How to Make a Small Bedroom Feel Bigger
Hideaway beds are one of the most creative, space saving ideas out there. Especially, for those of us who live in very tiny spaces. When you have company over for a dinner party or want to spread out to work on a crafting project, you can literally hide your bed. Let's take a look at the history of the hideaway beds (a.k.a. the Murphy Bed) and a few examples of how this idea has evolved.
The Murphy Bed Company was created by William L. Murphy who "moved to San Francisco at the turn of the century where he met his future wife. He lived in a one-room apartment that had a standard bed taking up most of the floor space. Because he wanted to entertain, he began experimenting with a folding bed, and applied for his first patent around 1900."
The Murphy Bed Company is still open for business and has a number of unique designs on the market.
Moddi Murphy
Are you a crafty, do-it-yourself type person? Then head over to the Moddi Murphy Bed website. They offer plans for building a basic murphy bed for under $275. It's so easy to build this bed that "all you will need is a power drill. That means no power saws, no sanding, no saw dust, and no smelly stain!" Now that sounds like a fun project!
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Fu-Chest Hide Away Bed
The Fu-Chest Hide Away Bed is a great option for a guest bed. The bed looks just like a hardwood chest. It's built on a solid platform and many models offer support for a twin-sized futon mattress.
Zen Hideaway Pet Furniture
While scouring the internet for hideaway beds, I discovered the the ZenHaus from DenHaus. This unique design turns your pet's bed into functional furniture. It's about the size of a small table and can also be used to hide your cat's litter box.
For more serene bedroom strategies, check out this post by Sarah Amandolare. And while you're at it, take a minute to read about the history of Murphy Beds.
Tammy Strobel blogs at RowdyKittens about simple living and is the author of "Simply Car-free: How to Pedal Toward Financial Freedom and a Healthier Life."
The Ace of Space is a biweekly column that will provide you with the tips and tools to live lightly and creatively in a small space.
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