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What is a Wall Bed or Murphy Bed?

A Murphy bed, also known as a wall bed or pull down bed is a practical sleeping option for bedrooms.

One end of the bed is hinged so as to enable it to prop up vertically either against the wall, or into a closet space.

This kind of bed was named after William Lawrence Murphy, who patented this kind of bed in the early 1900's.

Murphy beds are still very popular nowadays, especially since many properties are particularly small in this day and age.

Thus Murphy beds are ideal when it comes to freeing up space, and making the most of the floor space.

Wall beds will have the mattress attached to the frame of the bed to ensure that it is held in place even when the bed is pushed up vertically.

Nowadays wall beds are far easier to push up thanks to torsion springs or piston lifts that take the bulk of the weight.

Find out more about uses, advantages and disadvantages of wall beds and Murphy beds below in the following chapters.

Chapters

1. Why Install a Wall Bed?
2. Advantages
3. Disadvantages
4. Horizontal Single Wall Bed
5. Horizontal Single Shelf Down Wall Bed
6. Horizontal Single Shelf Up Wall Bed
7. Vertical Double Sofa Wall Bed
8. Study Single or Double Wall Bed
9. Bunk Beds
10. Conclusions

Why Install a Wall Bed?

When it comes to choosing the type of bed you will have in your bedroom, it is important to take into account space considerations.

In most bedrooms the bed takes up most of the floor space, leaving little room for other furniture and to move around.

That is why in such cases it is highly recommended to consider opting for a Murphy bed. Murphy beds are widely used in studio apartments and flats.

When the bed is not in use, it can be pushed up against the wall freeing up floor space to be used during the day.

These beds are also ideal in children’s’ rooms as during the day the floor space which would otherwise have been occupied by the bed, can be used for playtime.

Advantages

Some of the main advantages of Murphy beds include:

• Murphy beds are very practical, thanks to the fact they can pull up against the wall, leaving the floor space for other uses when not folded down.
• ideal for cases where space saving is a must.
• some Murphy beds serve a dual purpose nowadays. This is because some styles include other furniture, such as shelving, drawers or a table.
• the bed can be tucked away into a closet too.
• the mattress is attached and so it is safe.
• there’s no box springs.

Disadvantages

Some drawbacks of Murphy beds include:

Common Wall Bed Styles

Horizontal Single Wall Bed

One of the most popular styles of wall beds is the Horizontal Single.

This type of bed, takes up little floor space and it folds up horizontally. Thanks to a side piston lift system the bed can be opened easily and effortlessly.

Horizontal Single Shelf Down Wall Bed

In this style the bed will also fold horizontally, but beneath it there is a desk.

So when the bed is in use the desk will basically become a shelf that slides down, since it will be on the upper side of the bed base.

A very practical bed, which serves dual purposes and is perfect for teenagers’ bedrooms and study rooms.

Horizontal Single Shelf Up Wall Bed

In this case the wall bed will fold horizontally, but the shelf on its base will protrude upwards.

A very practical design ideal for study rooms, which also looks very stylish.

Vertical Double Sofa Wall Bed

This is a very popular design for wall beds.

The vertical double sofa wall bed is installed in bedrooms as well as living rooms, because the bed converts into a sofa during the day.

Since this is a double bed, the sofa is of a decent size generally because it is a comfortable two-seater.

This bed solves the problem for households where one cannot afford to place a sofa permanently due to limited floor space.

Study Single or Double Wall Bed

This bed converts into a worktop or desk during the day when the bed is not required.

A very convenient solution for small bedrooms and study areas, this style can be either with a single or a double bed.

Needless to say, the bigger the bed, the more spacious the desk can be.

Bunk Beds

Bunk beds are very popular in kids’ rooms, so this style is convenient and practical since the two bedding system will often be integrated with a wardrobe or shelving system.

The beds can be folded up when not in use and so during the day the floor space can be put to good use, such as for playtime.

Conclusions

Even though Murphy beds were invented over a century ago, they have evolved into modern, contemporary furniture pieces as many manufacturers revamp and rethink the whole concept of wall beds by incorporating the bed with modular cabinets.

Nowadays you can find wall bed systems in different styles, materials and colours.

Many can be custom made according to your specific room measurements or preferences.

