX century, there was the first transformable bed, which was invented by the American doctor William Murphy. The transformer bed was designed to free up square footage for the day and provide comfortable places to sleep at night. Today, a bedroom with a transformer bed is often found in small apartments. The product can hide not only a sleeping place, but also other furniture items ─ tables, bedside tables, shelves, and hinged doors can serve for zoning the room.
A Murphy bed is a bed in which the mechanism and mattress in the folded state are vertical and hidden in the closet. Sometimes such beds are made combined with sofas.
No, this bed is not named after the famous Murphy’s Law, as you might think, but after William Lawrence Murphy, the opera singer, who needed to receive women in his 1-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, and to preserve his moral image (it was 1912), he invented such a bed.
The folding bed was the greatest invention of the 20th century.
People have always strived to use living space to the maximum, but the number of items needed in the home increased every year. In the room of a teenager, it is important to provide space for learning and placement of books, and in the children’s room to give room for all-around development and the many toys that accompany this process.
William Murphy was the first to think about this problem of humanity in 1918. The result of his thoughts was the invention of the bed transformer. It was he who seriously thought about the lack of space in the home and invented a way to increase the space of the apartment. William was creative in solving the problem: instead of tearing down the walls or throwing away everything superfluous, he invented a special mechanism that would help turn the bed from horizontal to vertical. It was this mechanism that became the basis for further developments of cabinet beds, and its modification later helped to create a no less important item of modern interior – a table bed. Interestingly, in America, this type of bed is still called a Murphy bed. Now you can see such a bed in almost every home and appreciate the benefits it brings to all family members. There is more usable space in the apartment, which frees up space for socializing with friends, which means that the person has more opportunities to relax and have fun.
Psychologists have proven that a person needs about 20-30 square meters to feel inner harmony and happiness. And it is important that this area should be as spacious and light as possible. That is why many interior designers offer a folding bed for a new apartment.
Transformer bed with built-in sofa
A successful realization of furniture transformation – built in murphy bed. Just hiding the bed in a moulage of a closet is no longer relevant. The most famous mechanisms for such beds are from the American company Murphy Bed.
An interesting history of the American company Murphy Bed.
At the very beginning of the 20th century, 1900, the country of America, California.
According to the legend, William Lawrence Murphy had a small studio apartment, in which a standard bed took up most of the space. At this time, he was dating the young opera singer Gladys, his future wife.
Murphy could not invite the girl to his home; manners were strict and did not allow a well-bred lady to enter a gentleman’s bedroom, so it was necessary that his bedroom be turned into a cozy living room for the duration of his visits. It was this circumstance that prompted William to experiment with the reclining bed.
On June 27, 1916, patent D49,273 was received for the idea of a bed that retracts into a closet during the day and unfolds at night.
Today, the Murphy bed is a family brand. Even so, in 1989 a U.S. appeals court ruled that the term “Murphy Bed” Murphy Bed is no longer a protected trademark because the vast majority of the public perceives it as a general definition for all transformer beds, rather than a specific Murphy Bed Co. product.
Advantages and disadvantages of the murphy bed
When arranging a living space, it is not always possible to find the best arrangement of furniture structures. To achieve the desired result, many spend a large amount of time on repairs. Bed transformers, thanks to their functionality, greatly facilitate this task. In addition, they have found applications not only in everyday life but also in medical institutions. Like any other furniture design, transformer furniture has both advantages and disadvantages.
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The advantages of the Murphy bed include:
- Saving free space – the built-in model is worthy of the task assigned to it. In the daytime, the assembled view of the bed resembles a closet, and at night it turns into a comfortable surface for sleeping;
- Variety – furniture manufacturers have developed all kinds of styles of designs in the bedroom, from classic to modern, with all kinds of decorative elements. The front is mirrored surfaces, which contribute to the visual enlargement of the area in small rooms;
- Variety of mechanisms – the devices for the bed transformer provide different possibilities of the transformation of furniture;
Adjustment – often the length of the bed transformer for children can be adjusted. This makes it possible to use the product for a long time as the child grows up; - Availability of guardrails – transformer beds for teenagers and young children are equipped with guardrails for protection;
A wide range of dimensions – the size of the bed can be, not only standard. They can be ordered according to individual projects, focusing on the area of the room; - Availability of a built-in mattress – all models are produced with mattresses, so it is not necessary to buy them. Most often, an orthopedic mattress model is used;
- The presence of a changing table – most children’s modular beds are equipped with changing tables. This greatly saves square meters and there is no need to purchase additional furniture, which saves money.
Like any other furniture, transformers have minor drawbacks, as do merfee beds.
Disadvantages of Murphy bed:
- High price – the cost of the product is composed of high-quality lifting mechanisms, frame, upholstery material, as well as the type of mattress;
- Wear and tear – with regular use, the transformation mechanisms quickly fail;
A bed with a transformation mechanism can unexpectedly fold down. This rarely happens if the elements of the design are worn out; - Drawers, which are often equipped with a children’s bed, are mounted on wheels. This sometimes leads to damage to the flooring;
- Mattresses on children’s transforming beds are not adjustable. Therefore, as the child grows up, they need to be replaced.