Author: Marcella Lizzio | Interfar

The holiday season is a time of joy, giving, and family gatherings, but when it comes to hosting large numbers of guests, the excitement can quickly turn into stress. Christmas, in particular, is a popular time for family members to come together from different parts of the country, often resulting in crowded homes with limited space. The challenge is real—how do you ensure everyone is comfortable and has a place to sleep without compromising the functionality of your home?

One solution that has been growing in popularity is the use of Wall Beds. These versatile, space-saving options allow you to accommodate more people without making your living space feel cramped or uncomfortable. In this article, we’ll explore why Wall Beds are a game-changer for family visits during the holiday season, and how they can make hosting easier and more enjoyable.

1. Maximising space without sacrificing comfort

When you’re hosting extended family during the holidays, every square metre of your home counts. Traditional beds take up a lot of space and can make rooms feel cluttered or unusable for other purposes. Wall Beds (also known as Murphy beds), on the other hand, offer a perfect solution to maximise your space without sacrificing comfort.

Wall Beds can be tucked away during the day, transforming your guest room, living room, or home office into a multifunctional space. With the bed stored vertically or horizontally against the wall, you’ll have plenty of room for activities, entertaining, or simply keeping the space tidy. At night, the bed easily folds down, providing a comfortable sleeping surface for guests.

2. Easier transition from day to night

The beauty of Wall Beds is their convenience. Imagine you’ve had a wonderful evening, filled with laughter, holiday movies, and a big Christmas dinner. When it’s time for bed, you won’t need to worry about finding places for everyone to sleep. With Wall Beds, it’s as simple as pulling down the bed and making it in a matter of minutes.

3. Stylish and functional designs

Gone are the days when Wall Beds were simply practical but unattractive pieces of furniture. Today’s designs have evolved to be both stylish and functional, seamlessly blending into the aesthetics of your home. Murphy beds come in a variety of finishes and materials, allowing you to match the bed with your décor. Some even include additional features like shelving, desks and sofas making them ideal for home offices or guest rooms.

4. Creating a kid-friendly space

If you have children in your family, or if your guests have kids, Wall Beds are the ultimate solution. Not only do they save space, but they also create a fun and exciting sleeping environment for younger family members. Kids love the adventure of sleeping in Wall Beds.

5. Cost-effective solution

Hosting a large group of guests often requires creativity to make the most of limited space without breaking the bank. Wall Beds are a cost-effective solution when compared to adding extra rooms or making significant renovations to your home.

While they require an initial investment, Wall Beds are durable and long-lasting, making them a worthwhile investment for families who regularly host guests. Many homeowners also appreciate the added value these space-saving solutions can bring to their property, particularly if they frequently use their guest space for other purposes throughout the year. Even though the bed is fixed to the wall, they are not a permanent fixture. Most Wall Beds can be dismantled and reassembled in your next home.

6. Less stress, more enjoyment

The holiday season is meant to be enjoyed, not spent worrying about logistics. By incorporating Wall Beds into your home, you can alleviate much of the stress that comes with hosting large family gatherings. These space-saving solutions make it easier to accommodate everyone comfortably, so you can focus on spending quality time with loved ones.

Whether you live in a small apartment or a large house, Wall Beds provide the flexibility to transform any room into a functional guest space. The simplicity, convenience, and stylish designs make them an ideal solution for the holiday season, ensuring that everyone—both hosts and guests—can enjoy Christmas in comfort.

Conclusion

When it comes to making family visits at Christmas more bearable, Wall Beds offer a perfect blend of practicality and comfort. They help maximise your space, create a smooth day-to-night transition, and even add a touch of style to your home. By investing in these versatile sleep solutions, you can ensure that your holiday gatherings are more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone involved.

I remember as a young girl seeing a wall bed for the first time in a tiny apartment in Italy at my Grandmother’s house. I was amazed at what looked like a buffet unit through the day folded out into a single bed at night. Who would of thought that years later I now design and sell wall beds for a living.

Over the years I have noticed that Wall Beds have become more and more popular as it not only maximises space in small apartment living but can also function as a multi-function room such as a study, kids’ bedroom, and studios. Designs have also changed over the years, not only is a Wall Bed known to be a bed inside a cupboard but there are now so many variations of the Wall Bed. You can have a Wall Bed combined with a sofa, desk, table or even a bookcase. The options and new innovative designs that are on the market are endless, but this can also be quite daunting for someone who is searching for a Wall Bed.

So here are some of my top tips on what to look for when purchasing a Wall Bed.

Mechanism

When looking for a Wall Bed, you need to firstly look at the mechanisms used and how they perform and make sure they have a sturdy metal frame.

For example:

If you’re looking at a standard Wall Bed (also known as Murphy Bed) – the classic design is either using a spring loaded or piston mechanism which both allow the ease of opening and closing the bed. Having the spring-loaded mechanism also gives you the option of adjusting the tension to suit the mattress.

For a Wall Bed combo ( featuring desk, shelving or sofa) – a slightly stronger gas strut or spring assisted mechanism will give you more support to open and close the bed due to the additional weight.

Posture Slats.

Within the mechanism, look for posture cambered slats. Wooden cambered slats are designed to hold and support a comfortable mattress. The flexible cambered slats are also there to help support the curvature of your spine when sleeping.

Mattress

The mattress is just as important as the mechanism. Make sure that it is a comfortable mattress that is suited for the wall bed mechanism. For spring loaded you can use a good quality inner spring mattress such as a Sealy mattress. As for a gas strut or pivot assisted mechanisms, depending on the depth of the cabinetry you can either use an inner spring mattress, pocket spring mattress or a good memory foam mattress. Be sure that the frame of your Wall Bed can handle the weight and thickness of the mattress and make sure that the wall bed has straps in place when folding the bed away.

Dimensions of your room

When looking for a Wall Bed make sure you measure the room carefully to make sure there’s enough space for the bed when it’s both folded up and folded down. For rooms that may be a bit shorter in length, go for a horizontal version over a vertical option, it may suit your room better when the bed is out, especially if you have low ceilings or there is a high light window above the bed. Wall Beds can also come in different size options and configurations. Having a CAD drawing of your room is also recommended so you can see what the bed would look like, which can also note how far the bed comes out into the room when it is down. Knowing all your space parameters will also allow you the option to add more joinery into the room to maximise more space for your needs.

Installation of your Wall Bed

Most mechanics of Wall Beds can be tricky, so it is recommended to have your Wall Bed installed by a qualified Cabinet Maker, Joiner or Builder. This will avoid warranty issues and the qualified Installer will make sure there is enough structural framework in the wall to support the bed. Also, the bed needs to be fastened securely to the wall. Wall Beds can also incorporate additional joinery surrounds so the bed integrates and hides away seamlessly.

Warranty

When purchasing a Wall Bed ensure the supplier provides a warranty for the Wall Bed mechanism. Generally, the mechanisms don’t need servicing but if it is a spring-loaded mechanism you may need to adjust the tension over time. Also check with the supplier if the Wall Bed is capable of being disassembled and moved. Some companies will void a warranty on uninstalling or moving a bed and you want to make sure that your Wall Bed is able to be moved without any problems.

Ways to make family visits at Christmas more bearable with Wall Beds