Common options include having a sofa, shelving system or desk to use when the bed itself is pushed up against the wall or into a dedicated cabinet space.

Murphy beds or wall beds are widely used and their popularity will not fail because they are extremely practical and convenient.

With practical furnishings becoming increasingly popular due to home becoming smaller, wall beds make for one of the best space-saving options around.

Many apartments have small rooms, with very limited floor space.

But thanks to a wall bed, you can free up otherwise disused space and make your home more adaptable and practical to your needs.

Whether the wall bed is temporary for guests to stay on or to make your rooms feel bigger and more useable, a wall bed is a great space saving solution.

If your kitchen area is narrow or limited for space, sometimes the design and layout choices you have are extremely limited.

Long narrow kitchens are a prime example and in this instance, a galley wall kitchen is most likely the one and only solution.

You may feel as though this limits your ability to be creative and integrate a number of features that a larger room allows. But with some ingenuity and creative thinking, a galley kitchen can in fact be a great success.

If you're yet to design your galley kitchen, this article explores 8 key considerations to making it work perfectly, whether you're a budding chef, a parent with a growing family or someone that likes to entertain friends and family.

Find out more about galley kitchen layouts below in the following chapters

Contents

1. Maximising Space
2. Single Wall vs Facing Walls
3. Positioning Appliances
4. Choosing Suitable Cabinets
5. Tall Cabinets & Storage
6. Appropriate Lighting
7. Door Styles & Colours
8. Eating & Socialising
9. Conclusions

1. Maximising Space

The very first and integral part of designing the perfect galley kitchen is to maximise your available space.

You should favour using tall units, wall units and shelving to capitalise on the space you have.

Use as much ceiling height as you can, as this is less likely to impact on the usable floor area and give you that all important storage every kitchen needs.

Stacking integrated appliances such as ovens and microwaves on top of one another is a great space saver too.

Coupled with the use of pale colours and minimalist cabinets styles, you can create a more spacious look, and remove the corridor feel galley kitchens invariably have.

Make sure you have ample lighting too, whether natural or artificial.

This is essential to help enhance the kitchen layout and soften the look, giving a greater sense of openness.

2. Single Wall vs Facing Walls

If you only have a single wall to work with, you will really have to think wisely about placement of cabinet, appliances and preparations areas.

It may seem like the impossible, but there are numerous examples of single wall kitchens that look stunning and really work.

In this situation, try to place bulky items at the extreme ends of each wall.

The refrigerator can be tucked away at one end whilst the oven and microwave can be placed at the other.

This approach ten leave the maximum amount of worktop space available to create a suitable preparation area, and to integrate a sink and drying area.

If however, you have the option to build your kitchen on two opposing walls, you thankfully have a little more flexibility to play with.

One wall can be designed as the cooking area whilst the other can be the cleaning and prepping area.

The key is to make your kitchen easy to move around, whilst being practical and useable.

Try to visualise how you'd like to use the room and the placement of appliances, cabinets, sinks and refrigerators will become more obvious to you.

3. Positioning Appliances

When choosing your appliance positions, a smart tip is to avoid placing them close to windows or even worse, in front of them!

Appliances are bulky, so they'll easily block a ton of natural light. This will make the room feel gloomy and small.

Another tip is to install your oven near or next to the sink on the exact same wall as each other.

Ensure that your refrigerator and high hanging wall cupboards are parallel to each other for easier manoeuvrability. Leave at least a meter between the sink and the oven.

Having the fridge within reach of the oven and sink is ideal to maximise space and the food preparation triangle.

4. Choosing Suitable Cabinets

The type of cabinets you choose will make your kitchen more visually appealing.

Many people are now choosing contemporary style slab cabinets that typically have inset handles.

These types of doors help to give the kitchen a sleeker look and of course, limit snagging handles on clothing as you walk past them.

Many cabinets come in a smooth gloss finish which helps to bounce light around the room, as well as give a cohesive finish that spreads across the length of the room.

Cabinets without handles will make the room feel longer and larger, whilst handles can become a nuisance if you brush into them when moving from cabinet to cabinet.

Cabinets with handles are now considered a little old fashioned. So if you want your kitchen to be modern and sleek, handleless is the way to go.

