Benefits of a Wall Bed
Curious about installing, constructing, or buying a wall bed, but not sure if it’s worth it? In this article, we’ll cover the benefits of having a wall bed including ease of use, comfort, utility, and the amount of space you can save. As well, we’ll give some tips on what kind of spaces could most benefit from having a wall bed, and how to incorporate them into your overall living dynamic.
Why choose to have a wall bed?
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Ease of Use
Wall beds are extremely easy to use. The mechanism to fold them vertically against the wall is not complicated at all. After strapping the mattress to the frame, you simply pick up one end and push it toward the wall. Most wall bed systems have a “pin” mechanism that then snaps the bed into place. To take the bed out, simply pull the bed down, off the wall. When properly installed and constructed, wall beds are extremely easy to use.
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Comfort
Wall beds can use the same mattresses as conventional beds. Thus, they are just as comfortable as standard beds- no comfort is lost when using the folding mechanism.
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Utility
Perhaps the greatest asset a wall bed brings is its utility and the way it can completely transform a room. Many apartments are already cramped for space. When your bed (a necessary piece of furniture) takes up most of the floor and living space in your home, you often cannot entertain guests or have much room for anything else. A wall bed frees a room up- allowing even the smallest room to have many functions.
How do I incorporate a wall bed into my living space?
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Concealment
One concern many people have with wall beds is how concealable they actually are. It’s great that wall beds can be stacked vertically against a wall, but don’t they look a little ugly? Aren’t they just sitting there?
There are actually many ways to conceal a wall bed so it’s not obviously just a mattress stacked against a wall.
One of the standard (and easy) ways to conceal a wall bed is through the use of cabinetry or bookshelves. By using cabinetry, the wall bed is disguised behind the doors of a well furnished cabinet door. A look at many of the websites in our “Resource” section can give a bunch of ideas on how this works.
What we recommend is to think about the overall design “style” of the room and let that inform the method of your concealment. If the style of the room is full of dark woods, conceal your bed in like colors. If your room is filled with books, like a library, conceal the wall bed beside bookshelves. We’ve seen a particularly creative use of concealment in a Japanese “Zen” room: the wall bed is rolled up into one of the “paper” like walls.
In short, don’t just let your wall bed sit there. Let it inform and be informed by your overall design choices.
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Capitalize on the New Space
The great advantage of wall beds is the dramatic increase of space they bring. Be sure to use it!