“It was a successful day and a wonderful launch of the new Closet Factory Cleveland Showroom! On our invitation list were current and previous clients, design professionals, business associates, as well as family and friends. All loved our five Murphybed Lifestyles displays and the delicious food too!” - Kathy Pietrick, President of Closet Factory Cleveland

Congratulations Closet Factory Cleveland!

No, there's not a prize here for you, just a special code for some other website.

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Bet your wondering what that is, right?  Well, in order for us to be listed on Technorati.com, we have to place a "Claim Token" on our blog.  So that's what that code is.  Sorry if it's annoying to you....

The Sico RoomMaker bed is the most durable of all the wallbeds that Murphy Bed Lifestyles offers.  It is specifically made for comfort as it uses a traditional mattress and box spring.  This bed is designed for the heavy-duty usage associated with dormitories, fire stations, care facilities, etc.  The RoomMaker wall bed is floor mounted with fully-encased coils made of heat-treated alloy steel.  This bed is great when you have a small room and need to utilize the complete space during the day but need to have a bed to sleep in at night.  The RoomMaker is a great for the type of everyday usage that requires comfort and yet space is at a premium.

Sico RoomMaker Specifications

• Cabinet height for Twin or Full 86 ½” - Extends 101” from wall
• Cabinet height for Queen or King 91 ½" - Extends 105” from wall
• Mattress and Box Spring maximum height 17”
• Cabinet depth 22”
• Floor Mounted

The standard handles of the bed become the feet of the bed when it is in the open position.  The RoomMaker's  fully-encased power coils are made of treated alloy steel.  This bed includes a vinyl headboard that folds over the pillows when it is in the closed position.  Sico RoomMaker wallbeds are available in twin, full, queen, king, and California king sizes.

Series Summary

Hopefully, you've read all three parts of this series on Murphy wallbed mechanisms, so you should be quite aware of your wall bed mechanism options and you're now able to make the right selection for your needs.  When you're ready to take the next step and start designing the cabinetry for the bed and the rest of the room, feel free to call us up and arrange for one of our free, no obligation design consultations and then you can ask any additional questions of your Murphy Bed Lifestyles designer at that time.  We're here to help you do things right and get exactly what is right for you, your needs and your aesthetic aspirations!

Remember, no matter which bed mechanism that you determine works best for you, your Murphy Bed Lifestyles designer will be there every step of the way to help you select all the right options to make your design truly custom! 

The Sico EuroBed uses slats for the base of the bed base so it provides considerably more comfort than the “Murphy”.  The Sico EuroBed is the best selling of our wall beds because it is mid-priced, provides superior comfort, and has been tested for everyday use.  This is the bed to use when like your relatives or friends enough that you don’t mind if they stay longer than just overnight, but you really are not ready for them to move in just yet.

Sico EuroBed Specifications

• Cabinet height for twin std  or full std  81 3/8”  Extends 87” from wall
• Cabinet height for queen 92”  extends  92” from wall
• Cabinet depth is 18 5/8”
• Maximum mattress height is 10”
• Side Panel Mounted

The leg folds up inside the bed.  The Sico EuroBed has fully encased heat treated alloy steel springs.  The frame is premium strength extruded aluminum.  This bed also comes with a flat vinyl headboard.  The Sico EuroBed is available in twin, twin XL, full, full XL, and queen.  It is important to note that this bed is available as a full or queen-size side-fold also.

This is the first of a three-part series on Murphy-styled wall bed mechanisms.  Parts two and three will follow shortly.

All wall beds, or beds that fold down, have become commonly known as “Murphy Beds”.   The original “Murphy Bed” brand name has been so heavily used by consumers, retailers, and other manufacturers over the years that the US government has denied all trademark claims to that name.  There is still a specific “Murphy Bed” branded mechanism that is sold, and this is one of the mechanisms that we use.  In differentiating the styles of beds that we offer, we refer to the mechanism name and type to identify the bed, but they are all commonly “Murphy beds.”

Murphy Bed Mechanisms

The “Murphy" wall bed mechanisms are the most price friendly of the three types/brands of wallbed mechanisms.  It is made for a spare room that is used when you have the occasional visitor.  It is perfect for a home office, crafts room, music room or other room that has multiple uses.  The “Murphy” mechanism is great for relatives or other guests that you like to visit for short periods.  It has a low profile frame that uses the bed face as the base of the bed.  The mattress sits on directly the bed face and tends to be a little harder than the slat style.  This bed is perfect for those guests you don’t wish to stay too long, but don’t want be totally uncomfortable!!

Murphy Bed Mechanism Specifications

• Cabinet height for twin or full 85 1/8 ” Extends from wall 85”
• Cabinet height for queen or king 90 1/4” Extends from wall 90”
• Cabinet depth 18 5/8”
• Maximum mattress thickness 9”

The leg folds up inside the bed and tension springs take the bed up and down.  This frame comes in pieces so it can be used when access might be more difficult.  The “Murphy" bed mechanisms are available in Twin, Full, Queen and King.

Murphy beds are an American invention designed by  William L. Murphy  in the early 20th century.    They were first manufactured in San Francisco and consisted of a bed that pivoted on a door jam of a dressing closet and would be lowered into position. 

By the 1920's, Murphy beds became a popular item found in the home as they were wonderful space savers during the big apartment and industrial boom.  However, with the coming of World War II all of this was about to change due to the rationing of steel, and the rise of affordable single family  homes that were springing up about the country.  

With the change and flux of the economy during the 70’s and 80’s, wall beds regained their stature as staple in making the most of a limited space.  By that time, Murphy beds had already gained some of the spotlight in  the American culture through various movie representations.  The wall beds were featured mostly in comedies where they were the prop in slapstick humor situations like when someone becomes stuck in a Murphy bed that has been folded back into the wall.  Not only did Murphy beds regain their popularity in the home, but they soon could also be found in hospitals, fire houses, college dorms and even hotels.

Today in 2009, we are again experiencing a flux in the economy.  Many families are now joining together as grandparents move in and older children return to their nest.  Some families are opting to downsize to smaller homes, this change is forcing us to rethink our use of space and function.   Now we are expanding on this wonderful invention by combining it with bookcases, desks, and a wide range of sizes, styles and materials.

Closet Factory is proud to announce their new line, Murphy Bed Lifestyles which offers to our clients these new features and designs at affordable prices for their expanding and ever changing homes.

Selecting the right mechanism from the three distinctive styles and price points that Murphy Bed Lifestyles have available should be based upon the level of usage you will have and your budget.  We carry the “Murphy Bed” mechanism and two wall bed mechanisms by Sico. 

So, your next question is “What are the differences between the Murphy Bed mechanism and the Sico wall bed mechanisms”?   

The “Murphy bed” mechanism is the most price friendly of the three styles.  It is made for a spare room that is used when you have the occasional visitor.

The Sico EuroBed mechanism uses slats for the base of the bed base so it provides considerably more comfort than the “Murphy”.  The Sico EuroBed is the best selling of the wall beds because it is mid-priced, provides superior comfort, and has been tested for everyday use. 

The Sico RoomMaker bed mechanism is the most durable of all the wallbeds.  It is specifically made for comfort as it uses a traditional mattress and box spring.  This bed is designed for the heavy-duty usage associated with dormitories, fire stations, care facilities, etc. 

Future blog posts will have greater details on the various wall bed mechanisms.  In the meantime, if you are really interested in getting a custom Murphy bed installed in your home, sign up for one of our free design consultations.  Our designers are fully prepared with the technical details and the design expertise to inspire your imagination.