5. Tall Cabinets & Storage

As previously mentioned, tall cabinets are a great storage problem solver and can help use maxim space where no space seems available.

It's important to place cupboards and cabinets in a galley kitchen carefully to ensure you minimise overcrowding.

Too much will make the room feel cramped, but a few well placed full height cabinets with make the room feel taller and useable.

Every kitchen no matter the size needs to feel roomy enough to move around, whilst offering all the practicalities you'd expect.

Cabinets that feature pullouts, pull downs and clever integrated storage will maximise every inch of space you have, without feeling you have to cram as much in as possible.

6. Appropriate Lighting

In a room that feels small, light is your best weapon to making it feel spacious.

Make sure you allow as much natural light to flood the room as possible. So never block windows or place tall units or appliances adjacent to window openings.

As far as integrated lighting is concerned, install lights wherever possible.

As well as ceiling lights, experiment with integrated lights such as plinth floor lights, down lights onto counters and even shelf lights.

These look especially good during darker days or nighttime, where you can really illuminate the best features of your new kitchen and enhance the look to create a stunning visual experience.

7. Door Styles & Colours

In a galley kitchen, you'll want to choose a design and colour scheme that emphasises or creates the illusion of space.

Light and neutral colours are more suitable as they tend to bounce light around. Dark colours tends to make rooms feel smaller.

Not only will your cabinets choices affect lighting, but your countertops will too.

Granite and quartz surfaces are highly polished and again, will bounce light around the room.

Cheaper laminates and butchers blocks may be a more economical option, but they seldom help to make a room feel more spacious.

8. Eating & Socialising

Whether you regularly entertain or like to spend time in the kitchen enjoying breakfast or a light snack with the family, getting this aspect right is critical in a narrow kitchen.

On a single walled galley kitchen, its hard to find areas to sit and relax but there are clever ways to achieve this.

You could install a small narrow bench seating area along an adjacent wall or even integrate a folder table that is only used temporarily.

If the room allows, you may even be able to integrate a small section of countertop that hangs over one edge or at 90 degrees to the main work area.

By doing so, you can use a couple of stools and have a cosy seating area to enjoy drinks and small bites.

With a little imagination, there are ways to achieve all the must have's with a little compromise here and there.

Conclusions

It's fair to say that a galley kitchen is a difficult space to redesign.

With so few layout options as your disposal, it does seem like there's little that can be achieved that hasn't already been done before.

But don't despair. Modern kitchen units offer so much more storage and a style options that they do free up space that older units were incapable of.

Sometimes it's not just about the actual space available, but how you use it.

With some small adjustments and clever placement of the essentials, you can still create a stunning galley kitchen that ticks all the right boxes.

But following just some of the suggestion above, you should be able to create a galley kitchen that does all you need and more.

If you're planning a single walled kitchen layout and think your design options are limited, then think again.

In this article, we explore various ways to make a single walled kitchen work and look amazing!

Ultimately, a kitchen spread over just one wall can actually turn out to be more practical and affordable than you think.

Getting Started

Planning the perfect single walled kitchen requires a lot of care and attention, as space tends to be limited. In fact this type of kitchen layout is generally used when one has a very small or compact kitchen.

There's various things to take into account, including the space available, the room layout and which one is the most practical wall.

So, let's take a look at some very simple tips and tricks anyone can follow, which will help you design the perfect single-walled kitchen, and still manage to achieve a stylish finish with the feeling of space and functionality.

1. Add a Kitchen Island

When restricted to a single wall, you can easily add more counter space by installing a kitchen island.

Obviously, make sure you have enough floor space to achieve this.

Assuming there is, a kitchen island is the perfect complement to a single-walled kitchen.

A kitchen island sits parallel to the kitchen wall and helps to enhance the overall layout, creating extra counter space and storage space.

If floor space is limited, you can opt for a narrower island, which is still very practical.

If a fixed island is a non-starter, there's also the option of a portable island, which can serve as a breakfast table, bar, or cooking area.

Both add more practicality and counter space and look amazing.

The kitchen island can also enable you to establish the working triangle in your kitchen. While the sink and refrigerator can be placed along the kitchen wall, you can have the oven and cooktop installed within the kitchen island.

