murphy bed vs. sleeper sofa for small guest bedroom

I want to get a cool murphy bed for an 11x12 guest bedroom, but it seems a sofa with a pullout bed is cheaper and more functional for that space. Can anyone convince me of reasons to get a murphy bed?

thank you, tom friedel

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You are right that a well made wall-bed comes with a high price tag. But a quality sofa-bed isn't cheap either unless you are considering a futon. One of the biggest points to consider is that the mattress of a wall-bed will long out-live a mattress from a sofa-bed because of the fact that it is not constantly folded. The folds in the mattress of a sofa-bed are easily felt by a sensitive sleeper and with every passing month this becomes even more true.

Another point to consider before making your final decision is that when closed, a sofa-bed is a sofa; when closed, a wall-bed looks like a wall unit. Would you miss having a sofa in the room or will smaller chairs be ok?

If you are able to find out who manufactures the wall-beds, you may be able to go straight to the manufacturer instead of having to pay the middleman & the savings are considerable. You can also contact local cabinetmakers because many of them are likely willing to custom-make a wall-bed

Tom,

Typically, sofa beds are not very comfortable to sleep on, since they are thinner than those used in a Murphy bed.

But, your post implies you have other uses intended for the room.

What do you plan to do with the room, when it is not being used as a guest room?

Do you have guests often or for extended periods of time?

Are you planning a home office, craft room, sewing room or study, or something else?

The secondary use of the space, the existing floor plan, electrical outlets, furniture, natural light and lighting will affect the space planning and final decision.

Dezignaré

Thanks for the reply. It is just a guest room. When the guests aren't sleeping, they should have some move-around room. Since the room is so small, and the TV is probaly best on the opposite wall, the murphy bed probably takes up the best sitting spot. I have seen fancy murphy beds that fold over a sofa. I think I need to spend some time looking at sleeper sofas, and learn what a futon is.

A futon is a lightweight frame holding a special mattress, which 'bends' to form a seat and back. While it is similar to a sofa bed, it is usually composed of a exposed wood frame and mattress. The mattress slides up to become the back and seat. It has the same function as a sofa bed. However, it is lighter in appearance, since sofa beds are fully upholstered frames.

Either option will work. The comfort level of the mattresses and the overall appearance of the piece, then become the issue.

More about futons...... http://www.thefutonshop.com/ 'bi-fold - The length of a bi-fold frame sits parallel to the wall and opens easily by pulling the seat section out, the frame slides down into the sleeping position. Most bi-fold frames have three positions- sitting, reclining, and sleeping. You need approximately 81 inches of wall space and 54 inches of floor space to fit a standard double size bi-fold.'

Good luck on your project, Tom.

Hi Tom,
If you are still considering the Murphy bed route, I highly recommend Old Creek Wall Bed Factory at http://www.wallbedfactory.com. They have a wide variety of styles, including some that are very handy for dual use rooms, which is what you seem to have. They had a very high level of customer service, and I was able to talk with someone on the phone which was very comforting...especially when ordering online. I give them two thumbs up!

I hope that you find a solution that works for your space!