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Could This One Design Trick Transform Your Spare Room?
If you need your small guest room to multitask as an office, this could be the answer
Faced with a small space that needs to multitask as a home office and occasional guest room? A wall bed, sometimes called a pull-down or Murphy bed, could help you transform your spare room from cluttered to calm.
By folding away into a cupboard when not in use, these smart beds free up valuable floor space, allowing you to use the room as an office during the week and a bedroom at the weekend. Take a look at how designers on Houzz have used these ingenious beds and get inspiration for your own spare room.
By folding away into a cupboard when not in use, these smart beds free up valuable floor space, allowing you to use the room as an office during the week and a bedroom at the weekend. Take a look at how designers on Houzz have used these ingenious beds and get inspiration for your own spare room.
…and when folded up into the cupboard, the room becomes a calm and organised home office.
In such as small space, every detail counts, and the designers have been clever with their use of lighting. Two overhead lamps positioned directly above the bed double up as reading lights when the bed is down and desk lights when the bed is retracted, reducing the need for bulky bedside tables.
A lightweight, slimline desk and a chair on castors can both easily be moved out of the way when the bed is needed.
In such as small space, every detail counts, and the designers have been clever with their use of lighting. Two overhead lamps positioned directly above the bed double up as reading lights when the bed is down and desk lights when the bed is retracted, reducing the need for bulky bedside tables.
A lightweight, slimline desk and a chair on castors can both easily be moved out of the way when the bed is needed.
Add coving and a skirting board to blend it in
At first glance, this room by Andrea Schumacher Interiors looks like a standard home office with a bank of storage behind the desk. By painting the cupboard the same colour as the walls and ceiling and adding decorative moulding, it blends in seamlessly. You would assume the cupboard was simply storage space.
But when you pull the cupboard handles…
At first glance, this room by Andrea Schumacher Interiors looks like a standard home office with a bank of storage behind the desk. By painting the cupboard the same colour as the walls and ceiling and adding decorative moulding, it blends in seamlessly. You would assume the cupboard was simply storage space.
But when you pull the cupboard handles…
…a secret bed is revealed.
With the desk moved over to the window, this room can be transformed into a comfortable double guest room. An extra-large rug under the desk doubles up as a soft surface either side of the bed, and thick patterned curtains at the window ensure the room feels like a cosy and welcoming space when it’s used as a bedroom.
With the desk moved over to the window, this room can be transformed into a comfortable double guest room. An extra-large rug under the desk doubles up as a soft surface either side of the bed, and thick patterned curtains at the window ensure the room feels like a cosy and welcoming space when it’s used as a bedroom.
Choose a horizontal single bed to save space
If you don’t have enough floor space for a bed to fold out from the wall vertically, you could choose one that folds out horizontally instead.
Perfect if you just need a single bed for occasional guests, this neat solution, seen here in a scheme by Diane Burgio Design, takes up much less space than a vertical pull-down bed, allowing you to use the wall space above it.
If you don’t have enough floor space for a bed to fold out from the wall vertically, you could choose one that folds out horizontally instead.
Perfect if you just need a single bed for occasional guests, this neat solution, seen here in a scheme by Diane Burgio Design, takes up much less space than a vertical pull-down bed, allowing you to use the wall space above it.
When folded back into its housing, this bed is barely detectable, making it a smart solution for very small spaces.
This type of bed would also tuck quietly into the corner of a living room, so it could be a good solution in a flat where space is at a premium.
Want some help designing your space? Find interior designers in your area on Houzz.
This type of bed would also tuck quietly into the corner of a living room, so it could be a good solution in a flat where space is at a premium.
Want some help designing your space? Find interior designers in your area on Houzz.
Build in some luxury
Although a wall bed is a space-saving solution, it can also be a comfortable and even luxurious option when designed well. In this home office, a pull-down bed has been designed into a bank of wall units and given a padded velvet headboard to make it feel less like a cupboard and more like a comfortable guest bed.
When the bed is folded back into the wall…
Although a wall bed is a space-saving solution, it can also be a comfortable and even luxurious option when designed well. In this home office, a pull-down bed has been designed into a bank of wall units and given a padded velvet headboard to make it feel less like a cupboard and more like a comfortable guest bed.
When the bed is folded back into the wall…
…the guest bedroom becomes a glamorous home office space. Two armchairs and a small coffee table can be moved in front of the cupboard to create an attractive seating area.
By adding lots of colour, pattern and decorative detail, this space is packed with personality and feels anything but utilitarian. The designers have even hung art on the underside of the bed, so when it’s folded up, it forms a gallery wall.
By adding lots of colour, pattern and decorative detail, this space is packed with personality and feels anything but utilitarian. The designers have even hung art on the underside of the bed, so when it’s folded up, it forms a gallery wall.
Rather than placing a desk in front of the bed, a built-in work area has been designed on the wall opposite, allowing enough room for working, but without taking up too much floor space.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
Incorporate a fold-down desk
For a really smart space-saving solution, this room by Interior Anthology features a wall bed with an integrated desk, so when the bed is retracted, a section can fold down and transform into a work surface.
Floor-to-ceiling units, meanwhile, provide lots of storage for craft and office supplies.
For a really smart space-saving solution, this room by Interior Anthology features a wall bed with an integrated desk, so when the bed is retracted, a section can fold down and transform into a work surface.
Floor-to-ceiling units, meanwhile, provide lots of storage for craft and office supplies.
And here’s the bed when it’s pulled down.
The units either side have been designed to act as bedside tables and contain handy drawers for storing clothes and a niche for a bedside lamp.
Tell us…
Have any of these design ideas inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
The units either side have been designed to act as bedside tables and contain handy drawers for storing clothes and a niche for a bedside lamp.
Tell us…
Have any of these design ideas inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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This petite room by Lisa & Leroy needed to serve two roles for the homeowners – be a spare room for guests and a home office for work. A wall bed was the ingenious solution.
But the cleverest part of the design is the surrounding unit, which was custom-made for the space. Hidden in the cupboards either side of the bed are a printer and laundry basket, adding to its functionality.
When the bed is folded down, it makes a comfortable weekend retreat for guests…