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Murphy Beds

What Is a Murphy Bed and How Does It Work?

A Murphy bed, also called a wall bed or fold-away bed, is a space-saving bed that folds up into a cabinet or wall frame when not in use, turning a bedroom into a functional living area in seconds. The idea dates back to the early 1900s, when William Lawrence Murphy designed a bed that folded into the wall of his small San Francisco apartment so he could entertain guests.

Our Murphy beds are built from 100% solid North American hardwood (maple, white oak, or wormy maple) by Amish craftsmen in Lancaster County, PA. Instead of old-style metal springs, each bed uses commercial-grade nitrogen gas pistons, counterbalanced for the weight of solid wood, so you can raise and lower the bed with one hand. Because it holds a real mattress, it sleeps like a traditional bed, and the piston system is backed by a lifetime warranty.

Want the full breakdown of how the folding mechanism, mounting, and space-saving design work together? Read our complete guide to how Murphy beds work.

White wall Murphy Bed open with mattress and tan bedding, standing in front of an exposed brick wall

Types of Murphy Beds for Different Room Layouts

Murphy beds come in several configurations to suit a variety of homes.

  • Vertical wall beds work well in standard bedrooms and rooms with higher ceilings. They offer a classic fold down design and provide the feel of a traditional bed while saving floor space.
  • Horizontal Murphy beds ideal for tight or narrow rooms, basements or areas with low ceilings. The sideways opening allows the bed to fit where a vertical model would not.
  • Cabinet Murphy beds offer a freestanding, no-installation design that transforms from a compact cabinet into a full sleeping surface. They are perfect for rentals, home offices or multifunctional areas where wall mounting is not possible.
  • Queen Murphy beds remain the most popular size for adults, guest rooms and shared spaces. They fit a standard queen mattress for everyday comfort while still folding away to create an open, flexible room layout.

  • Murphy beds with a desk combine a full sleeping surface with a dropdown desk that stays level as the bed folds down ,ideal for a home office that doubles as a guest room. Available in solid maple, white oak, and wormy maple.

  • Murphy beds with bookcases and side cabinets create a built-in look, with solid wood shelving and storage on either side of the bed.

Not sure which configuration fits your space? Browse our Murphy bed ideas for offices, small apartments, and living rooms to see real room layouts.

Why Choose a Murphy Bed?

Murphy beds create more usable floor space than traditional bed frames and allow a room to serve multiple purposes. When folded away, they open the area for work, hobbies, exercise, or everyday living.

Our beds can be paired with solid wood bookcase cabinets, an optional LED lighting kit, or a dropdown desk. And because they hold a real mattress, they sleep just like a traditional bed.

Murphy Bed vs. Sofa Bed vs. Trundle Bed

Murphy Bed Sofa Bed Trundle Bed
Mattress Real mattress Thin fold-out foam pad Real mattress, lower profile
Comfort High — sleeps like a regular bed Lower — bar/frame often felt through padding Moderate
Floor Space When Not in Use None — folds fully into wall or cabinet Takes up permanent seating footprint Slides under main bed, needs a bed frame already in place
Best For Guest rooms, home offices, multi-use rooms Casual, occasional overnight guests Kids’ rooms, shared bedrooms
Longevity Solid wood, built for decades Mechanism wears down faster Depends on frame quality
Murphy bed with desk shown from a side angle, desk folded down

Murphy Bed FAQs

It comes down to safety, materials, and longevity. Cheaper alternatives are typically made from particleboard or MDF (compressed sawdust and glue) with a plastic laminate veneer. Over time, the heavy tension from the lifting mechanisms can cause these materials to warp, sag, or strip out at the screw points.

An Amish-made Murphy bed is handcrafted from 100% solid North American hardwood using time-tested joinery. Because a Murphy bed is a moving, mechanical piece of furniture under constant spring or piston tension, solid wood construction ensures the frame will never warp or give way. You are buying a safe, reliable, heirloom-quality piece that lasts a lifetime, rather than a “disposable” piece you’ll have to replace in a few years.

Our in-stock solid wood Murphy beds start at $4,285. Models with a dropdown desk start at $5,358, and our queen bed with bookcase bundle is $6,395. Made-to-order beds range from $4,285 to $6,472. 0% APR financing is available through Affirm.

Every bed is handcrafted by Amish craftsmen in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and ships nationwide. You can also see our beds in person at our showroom in Akron, PA.

Maple has a smooth, fine, even grain for a clean, classic look. White oak has a more pronounced grain and a warm, natural tone. Wormy maple is our rustic option — natural streaks and small wormholes give every bed one-of-a-kind character.

  • In Stock:

Explore our curated collection of beds. Crafted with care and ready to ship in just 2-3 weeks!

  • Made to Order / Custom:

Looking for a specific size, style, or finish not offered in our in stock collection? Reach out to our team to explore a bed tailored to your space!

