If you think your living space is somewhat inadequate, you’re not alone. William Lawrence Murphy, a 19th century inventor living in a one-room apartment, felt the same. Since no upstanding woman of that day would consent to visit a gentleman’s sleeping quarters, the existence of a bed in his living room put a rather large crimp in his social life.
One day, the answer hit him. If he wanted to entertain women without scaring them off, he had only to stash his mattress in the closet. Thus was born the Murphy bed, an ingenious solution that allowed him to turn his bedroom into a fine, upstanding parlor.
Lost to history are the reactions of his female visitors as they watched the bed come down. However, the invention’s possibilities were not lost on Charlie Chaplin, the Three Stooges, James Bond and Mel Brooks, all of whom cashed in on the Murphy bed’s comedic potential in several popular flicks.
Murphy’s Secret Formula
Murphy wasn’t the first to invent a foldaway bed. Sears, Roebuck & Co. had featured a few in earlier catalogs. However, an ingenious use of pivots and counterweights made Murphy’s device much easier to pull down from the wall or closet that contained it.
After hitting the heights of popularity in the 1920s and ’30s, Murphy beds soon faded from the furniture scene. Despite their inventor’s ingenuity, some users found them hard to manage. The comedic mishaps they witnessed on the silver screen may have frightened quite a few others away.
The Murphy Bed Returns
Today, the tendency of people to downsize in a weakening economy has led to a resurgence of this space-saving bed that would surely bring a smile to Murphy’s face. People residing in mobile homes, dorm rooms and small apartments see in the Murphy bed the perfect solution for sleeping in cramped quarters.
All the Bells and Whistles
Today’s models feature more amenities than old Murphy could have imagined. Built-in lighting is one. Storage space is another. Some come complete with tables or desks that descend automatically when the beds fold up. Modern spring-based mechanisms make today’s Murphy beds easier to maneuver, enabling horizontally mounted models to gain popularity.
The Murphy Bed at More Space Place
At More Space Place, we’re familiar with the problems Austin residents face when living in limited spaces. That’s why we’ve given the Murphy bed a place of honor in our inventory. Many of our customers have already reached the obvious conclusion: If this bed worked so well for Murphy, then it’s sure to work for us. Give us a call today and find out how affordable a Murphy Bed is and how it can add beauty and functionality to your home.
