Murphy Bed Ikea

Household
7

DIY Murphy Bed for Mere Mortals

You know you are only human. But that doesn’t imply you can not build this DIY Murphy bed by Steve at Woodworking for Mere Mortals. He does projects for folks with zero building experience and limited budgets . To kick things off, he bought a DIY kit from Murphy Bed Hardware. Just like the kit we stated earlier, it comes with all the material to assemble a lifting mechanism plus building plans for constructing the furniture and bed frame.

DIY This Modern Farmhouse Murphy Bed

This Murphy bed office combo by Katie. Katie designed a one-of-a-kind furniture arrangement that involves the desk and the bookcases. The frosting on the block is the bed cabinet. When closed it matches a storage wall so those not in the know would never guess it conceals a mattress.
This IKEA Murphy Bed

Paul from Old Houses and Renovations was excited to build his DIY Murphy bed using items from IKEA’s PAX group after his wife saw this IKEA hack from Herbie’s World and this IKEA hack of Jerry’s Projects.

All three projects incorporated a floor mounted bed frame with a spring device from Murphy Bed Frame. When compiled and installed it’s an all-in-one free-standing project that supports, lifts and lowers a mattress.

Hack A PAX Murphy Bed

Here’s different DIY Murphy bed that’s including a PAX IKEA hack. Norwegian blogger, Calvin Gross from Husqvarna, says if you’re making a system for a full-sized mattress you will need various things including two PAX wardrobe frames and a couple of LURÖY slatted bed bases.

Build a Transforming Sofa Murphy Bed

This money-saving DIY by Avalon Awaked (Imgur user) demonstrates how to make one for a heck of a lot less. The ottoman and sofa are from IKEA’s SÖDERHAMN series. To explain the DIY process, he purchased The Next Bed. It’s a Murphy bed mattress frame with a lifting mechanism that you can anchor to a wall or floor that’s easy to assemble. Keep in mind, Avalon created a custom mount for the bed frame so it would open over the sofa. Afterward, he made a Murphy bed cabinet with built-in storage using white melamine.

How to Build a Basic Murphy Bed

This design by David Picciuto at Make Something TV shows how to make a simple Murphy bed using Side Mount Deluxe Murphy Bed Hardware from Rockler. Each kit includes instructions, but if you find them confusing, David’s video gives an overview of the steps.

2 Likes
8

Murphy Bed Ikea?
Create a Murphy Bed Fit For a Kid

Need to make room for your children? Martin Vester used leftover pieces from an IKEA Ivar storage system to build a small Murphy bed with built-in shelving for his tiny home office. What’s our favorite part of this project? Martin used three of the plywood shelves to create a bench for sheets and blankets. Take a peek at the tutorial.

Build a Disappearing Murphy Bed

Many Murphy beds are freestanding items of furniture

that you bolt to floor or the wall. The blogging sisters behind Junk in Their Trunk, share how to build one that disappears like magic without using an expensive lifting mechanism. Junk in Their Trunk shares photos and tips of their DIY for free here.

Faux Murphy Bed for Tiny Spaces

Crystal Odom and Andrew are the small house residents behind Tiny Revolution, a site that supports tiny space living. Since they couldn’t fit a regular Murp

2 Likes
9

Murphy Bed Ikea?
Sometimes necessity really is the mother of invention. At least, such was the case with the Murphy bed, the iconic cot that folds up inside a cabinet. According to Smithsonian Magazine, legend has it that the Murphy bed was invented around 1900 by William Lawrence Murphy, who at the time was living in a one-room flat in San Francisco. He was also falling for a young opera singer, but rules of decorum dictated that ladies couldn’t visit gentlemen’s bedrooms. Murphy solved that problem by inventing a bed that could be quickly tucked away, converting his sleeping chamber into a proper parlor suitable for his songbird.

Murphy Bed Ikea?

Murphy went on to marry his sweetheart, and America fell just as hard for his invention. They’re the perfect solution for those of us with tiny houses or the need for small space ideas, offering a place for overnight guests to sleep that doesn’t take up precious floor space (especially if you don’t have a guest room but just a home office, for example). Murphy beds have surged in popularity in the last decade or so, and there are now plans available that include shelving units, desks and other nifty, stylish adaptations. Whether you’re looking for a DIY Murphy bed tutorial to save some money, or purchase one complete, take a look at the creative Murphy bed options below.

