Do you live in an average-sized apartment and struggle to find adequate space when friends and family visit? If your answer to the above question is yes, you have come to the right place.
This article about the history of the Murphy bed has been curated to tell you everything about the Murphy bed history, Murphy bed origin along with how you can smartly incorporate them in your living space.
History of the Murphy Bed: Who Invented It and Why?
The origin and history of the Murphy bed can be traced back to William Lawrence Murphy. The way he came across the idea of creating something like Murphy beds is rather interesting and amusing.
Lawrence Murphy was an Irish born in 1876 and was a popular town sheriff and stagecoach driver before he moved to San Francisco. Once Lawrence Murphy reached San Francisco, he struggled to make ends meet initially.
Like every young man living in a bustling metropolitan city, as a victim of a city-dwelling cash crunch, he rented a tiny studio apartment. He was an extremely social person and had friends regularly visiting his studio dwelling for cards and drinks sessions.
During his numerous socializing events, he came across a very beautiful opera singer and became increasingly infatuated with her. However, back in the day, the social and cultural underpinnings saw it unfit for a lady to share a bed with a man during the courtship process.
Hence, to make the stay of his special guest as comfortable as possible in his tiny studio apartment, Lawrence came up with the idea of Murphy beds.
According to the history of the Murphy bed, Murphy worked with a blacksmith to create a metal frame placed around a king-size mattress and folded into a closet when not in use. His invention turned out to be extremely efficient and convenient to use.
Being the resourceful man he was, Lawrence continued to work on various models of the bed, testing each of its durability and practicality. Finally, 1908 was a great year in the history of the Murphy bed because he patented his one-of-a-kind invention as “In-A-Door”.
Gradually, as the popularity of the bed grew, Lawrence moved the company headquarters to New York for bigger space and customers and renamed the bed “Murphy Beds”.
And that’s the fascinating history of the Murphy bed!
From the History of the Murphy Bed to the Murphy Beds We Know Today
Throughout the history of the Murphy beds, they have had their ups and down in popular culture. There were times when they were extremely popular and in great demand.
They even made their way into screen media with representation in iconic films like Be Big (1930), Nothing but Pleasure (1940), etc. and cartoons like The Pink Panther, Three Stooges, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World, etc.
In the last recession of 2010, when people faced a cash crunch and had to rent out comparatively small living spaces, Murphy beds again became a big hit, and people began checking out the history of the Murphy bed.
Murphy beds are now used to save space and also as a style statement. They are available in various designs, types, models, and colours, with numerous other customizing options.
They are a great option for a guest bedroom, condos, studios, or a study room design with a bed. If you are looking for round bed designs, Murphy beds can be customized accordingly.
The Mechanism of Murphy Beds
As the Murphy beds are folded into a closed position after use, they cannot use box springs. Box springs will not allow the bed to stand straight in the closed position. Instead, the Murphy bed mattress lies on a sturdy platform or mesh.
Furthermore, the mattress is not left loose and stuck to the bed frame to avoid sagging. The metal frame is then attached to elastic straps to pull it in and out of the holding unit.
Sometimes piston lifts and torsion springs are also added to the bed to make the lifting and folding convenient and quick.
Popular Murphy Bed Designs
Now that you have a good idea of the history of the Murphy bed, here are some popular Murphy bed designs you can incorporate into your living space:
- Murphy Bed with Bookshelves: If you are an ardent book reader struggling with shelf space, this idea can be a lifesaver.
- Murphy Bed with a Sofa: If you plan to incorporate a Murphy bed in your living room for guests, you can pair it with a sofa to give your living room an elegant look when the bed is not in use.
- Murphy Bunk Beds: If you have more than one kid, bunk Murphy beds will allow them to share a bedroom along with enjoying their privacy at the same time.
Murphy beds also go well with quirky and bright children’s bedroom paint ideas.
Conclusion
We hope this article on the history of the Murphy bed has sparked some creative Murphy bed ideas. There are a million ideas to take inspiration from and adapt your living space artistically and spaciously.
A stylistically designed Murphy bed can complement numerous elements of your bedroom, like sliding door design for bedroom, PVC room design, bedroom wooden door design, and much more.
You can also check out HomeLane for more such inspirational ideas.
FAQs
1. Why Do They Call It a Murphy Bed?
The Murphy beds were given the name ‘Murphy’ in the history of the murphy bed because they were invented by a man called William Lawrence Murphy in the late 1800s. He came up with this idea out of the need to accommodate his house guests comfortably and luxuriously.
2. When Was the Murphy Bed Popular?
When William Lawrence Murphy introduced the Murphy beds in the late 1800s, he patented them as “In-A-Door”. Based on the history of the Murphy bed, they became extremely popular around the 1920s when he renamed them “Murphy Beds” and moved the company’s main headquarters to New York.
3. What Is the Difference Between a Wall Bed and a Murphy Bed?
The main difference between a wall bed and a Murphy bed is the lifting mechanism they both use. Murphy beds use a spring system to be lifted, whereas wall beds use a piston system.
4. Who Invented a Murphy Bed?
William Lawrence Murphy invented the Murphy beds in the late 1800s. Initially, he called them “In-A-Door” and later changed the name to Murphy Bed.
5. Is a Murphy Bed Comfortable?
It is important to remember that it is not the bed that is comfortable but the mattress. Using the right mattress will allow you to enjoy the comfort of your murphy bed along with saving floor space.
6. How Much Weight Can a Murphy Bed Hold?
A queen-size Murphy bed can easily hold a weight between 450-500 kilograms. Whereas a king-size Murphy bed can hold somewhere between 500-580 kilograms. Some manufacturers also make custom Murphy beds on demand to hold more weight.
