Beds And Mattresses

Stowaway beds are a bit of an older idea that has been in existence for the last hundred years or so, however, they’re still relatively uncommon today despite their unique and incredibly convenient design. Also called a hideaway or Murphy bed, named after William Murphy who patented his idea in 1900, stowaway beds are the perfect answer for small rooms or for those with very little floor space.

Hidden behind a “wall” when not in use, the stowaway bed is quickly ready for use when needed, instantly creating a bedroom out of any spare room by dropping down using a mechanical system. Many models feature state of the art pneumatic closers, making it simple to effortlessly open and close the bed in a matter of a few seconds.

Instead of adding on a costly addition to the house to make a spare room, adding a stowaway bed to a wall in an existing room is incredibly less expensive, and definitely takes less time to install before it is ready for use. Stowaway beds are also good for turning the one-room loft into a “two bedroom” living space by adding an extra space to sleep, but one that won’t take up a lot of the available floor room.

Stowaway beds are generally available in three sizes, making it easy to fit them into just about any size room that has an open wall. The single size is 90 cm (35.4″) wide by 190 cm (74.8″) long, the double bed is 140 cm (55.1″) wide by 190 cm (74.8″) long, and the king size stowaway bed measures 150 cm (59.1″) wide by 200 cm (78.7″) in length.

For smaller rooms, the single stowaway beds that open from the side, horizontal style, such as the Sideliner Stowaway Bed by Hyder International Beds, are ideal as they take up even less space, but still transform into a single bed that’s suitable for regular use, or for the occasional overnight guest or visitor.

Some stowaway beds will include a mattress with purchase, while others will require that one bought separately, so be sure that the type of mattress you choose will fit and work with this particular type of bed. The frames of the bed will vary, with many done in different wood finishes and colours. The regular Murphy style bed will naturally need assembled and installed, but there are other types of stowaway beds on castors that simply fit into a closet to also be stored out of sight when not needed.