2 Likes
10

Murphy Bed Ikea? I researched ways to cut down costs without compromising the design I had in mind. I chanced upon Herbie’s World, a timely blog that provided detailed information on how to put up a Murphy Bed frame with IKEA PAX wardrobe cabinets.

The cabinet’s size is about right for the Murphy Bed frame. However, adjustments are needed to be made to fit in a Queen size bed. After meticulously reading Herbie’s article, I decided to adopt Herbie’s design with a few tweaks to give room for additional shelves for beddings.
murphy bed in front room

Murphy Bed Ikea? A Murphy Bed Frame with cabinets would have cost me between $2,500 and $3,000. With DIY, I saved close to $700. Also, with IKEA’s wide range of products and accessories, I was able to adjust the design to my liking.
After repainting the guest room, I started assembling the two wardrobe cabinets. Then I secured one cabinet to the wall with heavy-duty wall anchors.

[Murphy Bed Ikea? Next, I attached a 3/4” woodblock spacer at the top portion at the back of the cabinet to vertically align it with the floor molding. The remaining cabinets were secured only after the doors were installed.

2 Likes
11

Murphy Bed Ikea? Now, onto the center cabinet installation. Accurate measurement is a must!! To do that, lay the four doors on the floor with cardboard spacers in place.

I installed the doors to the end of each frame-side panels at 90 degrees angle.

Then, I started measuring the interior width from one end of the side panel to the other (77-3/32″).
person in IKEA warehouse

Next up is the support box. Secure the four sections of melamine shelves to the vinyl studs with screws. Adjust the length of the studs with a miter saw and sand the edges before using them.

Remember, the width of the shelves must match the depth of the cabinet which is approximately 23”. Use a band saw to cut ½” off (length-wise) one shelf.

Murphy Bed Ikea? It’s time to assemble and install the top support box. Drill holes on each side of the top support box to affix it to the center frame.

When you’re done bolting (use #10 x 1-1/2″ bolts provided by IKEA) the three corners of the center frame, lift it vertically (you will need an extra hand here).

Then, use another bolt to attach the center frame to the wardrobe side cabinets.
To ensure the stability of bi-fold doors, you need to add more hinges. I used seven per door while Herbie mounted six hinges.

2 Likes
12

Lay the bi-fold doors flat on the floor, place cardboard spacers and attach the piano hinges.
[Murphy Bed Ikea?]
Next, attach the doors to the pre-drilled holes. Using a 35mm Forstner drill bit, drill four more hinge cups (European), then change to #10 drill bit to drill two holes on the sides of the cup.

Mount the second set of bi-fold doors. Repeat the installation steps above. Since my measurement was accurate, the doors aligned perfectly with a 1/8” gap that leaves enough room for adjustment after mounting the doors.

Attach the two glass doors, Komplement cabinet accessories (shelves, drawers and clothes hangers), and door handles.

Now that the cabinets are done, it’s time to assemble the Murphy Bed Frame. Install the wall mount bracket by drilling #10 x 3″ lag bolts into the wall studs.

Next, assemble the foot retraction mechanism and carefully attach the 10 springs.

Time to lay down the IKEA Fidjetun mattress. The bed foundation is not as sturdy as I expected.

It’s made of a pine wood frame, thin corrugated cardboard, and a stapled on the quilted cover. Since I do not have the energy to build one made of plywood, this will do for now.

Murphy Bed Ikea? Murphy Bed Ikea? Fabricate the toe-kick panel from the leftover melamine shelf. I used wood dowels to glue the parts together and lined the dowels using a dowel kit and dowel press. To adjoin the toe-kick panel and side kick panel, I used an “L” brace on both ends.

Install a magnetic door latch to firmly close the doors and you’re all done!
I’m happy with the way this project turned out because it didn’t cost me a fortune to build a wonderful wall bed with cabinets. Our guest room’s new look makes me a proud DIYer.

If you’re planning to construct a Murphy Bed with IKEA cabinets on your own, make sure to research first and carefully read installation instructions.

There are plenty of DIY blogs and videos that will give you fresh ideas and helpful tips so do check them out before green-lighting your project.

