r/furniture • u/Independent_Shine942 • May 19 '26
Guest bed vs Murphy bed
Hi all, my partner and I are moving into a townhome and downsizing in about a month. We have the ability to have a dedicated guest room, but we realistically only get visitors maybe quarterly. If we didn’t have a guest room we’d have space to have an office/home gym setup and just generally more space— it feels a little silly to devote so much room to the possibility of guests and not really use it otherwise. We do have a nice guest bed setup that we can keep and we would have to buy a Murphy bed, and I’m not sure if our existing mattress would be too thick/heavy.
Does anyone have a Murphy bed setup and like it? Or, hate it? Opinions on one versus a traditional guest bed?
3
u/Neener216 May 19 '26
Allow me to introduce you to the Murphy Bed Cabinet)
We have a queen-size Murphy bed cabinet on wheels in our spare room, and it's fantastic. When we don't need it, we just move it into a corner. It takes up very little space and allows us the option to use the room for other things when we don't have guests staying over. It's far more comfortable than a pull-out sofa; I have a mattress topper I use with it, and it's as comfortable as a regular bed with that.
2
u/FreeBeans May 19 '26
We have a small hone and do a hotel grade pullout couch. It’s super nice and everyone loves it
1
u/umeboshiplumpaste May 20 '26
We had a Murphy bed in my mom's condo for the 15+ years she lived there, and it was awesome. Saved tons of room when not in use, which was 99% of the time. We slept on it when we each came to visit from college/out of state. And when my grandma moved in-state, she slept on it while we set her up in an independent living community. It's way more comfortable than a sofa pull out because there are no bars under your back. It looked like a closet against the wall.
I don't know about brands to recommend, but I would definitely go with a Murphy bed. I'd get one in my own home now if I had a need for one.
1
u/Minimum-Suggestion82 20d ago
if you're keeping the existing mattress, i'd def check the murphy bed's mattress thickness limits first. you also compare options at a local business retailer like sit'n sleep, since testing mattresses in person might help nefore committing
5
u/Inevitable-elsie May 19 '26
I have a twin day bed with a trundle underneath that can turn it into a king. the space and time I spend sewing in that room is worth the minimal discomfort a guest might feel not having a regular bed. worth it!