CityRealty Insider > Space Savers: Modern Murphy Beds

Space Savers: Modern Murphy Beds

OCTOBER 29, 2009

Why does one man's name still come to mind when space-craving city folk want to thrive in tiny apartments?

William L. Murphy lived in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century in a one-room apartment–a standard bed used up most of his floor space. He began experimenting with a folding bed and applied for his first patent around 1900. The rest is history, and the Murphy Wall Bed Company was born. Business boomed during the '20s and '30s and experienced a resurgence in the '80s and '90s as suburban dwellers with expanding families found larger homes out of their financial reach.

Today, even covetable modern condos can suffer from bed shortage when they fill up with guests. Options range from the custom made and installed to the seriously DIY. In addition to the still-thriving Murphy Wall Bed Company, manufacturers include the super-high-tech performers from Zoom Room and chic European styles at Clei, to the slightly more humble Wall Bed Factory, Manhattan Cabinetry and Resource Furniture. For the very handy, the Moddi Murphy Bed Kit incorporates IKEA basics and simple instructions into the creation of a foldaway bed that looks as good on your wall as it does when it's ready for your guests to sleep in.

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