2 Likes
13

Murphy Bed Desk Combo

Murphy Bed Ikea? Loving on this Murphy bed desk combo by ‘Addicted 2 DIY‘, because it’s exactly what we need… Office space that can double as a guest room, and this space saving bed makes it totally possible. And, it looks like something you hired a pro carpenter to make it for you, or that you spent thousands buying it. She has complete DIY Murphy bed plans, and directions for building the desk as well.

Fold Up Wall Bed

‘Wilkerdos‘ have a full DIY Murphy bed video for you for their version of this folding wall bed. We love the way they painted the underside of the bed, so that when it is up, is still looks like an attractive piece of furniture in the room.

DIY Murphy Beds - Space Saving Beds We All Need

Hidden Wall Bed

Murphy Bed Ikea? This DIY Murphy bed is hidden behind a desk and bookshelf! From ‘Lamberts Lately‘, you would never guess that once you fold up the Murphy style craft desk, that you can fold down a wall bed! If you have kids, storage issues, or a very small room you need to fit both a home office and a guest space, this is the tutorial for you.

Murphy Bunk Beds

Need room for kids? ‘DIY Network‘ shows us step by step how to build a DIY Murphy bunk bed. If you have several kids, you know that this is almost like getting an extra room built onto your house!

2 Likes
14

DIY Murphy beds-3
Murphy Bed Ikea? Apartment Therapy‘ brought to our attention that adding a double Murphy bed might just allow an expanding family to avoid buying a larger, more expensive home. Therefore, it might be worth the expense, even if you don’t want to DIY it. This one from ‘Casa Kids‘ looks as if it would definitely stand the test of time, and might warrant it’s price tag
Cheap Murphy Bed

We LOVE ‘Ana White’… she has more building plans and tutorials for DIY’ers then anyone we know, and they are free! One of her readers shared their version of her rustic DIY full size Murphy bed, and it looks great! Just goes to show, DIY Murphy beds are in a DIY’ers capabilities.

DIY Twin Murphy Beds

Murphy Bed Ikea? In a small space, sometimes thinking creatively can solve a ton of problems… If you don’t have enough room for a large guest bed, then make this twin Murphy bed (twice!) From ‘Reno Semi Pros‘, this is a great space saving bed for kids, guests, or teens. Tons of step by step photos and instructions. They saved tons of money by using ordinary hardware, but you can order a Murphy bed kit as well.
The Awesome Orange‘ made these twin size wall beds out of plywood, and they have a floating shelf on the exterior for making the piece look like a built in when not in use.

2 Likes
15

DIY Murphy Bed Ikea Hacks

Murphy Bed Ikea? From ‘IkeaHackers‘, this murphy bed Ikea hack is designed to fit into a closet. Made from Ikea Pax cabinets, the tutorial has photos to show you just how they made this DIY wall bed.

Murphy Bed Ikea Hack

This next DIY murphy bed Ikea hack comes to us from ‘Instructables‘. This one also uses the Pax cabinets from Ikea, except we loved how they used the frosted glass sliding doors for this one. Good tutorial with great photos.

Murphy Bed Ikea Hack

Murphy Bed Ikea? If you love modern, you’re gonna love this murphy bed Ikea hack. Although it is not really a total Ikea hack, as they use parts from Ikea and other hardware parts as well. The Moddi DIY Murphy Bed’s plan and parts list includes only parts that you can buy from the hardware store or IKEA. They also claim you can make the entire Murphy bed for under $275… That is a fraction of what it would cost to buy one. Google it, I’m serious. Their plan does cost $7.95, but that’s chump change compared to what it could save you. Also, it has this cool modern Murphy bed vibe we haven’t seen in any other plan? Love this!

2 Likes
16

DIY Murphy beds-8

Dog Murphy Beds

Yep, you can make one for your fur friends too!

Murphy Bed Ikea? From ‘Room for Tuesday‘, this dog Murphy bed DIY is awesome. You can have your pets, and you’re pretty house too! We love this idea for cats as well. When it’s folded up, it looks just like a console table.

From ‘The Created Home‘, this dog Murphy bed is made for either big dogs, or several at a time. And we just had to show you what it looks like when it’s not pulled out. Stunning piece of furniture. Get to it, dog lovers. Your pets deserve this! (And, so do you!)