2. Buy Suitable Appliances

Choice of appliances is another important consideration.

The appliances will need to be located along the same wall, with the refrigerator possibly being positioned as a standalone unit on a separate wall.

Make sure you choose appliances that are suitable and complement the scale of your kitchen.

Shop for compact ovens, microwaves, dishwashers and warming drawers, and keep in mind the need for models which are less noisy.

The colour of the appliances should complement the colour of your kitchen cabinets.

3. Clever Positioning of Appliances

Once you’ve chosen the right appliances, they need to be carefully placed to improve efficiency. You do not want to end up walking from one end of the kitchen to the other several times.

There are different layout options that work well in a single-walled kitchen:

Option 1

It may be best to go for an arrangement where the sink is placed in the centre of the kitchen. In that way there will be countertop space on either side of it.

The refrigerator can be placed as a stand-alone on one end of the room if the wall length is not too large. Otherwise it should be placed closer to the centre.

The oven and hob should be installed within the island, which will be parallel to the sink.

In this way you would have an efficient workflow as you would have established a working triangle.

Option 2

If a kitchen island is not a feasible option, this may be the best layout for the appliances.

The refrigerator can be placed at the far end, with a sink right next to it and worktop space on each side.

Beneath the sink you can place a dishwasher.

The oven and hob can be placed on the other side.

Option 3

At the further ends of the kitchen you could have tall units.

In these units there can be the oven in one side, and the fridge freezer in the other.

4. Add a Focal Point

If you're aiming for a simplistic design, you may want to incorporate a focal point to showcase in your kitchen.

This will make your kitchen look more inviting and cosy.

Common options include a stone feature, a bold coloured feature wall such as a splash back, or some statement shelving.

You'll be amazed at the difference such small details make, and it'll help draw attention away from the otherwise plain design that the kitchen may need to be constrained to.

5. Add Some Open Shelves

You could add some open shelving within the frame of the kitchen itself, to move away from a design that is made up solely of cabinets.

6. Appropriate Cabinets

Your choice of cabinets are a key element in a kitchen.

Certain cabinetry styles look better when used on a single wall. These include:

Minimalistic Cabinets

Minimalist style cabinets achieve a look that is ideal for a single-walled kitchen.

The sleek lines promote an efficient look, which also increases storage space.

These cabinets are very popular with those who prefer modern styling, an all-white or open concept.

They also help the room to feel bigger, brighter and more spacious.

Rustic Cabinets

Rustic themed kitchens can still look fabulous if you adopt a single walled layout.

It's highly recommended to utilise crafted wood for different elements in the room, including the cabinets, the drawers and the flooring.

You will love the warm look this brings to your kitchen.

Retro Style

A retro style is another great look for a one-walled kitchen.

The single line counter looks great and it is a neat choice for those who prefer a simplistic design.

7. Colour Palette

Colour choices are of utmost importance in any kitchen. You want to choose a colour that makes the room look spacious and bright.

These are some of the best options when it comes to a single wall kitchen.

Classic White

White was, and remains, a very popular colour choice for kitchens. The bright and clean look that a white kitchen achieves is incomparable.

Your room will look airier and more open. So this is the perfect choice for those who are worried their kitchen is too small and may feel cramped.

Vibrant Bold Colours

If you want your kitchen to look and feel warm, opt for vibrant colours.

Cheerful and bright colours such as green and yellow can make a kitchen look truly fabulous.

These colours are generally complemented by some neutral tones to make the kitchen look more open, despite the fact it's spread along a single wall.

Monochrome

A great choice for those who want a minimalistic, clean-looking kitchen which is modern in style.

Two-tone lack and white units and countertops complement one another beautifully in a kitchen.

Sometimes you will find greyish backgrounds or features added in too.

Advantages of a single walled kitchen

A single walled kitchen offers various advantages.

• It is a more affordable option.
• With fewer units you can achieve a more efficient workflow.
• Everything is within reach.
• The space available is used well, and there is no loss of space as in the case of huge corner cupboards, which are difficult to access.
• It is a more sociable layout that promotes an open-plan arrangement.
• Increases a sense of openness in the room.

