Murphy Bed With Storage: Wall, Cabinet and Loft Beds Compared
Short answer: A murphy bed with storage folds the bed away into a cabinet or against the wall and adds space for bedding, shelves or a desk. At Archic the storage options are freestanding cabinet murphy beds, so there is no wall mounting. Most have a drawer for pillows and bedding, the Murphy Cube and Orion list hidden storage, and the Siesta desk bed has bookshelves on both sides. Loft beds solve the same small-space problem the opposite way, by raising the bed instead of folding it away.
What counts as murphy bed storage?
A murphy bed, also called a wall bed, is hinged at one end so it stores upright against a wall or inside a closet or cabinet. Storage on a murphy bed comes in a few forms:
- Drawer in the base: holds pillows, blankets and sheets.
- Hidden compartment: space in the base of the cabinet.
- Shelves: bookshelves built into the cabinet sides.
- Top surface: a usable top for decor, or for a TV on credenza-style models.
Cabinet murphy beds with storage at Archic
These are the cabinet beds whose product pages list drawers, shelves or hidden storage. Sizes are closed dimensions.
| Model | Storage listed on the product page | Closed size (W x D x H) |
|---|---|---|
| Night and Day Poppy | Large rolling storage drawer, 57.5"W x 22.5"D x 11"H (inner 41"W x 19.5"D x 5.5"H) | 63.5" x 23.7" x 41.1" |
| Night and Day Sagebrush | Large rolling storage drawer, same listed drawer size as the Poppy | 63.5" x 23.7" x 41.1" |
| Night and Day Murphy Cube | Hidden compartment for bedding, pillows or essentials | 64.1" x 26.4" x 36.6" |
| Night and Day Orion (twin or full) | About 6 inches of hidden storage space | Twin 42.4" x 20.5" x 36"; Full 59.7" x 20.5" x 36" |
| Arason Creden-ZzZ Brussels | 9-inch storage drawer for pillows and blankets | 64" x 23" x 41.5" |
| Arason Creden-ZzZ Cottage White | 11-inch drawer for pillows and blankets | 64" x 23" x 41.5" |
| Night and Day Siesta Desk Bed (twin) | Bookshelves on both sides of the cabinet | 63.5" x 28.3" x 42" |
The drawer sizes above are the figures each product page publishes, so compare like with like: the Poppy and Sagebrush list an 11-inch outer drawer height with a 5.5-inch inner height, while the Arason pages describe 9-inch and 11-inch drawers without giving full dimensions.
The Sagebrush is credenza-style, and a TV can be placed on top and stays in place when the bed folds out. Browse every model in the cabinet murphy bed collection. For twin, full and queen dimensions side by side, see the cabinet bed sizes guide.
Cabinet bed vs wall bed
A cabinet bed is freestanding: Night and Day describes its cabinet beds as needing no wall-fastening, and Arason describes its cabinets as needing no floor or wall mounting. A wall bed is the same idea, a bed that stores against the wall, so the terms overlap. Our wall bed vs murphy bed guide explains the naming and the types.
Murphy bed vs loft bed
A loft bed is an elevated bed, similar to a bunk bed without the lower bunk, which frees the floor beneath for other furniture such as a desk. A murphy bed does the reverse: the bed folds away and the room is free during the day. If you want a desk plus a bed in one footprint without a raised bed, a desk cabinet bed like the Siesta above is the closest match.
Which one fits your room?
- Need a bed for guests and space for linens: a queen cabinet bed with a drawer, such as the Poppy, Sagebrush or Brussels.
- Small room or a twin or full: the Orion, which comes in twin or full.
- Want shelves or a work surface: the Siesta desk bed.
- Want the bed off the floor and the floor open beneath: a loft bed instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does a murphy bed have storage?
The bed itself stores upright against a wall or inside a cabinet. Extra storage depends on the model: most of our cabinet beds have a drawer for pillows and bedding, and some have a hidden compartment or shelves.
Do cabinet murphy beds need to be mounted to the wall?
No. Night and Day and Arason both describe their cabinet beds as freestanding.
How big is the storage drawer on a cabinet bed?
It varies by model. The Poppy and Sagebrush list a 57.5"W x 22.5"D x 11"H drawer with a 41"W x 19.5"D x 5.5"H interior. The Arason Brussels lists a 9-inch drawer and the Cottage White an 11-inch drawer.
What is the difference between a murphy bed and a cabinet bed?
A cabinet bed is a murphy bed that stands freely instead of mounting to the wall. The bed folds up inside a cabinet that looks like a chest or credenza when closed.
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