Murphy Bed Kits for Sale

If you love the idea of a Murphy Bed, but don’t want to build one from scratch, you can order a kit from ‘Wayfair‘. We like this “Dinah Murphy Bed” because it comes with attached bookshelves! And, it looks great when it’s folded down as well. And, almost 150, five star reviews! You can get it in other finishes as well as other sizes.

There is quite an extensive selection of murphy beds at Wayfair.

Murphy Bed Ikea? If you enjoyed our post on space saving DIY Murphy Beds, you might also be interested in 9 Amazing DIY Bunk Beds or How to Reupholster Almost Anything! And find more cheap room decor ideas for your bedroom over at TBD!
Image Credits: Wilkerdoos, Your Modern Family, Refashionably Late, By Brittany Goldwyn, Addicted 2 DIY, Lamberts Lately, DIY Network, Casa Kids, Ana White, Reno Semi Pros, The Awesome Orange, Ikeahackers, Instructables, Moddi Murphy, Room for Tuesday, The Created Home

2 Likes
17

Matt and his spouse Jacque from The DIY Village made a Murphy bed for their workroom so it could grow as a guest room. Depending on your budget you can use wood, plywood, MDF or particle board to construct a Murphy Bed. Matt and Jacque picked PureBond hardwood plywood. They say the professional grade building material enhanced the strength and beauty of their finished project. PureBond products are also formaldehyde-free and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The couple’s tutorial includes more need to know tips.

2 Likes
18

Murphy Bed with IKEA Cabinets
Murphy Bed Ikea? My wife and I decided to re-do our guest room. We wanted our guests to have a comfortable Queen-size bed, and use the floor space for other activities. The solution… a Murphy Bed (folding wall bed). After a lot of research, we decided to purchase a free-standing Murphy Bed Frame. The frame features welded steel construction, simple spring mechanism, and moves independent of the cabinet. The other option, a Murphy Panel Bed, is more expensive and requires attachment to a factory-made cabinet. The frame and cabinet essentially become one mechanism.

To build our own cabinets, we turned first to IKEA furniture. The quality is very good, relatively inexpensive, and there are many accessories to choose from. Just by coincidence, I found a wonderful blog (Herbie’s World) that detailed construction using a Murphy Bed Frame and IKEA cabinets. Exactly what we were looking for. Herbie’s blog and photos convinced us the idea would really work. Murphy Bed Ikea? Thanks Herbie!

The design is based on standard IKEA PAX wardrobe cabinets. The cabinets are tall enough to enclose the Murphy Bed in the vertical position. However, to accommodate the width of a Queen-size bed (65" clearance), top and toe-kick panels are fabricated to extend a standard cabinet (1-door wide) to a “quadruple-wide” cabinet (4-doors wide); using stock Birkeland doors. That’s essentially the build. My fabrication follows Herbie’s design, except I strengthened the top panel. We wanted the center cabinet to support boxes (cloths, comforters, books, etc.).

2 Likes
19

Murphy Bed Ikea?
Because the center cabinet’s bi-fold doors are completely supported by the side panels (which are secured to the cabinets on each side), you don’t even need the center top panel. Here you can be creative with your own design.

Tools and Time Required

This is an intermediate woodworking project that will require 5-6 days to complete. You must be comfortable using a miter saw, and either a band saw or table saw (preferable). Also, you’ll need an electric drill, various drill bits (including 19mm and 35mm Forstner bits), hammer, screw driver, various clamps, and measuring tools. I also purchased an inexpensive wood dowel kit to fabricate the toe-kick panel.

A similar system (Murphy Bed Frame, raised door cabinets, and side bookshelves) would cost $2,299.00. Build-it-yourself and save approx. $650.00. Plus, the IKEA PAX system offers real wardrobe cabinets, glass doors, and many accessories that will delight your better half.

Murphy Bed Ikea?
We purchased an IKEA Queen-size Sultan Fidjetun memory foam mattress (001.398.32)… $249.00. The mattress is quite comfortable and won’t collapse in the vertical position. Box springs are not needed. Update… we recently added a 1-1/2" memory foam topper (from Kolhs) for ultimate comfort.

We decided not to purchase lights. We used a free-standing floor lamp that fits inside the cabinet.

