You may be surprised to know that Murphy beds have been in existence for quite some time. Yet, not everyone has one in their home (although they should). Here is a quick history of the Murphy bed’s evolution and why they are so indispensable in today’s homes.

Wall Bed History

Murphy beds were first invented by William Lawrence Murphy, who applied for a patent at the turn of the twentieth century. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Apparently, Murphy lived in a one-room apartment in San Francisco. It was considered improper to entertain a woman in a man’s bedroom. In order to entertain his girlfriend, an opera singer, Murphy had to figure out to hide the bed in his one-room flat and make it look more like a parlor. So he came up with the idea of creating a bed that would fold up and away into the wall. Such a thing already existed, but Murphy’s mechanism design worked better and stayed shut. He called it a “Disappearing Bed.” The bed quickly caught on.

Early movies often used Murphy beds in gag scenes, most notably Charlie Chaplin in the film, One AM and several film shorts with the Three Stooges. Later movies, such as It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Silent Movie, The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Who Framed Roger Rabbit also featured a Murphy bed in key comic scenes.

Wall beds fell out of favor for several decades until about 2010. That was shortly after the big economic collapse in our country and many families found their kids moving back home. Some homeowners were forced to downsize to gain more affordable mortgage payments. This was also the period when home renovation became extremely popular, and adding a Murphy bed to a room was a natural way to increase space and functionality.

Murphy Beds Today

Modern Murphy beds have come a long way in terms of safety, aesthetics and more reliable mechanisms. In fact, safety is often a major concern for our customers, and that’s why Murphy Beds of San Diego does not sell models with cheap mechanisms made in China. In addition, all our wall bed models are crafted from North American solid wood and plywood, never MDF or particle board.

A Perfect Fit for Any Home

Why do you need a Murphy bed in your home? The better question is, why not? After all, wall beds instantly add another sleeping space for guests, visitors or family members.

Mirage V Desk Wall Bed 5

But more than that, a Murphy bed allows you to enhance functionality in any room. This is because you can add nearly anything to the cabinet into which the mattress folds up. We’re talking about things like desks and bookshelves, closets and storage drawers, display cases and lighted piers. For more ideas about adding side pieces to your wall bed, please visit our Custom Built In Cabinets and Inspiration pages.

Wouldn’t you love to double or even triple the space in any room of your home? Wouldn’t you enjoy turning that guest room or home office of yours into a multi-functional space? Maybe you need an extra bed for kids’ sleepover parties or visiting grandkids. Whatever your needs may be, a Murphy bed presents an ideal solution to these common problems.