Are Murphy Beds Comfortable?

Convertables dont work for everybody -- a convertable destroys the room lay out when expanded. Also, the daily conversion is a tiring process. People end up keeping the convertable in a full-out mode all the time.

"The sleep sofa has been a mainstay of studio living for as long as I can remember. I think a convertible is fine for the occasional overnight guest. However, it has never been my favorite solution for a bed that will be used daily because I've never met a client who didn't dread the pull-out-the-bed ritual that usually involves rearranging at least some of the other furniture in the room.

Clients who call me looking for a better solution have so tired of the nightly ritual that, unless they are expecting company, they no longer bother to close the sofa bed and leave the cocktail table and other furnishings that had to be moved strewn dysfunctionally around the room. To make matters worse, the other seating in the room is now permanently occupied by the displaced sofa cushions. When they've reached this point, the studio may be working as a bedroom, but it no longer functions on any other level."

http://www.sideroad.com/Interior_Decorating/how-to-decorate-a-studio-apartment.html

big difference between a murphy bed and a convertible sofa. well made murphy beds are hinged platforms that can accomadate a full sized queen mattress and are just as comfortable as any other platform bed. No cushions to fiddle with; best use is if you have the floor space available so that you don't have to move furniture to swing down.

It probably depends on how large said Murphy bed is; I think they probably come in different sizes. Also keep in mind that they may not accomodate all mattresses; some of them today are very thick &, therefore, much heavier as well. Sleep sofa or hinged platform bed, you still have the issue of either having a large empty area in the middle of the room or moving chairs & tables away when it's time to sleep.

I have a beautiful custom murphy bed in our Colorado home. It is so clever and as comfortable as any platform bed. The bed can stay made up and the pillows fit in the cabinet. Here is the website of the company that made ours. http://www.flyingbeds.com/

Also, you can now buy great mattresses for sleep sofas. They have mattresses with memory foam so you don't have to sleep on those uncomfortable coils anymore. Just check the internet and sleep well.

Lived in a studio with my husband for five years, the Murphy bed was the only thing that kept us sane.

Well-made ones are a breeze to open and close -- you can do it with one hand.

Bear in mind that because you're a little hemmed in at the top, a Murphy can feel slightly smaller than a conventional bed. We had a queen, but it "slept" a little more like a full.

They use extra-thin mattresses, which don't sleep quite as well as a Stearns & Foster deluxe + box spring job, but for a few years, they're fine -- and way more comfy than a convertible sofa.

We went to the Murphy bed place in Chelsea, spent $8K to get a bed with lots of extra bookshelves and cabinetry in real wood -- I highly suggest going as upscale as you can, because then it looks more like a built-in. IMHO I think the Melamine ones look cheap.

oh, and it's nice to have one with lights.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

Friends had a stationary futon bed which he loved but she bought a feather bed to put on the top or she couldn't have slept on it. I don't know how thick they are but remember, whether sleep sofa or hinged platform bed, if you force it & break it, you used to have a convertible bed.

Newbie, cool beds!!!
Love the Bar/bed! no more getting loaded and trying to find the bedroom!

thanks, everyone

Agreed, murphy over convertible. And while I like platform beds, heed the warnings given by others here.

No boxspring, and they're generally thinner mattresses (which need to also include some boxspring component making the soft part even smaller). If you don't like futon feel.... might not be for you.