Oak Murphy Bed

Eliza Bush Interior Design Expert

Eliza is a creative interior designer who swears by the power of sleek interiors and quality furniture to transform daily personal and professional life. With a B.Sc. in interior design from Philadelphia University and a well trained eye for craftsmanship, she offers unparalleled advice on how to arrange your space to make it sophisticated, comfortable, and functional, whether it’s the office or bedroom.

Updated 13/05/2021

If you want the room for Oak bedding and can afford to put it in your home, it is the grand investment that will last you a lifetime. But if your home is limited on space, a Murphy bed is definitely a great way to go and we have a collection of Murphy beds that are made of Oak. They're very sturdy and will retain their value for as long as you use them. See collection for details.

Buying Guide

What is a Murphy bed?

Murphy beds are so named because of William Lawrence Murphy, an inventor who refined the fold out or pulldown bed by adding a pivot and counterbalance. Mr. Murphy is said to have created the bed because he was courting an opera singer. In San Francisco in the late 1800s inviting a woman into a bedroom was frowned upon, and Murphy was living in a one-room rental. By adding the Murphy bed, he was able to convert his room into a parlor and was thereby able to entertain his lady friend. An oak Murphy bed is a great way to save daytime floor space.

What are the qualities of oak wood?

Oak is a popular material for Murphy beds not only because of its durability but also because of its close grain and its ability to take stain.

Is it a good idea to install a Murphy bed on your own?

If you are inventive and handy, you can create your own Murphy bed. Kits are available that contain all the necessary hardware. However, an improperly installed Murphy bed can lead to accidents, so you would probably be better off purchasing one as a ready-made box that is already fully assembled.

What are the different designs of oak Murphy beds?

European Queen Size Sonoma Oak Bed

An excellent example of a basic Murphy bed is the European Queen Size Sonoma Oak Bed from Maxima House. The unit comes with a medium hard mattress, all the necessary hardware, and the external box. The set includes hardware to prevent accidental unfolding. The box will need to be fastened securely to a wall. When closed, it looks like a part of the wall or a cabinet.

Storage Murphy Bed

Some Murphy beds come with two side shelves. With this unit, the bed looks like the door to a large closet when it is folded away. When folded down, it becomes a bed with shelf units on either side. While a little pricier than the single unit, the shelving does provide storage for small items while disguising the bed unit.

Bed and Desk Unit

The modern bed and desk unit displays a different style of Murphy bed. Instead of folding up vertically, the bed folds to the side. More than that, when it is folded up, it reveals a desk workspace beneath. The desk is positioned so that everything on its work surface remains undisturbed. This clever scheme helps the space challenged modern home-maker to be able to make double usage of the same space.

Convenient Cupboard Bed

Last but not least, we have a combination of the rollaway cot and Murphy bed concepts. By day, it is a pretty cabinet in a variety of finishes. A favorite is the wedding ring style raised trim, but you can also select from a plain cabinet or a cabinet with louvre doors. For night time use, flip open the top cover and fold out into a queen-sized bed.