Many homes have a room that needs to do two jobs: an office that hosts the occasional guest, a den that turns into a bedroom over the holidays, a kids’ playroom that sleeps visiting grandparents. A hidden bed makes that possible without giving up the floor space every other day of the year.
The two most common choices are a Murphy bed and a credenza bed. Both fold a bed away, but they work differently and suit different rooms.
How a Murphy bed works
A Murphy bed, also called a wall bed, is a mattress and frame that fold up vertically or horizontally into a cabinet. The cabinet is secured to the wall so the bed can be lowered and raised safely. When the bed is up, the front of the cabinet looks like a wall of doors or panels.
Because the cabinet already occupies a section of wall, it is often designed with side units, shelving, a desk or lighting around it. Done well, the whole wall reads as built-in furniture.
Good fit when:
- You have an unobstructed wall wide and tall enough for the cabinet
- You want storage, shelving or a desk built in around the bed
- The bed will be used often, possibly every night
- The room has a single main purpose most days (office, gym, hobby room)
How a credenza bed works
A credenza bed, sometimes called a chest bed or cabinet bed, is a self-contained piece of furniture. Closed, it looks like a low cabinet or console. Opened, the top and front fold out to reveal a mattress that unfolds into a bed. Unlike a traditional Murphy bed, it does not mount to the wall.
The credenza beds Wilmington Blinds & More has featured hold a queen bed inside a solid wood chest.
Good fit when:
- You cannot or would rather not mount anything to the wall
- The wall above needs to stay free for a TV, artwork or a window
- The room has a low ceiling or sloped walls
- Guests visit occasionally rather than every week
- You want something that could move to another room later
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Murphy bed | Credenza bed |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Cabinet secured to the wall | Freestanding furniture, no wall mounting |
| Closed appearance | Tall cabinet, often with side units | Low cabinet or console |
| Wall above | Used by the cabinet | Free for a TV, art or window |
| Built-in storage | Can be designed around the bed | Limited to the piece itself |
| Best for | Frequent use, office or storage combinations | Occasional guests, rooms where wall mounting is not practical |
What to measure before you choose
You do not need precise numbers before a consultation, but these rough measurements help narrow the options:
- Wall width and ceiling height where a Murphy bed cabinet would go
- Open depth: the distance from the wall to the nearest obstacle (a desk, door or opposite wall). Remember the bed extends roughly its full length into the room when it is down.
- Doors and windows: door swings, closet doors and window positions on the bed wall
- Outlets, switches and vents on the wall where the bed would sit
- Walkway: leave enough room to walk around the open bed and reach the door
Planning the rest of the room
The bed is only part of the plan. Think about what the room needs on an ordinary day.
- Office plus guest room: Plan the desk so it stays usable when the bed is closed, and decide where monitors, files and chargers live. The Hanover Center showroom has a display that pairs a Murphy bed cabinet with a corner desk, upper cabinets and a fold-out work surface. See more on home offices.
- Den plus guest room: A credenza bed can double as the media console under a wall-mounted TV. See entertainment centers for planning the rest of that wall.
- Guest storage: Give visitors a place to put a suitcase and hang a few things. A side cabinet next to a Murphy bed or a nearby closet shelf does the job.
- Lighting: A reading light or sconce near the head of the bed makes it feel like a real guest room.
Try before you decide
Opening and closing a wall bed yourself is the quickest way to know whether it suits you. The Hanover Center showroom has Murphy bed displays, and the team can tell you which credenza bed models are currently available.
Learn more about Murphy beds and credenza beds, or request a free consultation to plan your room.