2 Likes
20

Murphy Bed Ikea?
If you have a condominium, apartment, or house, you may want to conserve your floor space. A wall bed, also known as a Murphy bed, is the perfect way to take your space from night to day with ease. This is also a great way to utilize a loft space so that it feels private and yet maintains the open floor plan. With a wall bed or Murphy bed, nobody will feel like they are intruding, because the bedroom aspect of the loft space will not be visible.

Guest Room
Many people want to have the option to have a guest room but do not want to devote an entire room to guest use. A futon is also an unattractive option, as they are generally uncomfortable and you do not want to choose a couch based on its trans-formative qualities. A wall bed is a perfect alternative! Easily stored when not in use, wall beds are comfortable and make for the perfect guest bed.

Office
Spend a lot of time where you work? Why not install a bed space that can be utilized when you have a long night? Wall beds are a convenient way to preserve a professional environment and avoid hotels.

Murphy Bed Ikea? Different Types of Wall Beds & Custom Murphy Beds in Toronto
We install Murphy beds using authentic Murphy hardware in Toronto and throughout the GTA. All of our Murphy beds & wall beds are customized to your preference and space. Our wall beds feature steel frame rails and stiffeners. This panel bed system comes with a European-made, spring-loaded mechanism. We use the patented Murphy bed Legs that fold into the cabinet when closed. The finished cabinet attaches to wall studs and will accommodate a standard-sized coil mattress with a maximum depth of 10″. The cabinet is suitable for your choice of a double, queen or a single bed and upon special request, king-size versions can be constructed. Wall beds & Murphy beds are perfect for residential or commercial use in the city of Toronto or the GTA.

Our Experts Bring you Toronto Storage Solutions
We can customize your Murphy wall bed and integrate it with a home office, closet, bookcase, or other storage solutions. This will give you additional space to store bedding and pillows and other items.

2 Likes
21

Paint the Guest Room
Murphy Bed Ikea? The first weekend was spent painting the guest room and shopping for materials at Home Depot. The Murphy Bed Frame and foundation were ordered online, and delivered in less than a week.
Buy IKEA Cabinets
The next weekend we loaded up the car (recommend using a pickup truck ) with PAX cabinets, Komplement accessories, and Queen-size mattress. Note that the PAX door hinges (you’ll need 22) are purchased separately. I didn’t realize this and had to make a separate trip.
Assemble Wardrobe Side Cabinets
I assembled the wardrobe cabinets (2) and secured one with heavy-duty wall anchors. Note that a 3/4" spacer (wood block) was placed behind the cabinet (at the top) for vertical alignment with the floor molding. Later, the other cabinet is secured when the doors are hung, i.e., after final spacing.

Measure the Center Cabinet Dimension
Murphy Bed Ikea? Getting the exact width dimension of the center cabinet is critical! This measurement is used to fabricate the cabinet’s top and toe-kick panels. How did I do it? I laid all four doors on the ground (carpet) and inserted cardboard spacers. I attached the doors on each end to the frame side-panels; pointing up 90 degrees. This simulates the doors in the closed position. With everything in place, I measured the inside width, side-panel to side-panel… 77-3/32" (see photo).

2 Likes
22

Murphy Bed Ikea? Perhaps a safer approach would be to actually hang the doors in the vertical position, then take the inside measurement. However, installing the top panel now becomes impossible. You would have to remove the doors, install the top panel, then hang the doors again.
Build Top Support “Box”
Building the center cabinet top support is nothing more than constructing a wooden box. Easy! The Melamine shelves (2) are secured to vinyl studs (4 sections) with wood screws, countersunk around the edge. Although the vinyl studs are expensive, they are easy to work with and match the look of the Melamine selves (no painting required). I recommend cutting the studs with a miter saw and sanding the edges. Note that the width of the two shelves (side-by-side) must equal the cabinet’s depth (approx. 23"). I cut approx. 1/2" off one shelf (length-wise) using a band saw.
Install Top Support “Box”
The top support “box” is bolted to the center frame side-panels (you’ll need to drill holes). I used #10 x 1-1/2" bolts – four on each side. With three sides of the center frame assembled, lift the frame into the vertical position (takes two people). Finally, bolt the center frame to the wardrobe side cabinets (already in place). IKEA provides these bolts. This baby is strong!
IMPORTANT: The top support “box” will block the top door hinges. This is not a big deal, since you’re going to install additional hinges to support the weight of the bi-fold doors. I used seven (7) hinges on each door (Herbie used six hinges).
Install Piano Hinge on Bi-Fold Doors
With two doors laying flat on the carpet, install the piano hinge (remember the rib faces up). Be sure to place cardboard spacers between the doors.
Hang Bi-Fold Doors
Thanks to Herbie for this tip! Hang the bi-fold doors using the pre-drilled holes. Now the tricky part… with the door in place (and supported), drill four (4) additional “European” hinge cups (use 35mm Forstner drill bit). Use the hinge, seated inside the hinge cup, as a template to drill the two pilot holes on each side of the cup (use #10 drill bit). When you’re finished, you’ll have seven (7) hinges supporting the bi-fold doors.
To prevent drilling through the door, wrap the #10 drill bit with masking tape at the proper depth