Made to Order and Custom beds ship in 8-10 weeks.

Our in-stock Murphy beds are queen size, the most popular choice for guest rooms and home offices, and they fit a standard queen mattress. We also build  full, and king Murphy beds as made-to-order or custom pieces, handcrafted to fit your space. Made-to-order and custom beds ship in 8–10 weeks. Contact us to get started on the size you need.

Yes — we offer real wood finish samples so you can see the true color and grain in your own space before committing to a custom order. You can easily order samples of the Murphy Bed colors and grains here.

We use a premium, commercial-grade nitrogen gas piston system rather than old-fashioned metal springs. Because our beds are handcrafted from heavy, solid North American hardwoods, our piston system is specifically engineered to counter-balance the weight perfectly. This allows you to raise and lower the bed effortlessly with one hand. Plus, our lifting mechanism comes with a lifetime warranty for your peace of mind.”

Additionally, our system features adjustable mounting points. If you choose an extra-heavy mattress, the pistons can easily be adjusted to increase the tension, ensuring the bed always operates smoothly, quietly, and safely.

Yes. Murphy beds use standard mattresses as long as they meet the recommended size, height, and weight limits to ensure safe operation and easy lifting.

Legacy Handcraft offers a 10″ medium-firm cooled memory foam mattress designed specifically for our Murphy beds. If you prefer to use your own mattress, it must meet the following requirements:

  • Maximum height: up to 12 inches

  • Maximum weight: up to 80 lbs for Queen and smaller sizes, up to 100 lbs for King

Yes, murphy beds are comfortable because they use a real mattress instead of a thin sofa-style cushion. The comfort level depends on the mattress you choose, and most murphy beds use standard mattresses like memory foam or hybrid models. With the right mattress, a murphy bed feels just as supportive as a traditional bed.

We currently offer two delivery methods for Murphy Bed Orders:

  • Freight Shipping

All in-stock Murphy Beds ship for free to anywhere in the contiguous United States!

  • White Glove Delivery

 White glove delivery is available to most areas for an additional cost. For a white glove delivery quote, please reach out to our team!

  • Local Pickup

Free local pick up is available from our showroom in Akron, Pa! This includes boxing your bed and carefully loading it into your vehicle for safe transport.

Our Murphy beds do not arrive fully assembled — they ship in organized components designed for straightforward setup. Yes! While installation is straightforward, some basic building or DIY experience is recommended.

Each bed includes detailed, step-by-step printed instructions along with video installation guides. Installation typically takes two people about 1–2 hours. Customers may also choose to work with a local contractor if additional assistance is preferred.

Side cabinets arrive fully assembled and only need to be securely attached to the Murphy bed.

  • We offer a Lifetime Residential Warranty on the pistons and piston mechanics

Should they ever fail, please contact immediately and we will ship replacements to you at no charge. This warranty does not cover misuse or any adjustments made to the pistons, piston mechanics or brackets after delivery.

  • LED lighting kits have a 1-year limited warranty on parts

If your lights stop working within one year of the date of delivery, we are happy to ship you a replacement kit.

  • All other products are sold with our Home Furnishings Guarantee:

Each piece will be as advertised at the time of delivery. All moving parts will work as expected and be without defect. All damages or defects must be reported within 3 business days of receipt.

The grain, color, reclaimed wood markings, holes, cuts, etc, are not considered to be defects, as these things are to be expected in a genuine wood product. As our products are real, solid wood, we do not guarantee against developing issues caused by the environment to which the wood is exposed after it has been delivered. This includes, but is not limited to, cracks, splits and warping, as these are directly caused by the humidity level in the space, and are not considered to be defects in real wood. Our Home Furnishings Guarantee does not include damage or effects from the storage or transport of your items after delivery.

  • All freight deliveries must be inspected before the delivery is received

If you see damage to the packaging or the item itself, please refuse delivery and contact us immediately. Once a delivery is accepted, any hidden shipping damage must be reported within 5 business days of receipt. If a delivery is accepted with obvious damage, any return or reshipping costs will be the responsibility of the buyer. Items damaged during shipping and refused or reported within these guidelines will be replaced at no charge. Please note that, while we expedite these replacement parts, there is an expected lead time of 4-6 weeks for Made to Order products. Thank you for your understanding.

Legacy Handcraft is not responsible for property damage or injuries caused by transport, installation or use of the bed or cabinets. Murphy Bed installation and use is perfectly safe when installed using the provided instructions and used for its intended common use.

Yes, absolutely! You can visit our showroom at 704 Main Street, Akron, PA 17501.

Showroom Hours:

  • Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

  • Saturday: By appointment only

While walk-ins are always welcome, scheduling an appointment ensures dedicated time with our team. We offer both in-person and virtual appointments—you can book directly here!

Have questions before visiting? Give us a call at (717) 661-3987.