Disadvantages of a single walled kitchen

Unless it is properly designed, a single walled kitchen could pose some drawbacks;

• Lack of counter space since a good percentage of it needs to be taken up by the sink and appliances.
• Certain activities and tasks are more efficiently done if there is an adjacent worktop available.
• More prone to clutter.

Possible solutions

These problems can be overcome:

• By including a kitchen island so as to add more worktop space.
• You could also use pullouts and pan drawers for more storage space.
• Door storage racks can be very useful.
• Store certain supplies or items in stackable containers to make the best use of the space available.
• Opt for tall cabinets that reach to the ceiling to use wall space efficiently.
• Purchase compact appliances.

Conclusion

These are just some tips and tricks, which can help make your single wall kitchen look truly unique and fabulous.

At the end of the day, you can be as original and innovative as you want to be as the kitchen is the heart of your home, and it deserves to look and feel great regardless of its size or layout.

L-shaped kitchens have always been among the most popular.

The shape helps to maximise worktop space, while retaining the much sought after open plan design that many homeowners love.

L-shaped kitchens are versatile and they allow you to have all you might need close at hand while you are cooking. Moreover, if you have an l-shaped kitchen, or have used one, you know that this design allows the room to feel more spacious.

An L-shaped layout works well with both traditional as well as modern cabinetry, and should there be any structural demands in the room, such as, a large window or door, or sloping ceilings, you can still work your way around them with some careful planning.

Considering all of these benefits, let us elaborate on some tips which will help you design your L-shaped kitchen.

1. The working triangle

You might have heard of this expression sometime or other.

When planning kitchens, designers place a great deal of importance on creating a working triangle, which basically means that the distances between the sink, the oven and the refrigerator are well thought out.

These are the three most important elements in any kitchen, and you want to have a comfortable distance from one to another to avoid useless movements to and fro.

An L-shaped kitchen design generally makes the creation of the working triangle quite straightforward.

2. Logical movement

Planning is key, and this is even more important in such an important room as the kitchen is in any household.

In the kitchen you are going to have people coming in and out, grabbing a snack, sitting at the table eating, preparing a meal, opening the fridge, and so on!

So you need to be aware of the importance of considering the traffic flow in your kitchen while you are designing it.

This includes considering the entry and exit points, where you should place the table, whether there is enough place to include an island, as well as the sight lines.

3. The Island

L-shaped kitchens are generally complemented by an island in the middle of the room.

While this increases worktop space even further, it can also improve your working triangle as the hob can be placed in the island, and be right in the middle of the room.

Islands will also offer more space for storage needs.

4. Integrating custom features

You will want to make the best use out of the space available, and this implies taking the time to design the layout of the various cupboards and drawers in your kitchen, as well as any open shelves.

Consider different storage options and custom features which will help you to satisfy your personal preferences and storage needs, while maximising the space available.

5. Tall units

Wall cabinets are very popular in kitchens nowadays, including l-shaped kitchens.

With tall units you will be making the best possible use of the wall space available, and this increases storage possibilities, which in turn helps to reduce clutter from your worktop.

6. Corner cupboard considerations

With an L-shaped kitchen you are inevitably going to have a corner cupboard.

Such cupboards tend to end up being rather under-utilised because of the depth that they will have to have.

Plan well what you could place in this cupboard. Naturally you cannot store essential items that you will be using often.

However for certain items that are used on a seasonal or occasional basis, a corner cupboard can be perfect as it is spacious by nature.

You might also wish to install racks that move outwards so as to reduce the need of having to kneel down and fumble into the deepest parts of the corner cupboards.

7. Improving small spaces

An l-shaped kitchen design helps you to maximise the efficiency and use of space even if the room is rather small.

Besides being practical, it can also be aesthetically pleasing, and with some considerations you can even make it look spacious.

For instance, try to include open shelves to reduce the crammed look many cupboard doors next to each other might lead to. Make sure to choose light colours and to mix and match the cabinets and drawers’ positions.

Hi-gloss units make a small space look bigger too. You could also hang a fixed rail below bottom shelves and cupboards so as to hook up any saucepans and pans to them.

This reduces the need to store them inside the cupboards, leaving more space for other items, equipment and utensils.

Conclusion

An L-shaped kitchen can be very compact and practical. With careful planning you can design a beautiful and comfortable kitchen for your home, which will be literally the hub for your family.