2 Likes
23

Murphy Bed Ikea?

2 Likes
24

Hang Second Bi-Fold Doors
Murphy Bed Ikea? Repeat Steps 7 & 8 for the second set of doors. Fortunately, my inside measurement (77-3/32") was correct. The doors lined up perfectly with an 1/8" gap. Note that the IKEA hinges allow for some gap adjustment after installation.
Install the Glass Doors
Install the glass doors (2) on the side cabinets. You may or may not want to add the plastic glass dividers. My wife decided she liked the look. Install the Komplement Accessories
Install the Komplement clothes hangers, selves, and drawers.
Step 12: Install Door Handles
Take a look at the photos to see how I positioned the handles.
Time to celebrate… most of the cabinet construction is finished.
Assemble Murphy Bed Frame
Murphy Bed Ikea? The frame assembly instructions are poor. Just to get my head around things, I first labeled each part. To secure the frame to the wall, I drilled pilot holes pointing down towards the wall studs. The Wall Mount Bracket was secured with #10 x 3" Lag bolts (three on each side). Very strong! The thin wood screws supplied with the mounting kit didn’t seem strong enough.
For me, the tricky part was assembling the foot retraction mechanism. Two 1/2" nylon spacers (included with the frame) are needed for proper alignment. Read the instructions carefully and do not lose the spacers! A little WD-40 lubricant helps the mechanism retract smoothly.

2 Likes
25

Install the Springs
Murphy Bed Ikea? This is a ■■■■■!!! Using a screwdriver as a lever and the frame as a fulcrum, you are suppose to left the springs up and into the upper holes. Not an easy task. I found that all 10 springs were needed.
CAUTION: Watch those fingers!
Install Mattress Foundation
I agree with Herbie, the foundation is cheap! The foundation comes in three sections that are secured to the bed frame with wood screws (use #8 x 1"). If you want to build your own foundation (perhaps out of plywood), recognize the foundation extends beyond the frame on each side and at the foot (Queen size 60" X 80"). Also, there is a cutout near the head so the foundation does not rub against the frame. At this point in the project, you’ll probably be too tired to fabricate your own foundation. Might as well order one with the bed frame.

2 Likes
26

Install Mattress
Murphy Bed Ikea? The IKEA Fidjetun mattress comes shrink-wrapped. Open the night before so the mattress can expand to normal size. With the mattress installed, the Murphy Bed floats effortlessly with one hand!
Fabricate the Toe-Kick Panel
The toe-kick panel is constructed from the remaining Melamine shelf. The panel is only for aesthetic purposes (non-weight bearing). I glued the pieces together using wood dowels. Lining up dowels is tricky, so it helps to use a dowel kit and drill press. I used a simple “L” brace on each end to attach the toe-kick panel to the side panels.
Install Door Latch
I used a simple magnet latch. The doors close tight.
Install 35mm Wooden Plugs (optional)
At Rockler.com I found a “35mm Hinge Hole Repair Kit” (#34339). The wooden plugs were inserted into the hedge cups, then painted. Note that the Birkeland glass doors (not the regular doors) come with plastic inserts to cover the extra hinge cups. I tried to order more of these from IKEA, but they did not stock the part.
Show-off to Friends & Family
We are absolutely delighted with our new Murphy Bed. The frame mechanism will last a lifetime and the IKEA cabinets look stunning! If you have the patience and modest ability, you can build one yourself. Thanks again to Herbie for blazing the trail.

2 Likes