(Photo credit: By Brittany Goldwyn)
Adding a personal touch to your design is what makes a house feel like a home. Small tweaks, such as creating a statement-making accent wall or swapping out builder-grade cabinetry hardware for something more eye-catching, have the power to transform a ho-hum space into one that reflects individual personality. And Murphy bed owners know the value of transformative furnishings which is why we'll tell you how to upgrade your Murphy bed in this post.
The lift and lower units make it easy to customize rooms that unlock max potential. Installing a Murphy bed in a spare guest room allows an underused space to perform double duty. Whether it's as a home gym, office, or even an art studio — the potential is limitless with a little imagination.
Creative Ways to Upgrade Your Murphy Bed
Clever home design lovers are taking their Murphy beds to the next level, combining high-function and high-design by adding custom upgrades to make the wall beds that much more a part of their personal aesthetic. From LED lighting to chalkboard paint, here are seven inspired Murphy bed upgrades to enhance your home.
Chalkboard Paint
(Photo credit: Brit + Co.)
Make good use of the underside of the Murphy bed by applying chalkboard paint. Available at most hardware stores, chalkboard paint is an inexpensive and creative way to make surfaces that you can write on and erase as needed. This design hack is ideal for home offices, making it easy to jot down to-do lists and meeting times without wasting paper. It can also be used to map out a daily workout routine in a home gym or to showcase inspirational quotes and hand-drawn artwork.
Another clever advantage of chalkboard paint is that many brands are magnetic. Use the underside of the Murphy bed as a real-life Pinterest board — securing inspiring photos, mantras or goals with magnets.
Accent Colors
(Photo Credit: Tren Hultgren)
Incorporating pops of color is another fun and easy way to customize a space and upgrade your Murphy bed. Many designers employ this technique by adding bright decorative pillows or wallpapering a feature wall. In the same vein, painting the inside of a Murphy nook with a standout color defines your newly created, multifunctional bedroom.
Recessed LED Light Strips
(Photo credit: All Modern)
Skip the nightstand lamp and opt for chic LED lighting to brighten up your Murphy bed. The experts at Crafted Workshop put together a comprehensive guide to install custom lighting within the Murphy bed’s cabinets sides. Plus, by plugging the lighting strip into a smart plug and using an Alexa Dot, you can control your lights when you’re lying in bed without having to move. Talk about luxury!
(Curious about Murphy beds versus cabinet beds? Check out this post next)
Coat Racks & Hooks
(Photo credit: Wayfair)
Installing a row of hooks on the exterior side of a Murphy bed is one of the easiest and quickest ways to enhance its style and function. It is a great alternative for storing jackets, scarves and belts when closet space is tight. Plus, there are so many stylish hook options on the market — from farmhouse to industrial — that creating a custom look to fit your aesthetic is a snap.
Shiplap
(Photo credit: Family Handyman)
Blame it on design icons Chip and Joanna Gains, but shiplap is one home decor trend that is sticking around. If you’re not familiar, shiplap is a series of interlocking wooden panels. They provide a chic, rustic farmhouse look with relatively low effort. Shiplap makes a statement. As such, reserving it for an accent wall does a lot for the look of the room, without overwhelming the space with too much wood paneling. To achieve the look, install shiplap paneling (available at most hardware and home improvement stores) to the underside of a Murphy bed.
Paint & Stain
Having the ability to paint or stain your Murphy bed to your liking is a great advantage. Many models from major retailers like Wayfair or Walmart only offer a handful of finishes, which can make customizing your space a challenge. If design freedom is a priority, Murphy bed companies such as Lori Beds, offer both naturally finished and unfinished models made from 100 percent cabinet-grade poplar plywood. They are ready for any paint or stain color you would like to apply.
(Your bedding helps make a statement with your Murphy bed too. Here's how to pick Murphy bed bedding)
Fold Up Desk
(Photo credit: Visual Hunt)
Never again choose between having a guest room or a home office. Adding a fold-up desk to the underside of a wall bed is an ideal space-saving solution. Maybe you’re hoping to transform a guest bedroom into an office. Or perhaps you need a place to pay monthly bills. No matter what, having a fold-down desk will check all the boxes. The crafty genius at Addicted 2 DIY shared a thoughtful how-to guide for building a Murphy bed desk modification.
As these projects suggest, making the most of your space is as much about showcasing your personality as it is about maximizing function. These small Murphy bed upgrades can make a big difference when it comes to the aesthetic of your home. Which of these ideas is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Did you enjoy learning how to upgrade your Murphy bed?
Here are three more posts to check out next:
1 comment
Ellie
Beautifull practical space savers.
Beautifull practical space savers.