A Murphy bed lets a room do two jobs. By day it is a living room, office, or studio with usable floor space. By night it folds down into a full bed with a real mattress. That makes it a practical option for guest rooms, small apartments, and any room that cannot give up its floor to a bed full time.
It is also a large piece of furniture that has to fit your wall, your ceiling, and your mattress. A little measuring before you order prevents most problems.
Start with the room: measure three things
Measure the wall where the cabinet will stand, width and height, and note baseboards, outlets, vents, and anything else on that wall. Then measure how far the bed will extend into the room when it is open, and make sure doors, closets, and walkways still work with the bed down.
Ceiling height matters most for tall cabinets. Add the cabinet height, plus a little clearance for lifting and tilting during setup, and compare it to your ceiling. If a ceiling fan, light fixture, or low beam sits over the open bed, note that too. It is far easier to learn this from a tape measure than from a delivery.
Vertical or horizontal: let the wall decide
A vertical Murphy bed stands tall and folds down lengthwise. The mattress stands on end inside the cabinet. This is usually the better fit when you have a narrower stretch of wall and enough ceiling height, and it tends to look most like a standard bed when open.
A horizontal Murphy bed is wider and shorter. The mattress folds down sideways. It suits rooms with lower ceilings, wide walls, or something above the cabinet area that a tall unit would block, such as a window. The trade-off is that it takes more wall width, and one side of the bed sits closer to the wall.
Neither style is better in general. The right one is the one your wall, ceiling, and floor space can handle comfortably.
Pick the size by who will sleep on it
Twin suits one child, teen, or smaller adult, and is the easiest fit in a tight room. Full gives one adult more width, or works for couples for short stays. Queen is the most common choice for a guest room, because it suits most couples the way a regular Queen bed does, and it is what most guests expect.
If the bed will be used most nights, in a studio, for example, choose the size you would choose for a regular bed. If it is for occasional guests, a smaller size that fits the room well is often the sensible call.
The mattress matters, and not every mattress fits
Most Murphy beds take a standard mattress without a box spring; the bed platform provides the support. What limits your choice is usually thickness and weight. A mattress that is too thick can stop the bed from closing fully or put strain on the mechanism. A mattress that is too heavy can make the bed harder to lift and lower, and one that is too light may not stay in place as designed.
The Murphy beds we carry use a mattress 12 inches thick or less. Makers still state a mattress thickness range for each model, so check the range for the exact bed you are considering and stay inside it, because the exact fit matters. Foam and hybrid mattresses are common choices. If you already own the mattress, measure its thickness before you order the bed, not the other way round.
Understand the lifting mechanism
The mechanism is what carries most of the weight as you raise and lower the bed. The Murphy bed lines we carry use piston mechanisms. Piston systems use gas pistons to assist the lift and tend to give a smooth, controlled motion. Spring systems are also used on Murphy beds more generally; they use a set of springs that can often be adjusted to suit the weight of the mattress.
For daily use, what matters is that the piston-assisted bed feels balanced, not so heavy that lifting it is a chore and not so light that it wants to rise on its own, and that the mechanism on the model you choose is matched to your mattress weight.
Cabinet materials and build
The cabinet is furniture, not just a box for the bed. Common materials include solid wood, plywood, and manufactured wood panels with a finished surface. Solid wood and good plywood tend to feel more substantial and hold up well to years of opening and closing. Manufactured panels keep cost down, but finish and edge quality vary more between makers.
Look at photos of corners, doors, and hardware, not just the front view. The cabinet is what you will see most of the time, so check that its style and finish suit the room.
When a Murphy bed beats a sofa bed
A sofa bed gives you seating and a bed in one piece, and for a few nights a year it can be enough. The limits are the mattress, which is usually thinner and folds inside the sofa, and the routine, clearing cushions and unfolding it each night.
A Murphy bed uses a full mattress that stays flat, so it is usually the more comfortable option for regular guests, longer stays, or anyone sleeping on it most nights. If guests are rare and seating is what the room needs most, a sofa bed may be the honest answer. If sleep quality and floor space are the priorities, a Murphy bed is usually worth it.
What to ask before you order
Before ordering, get clear answers to a short list: Does the bed need to be fixed to the wall, and what wall types suit it. Is the mattress included or sold separately, and what thickness range is required. What assembly is involved, and how long it typically takes. How the bed is delivered, and whether it comes in pieces that fit through your doors and stairs. And what the return and warranty terms are, in writing, for that model.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my current mattress in a Murphy bed?
Possibly, if its size matches, its thickness is 12 inches or less, and its weight falls within the range stated for that bed. Measure the thickness first. Extra-deep mattresses are the most common reason a mattress does not suit a Murphy bed.
Does a Murphy bed need a box spring?
In most designs, no. The bed has its own platform or slats that support the mattress directly. Confirm it for the model you choose, since designs differ.
Is a Murphy bed comfortable enough for every night?
It can be, because it uses a real mattress that stays flat instead of folding. Comfort then depends on the mattress you choose and on the bed being balanced and installed as directed.
Should I choose vertical or horizontal?
Choose by your room. Vertical suits a narrower wall and needs more ceiling height. Horizontal suits lower ceilings and a wider wall. Measure both ways before deciding.
A final note
If you are comparing options, start with your measurements, your ceiling height, and who will sleep on the bed. Those three answers narrow the field quickly. You can see the current Murphy bed collection at Bedroom Depot USA to compare cabinets, sizes, and styles against the space you have measured.
Shopping with Bedroom Depot USA
Every Murphy bed and cabinet bed on our site ships nationwide, and Murphy and cabinet beds carry a 60-day return window, so ordering the wrong size is fixable as long as you measure first. Chicago shoppers: local delivery with in-home setup is available on local stock. Not sure which style fits your wall? Call us at (773) 295-0497 and we will talk through the measurements with you.
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New on the blog: The Magic of Murphy Beds: Top 5 Reasons to Get One.