What if we told you it was really easy to build your own fitted wardrobe using MDF?

Even better, how would you feel if we told you it can be done in a single weekend?

Yes, it's true!

In this article, we're going to share with you how it's done... simply!

Most bedrooms have a common problem – too many items to store, and not enough storage space!

This leads to a lot of clutter and items stored in all sorts of impractical places. If you are in this kind of situation and would gladly like to do something about it, then continue reading...

How to build a fitted wardrobe yourself

A fitted wardrobe will help you make the best use of your limited space, and you will not have to spend a fortune making it

You could fit a wardrobe underneath a staircase, or in a small corner of a room, enabling you to gain more storage space.

You can also customise it just the way you like, making it easier to complement any existing furnishings or colour schemes

It's fairly simple to build a wardrobe yourself by using affordable MDF boards.

Just go through the following steps to see for yourself.

1. Determine the Space

You will first need to decide where you intend to place your wardrobe.

Measure the space so as to plan it out.

You will want to make maximum use of the height available, especially if your floor space is limited.

2. Set Your Dimensions

Once you've measured up your space, you will then need to set out the overall dimensions of the wardrobe.

Ideally there should be a width of about 50cm per door, or double that for a double doored wardrobe.

Make sure you consider the way the doors will open, and the layout inside the wardrobe.

Remember... it's always a good idea to think about the types of items you intend to store in your wardrobe.

This will enable you to plan properly in terms of number and types of shelves, hanging space and drawers.

So... always plan ahead!

3. Get the Right Tools

You will need to have the right tools to make the job as easy as possible. Never try to cheat. Tools make light work!

You will need:

• measuring tape
• good quality screws at various lengths
• a saw
• an electric drill
• electric screwdriver or impact driver
• a wood plane
• wood glue or suitable adhesive

4. Define Compartments

You will need to spend a considerable amount of time planning on paper

This is to make sure that you define all the compartments that there will be inside the wardrobe, as well as the various panels and parts you will have to have for each and every one of them.

18mm MDF panels are ideal for the outer parts as well as the inner compartments, whereas 12mm wide panels can suffice for the door panels.

When going to buy the MDF boards, make sure to take the dimensions of all the individuals parts with you as most timber stores will cut them out for you, saving you a great deal of time and effort.

Smaller cuts can be easily done at home with a handsaw, but the longer cuts are much harder and time consuming unless you have a good quality jigsaw or circular saw.

You will need to start off by setting up the outer frame of the wardrobe.

Reinforce the joints of these outer structure panels with corner brackets as well as screws.

When this structure is in place, you can then move on to the smaller parts, that is, the various inner compartments.

5. Shelves & Drawers

Make sure to mark all the panels and parts as this will make it easier for you when you start forming the drawers and compartments.

It's a good idea to create grooves which will allow you to slide the required panels inside easily, before screwing them up to the horizontal panels above and below, or to vertical ones on the sides.

Make sure everything is properly aligned.

Drawers can be constructed really easily.

Measure up the four parts, glue them to one another, and finally screw them up together.

Attach the runners on the sides, and insert into the wardrobe to see that they fit properly and align well.

You may wish to install a front panel for more sturdiness and to install the knob more easily.

Shelves are even easier to make than drawers!

All you need is panels, and the side fittings to place them onto when inserting them into their rightful places inside the wardrobe.

And finally, install the doors! Your wardrobe is practically finished!

6. Materials & Finishing

With regards to materials, you will need plenty of MDF boards cut to the required size.

MDF is smooth, so there is no need for sanding, other than at the edges where the cuts have been made.

7. Hardware & Handles

You are going to need many screws.

Try to choose screws that do not make a very large hole when fastened to the panels.

You will also need drawer runners for drawers.

You will need knobs or handles for drawers and for the wardrobe doors.

Corner brackets are recommended for more sturdiness, and you will also need brackets for the shelves.

And that's practically it... you're virtually done!

As you can see it is really easy.

All you need are some basic tools, affordable materials and hardware, and some forward planning!

See It in Action

If you are still unsure how to follow our guidelines, watch this amazing video uploaded to YouTube by Charlie DIYte for really helpful instructions on making your own fitted wardrobe using MDF sheets: