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Over the past ten years I have built and installed hundreds of Murphy beds. Most people are thrilled with the result but every once and awhile the results is not quite what they wanted. Many times I am the one who gets called to come in after “those other guys” as they call them “messed thing up”.

When spending your hard earned money, nobody wants to receive less than what they expected. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when shopping for and buying a Murphy bed.

1. Choosing the wrong mattress

I like to tell people that Murphy beds are as comfortable as you want to make them.

Most Murphy beds and wallbeds are designed to accommodate regular mattresses up to a certain thickness. It is very important to know what this thickness limitation before shopping for your mattress or Murphy bed. Finding out on installation day that your mattress won’t work with your new Murphy bed is very frustrating.

Steer clear of any Murphy bed that requires you to purchase a custom mattress. The mattress is largely what determines the comfort of any bed and mattress comfort is defiantly a personal choice.

Simply put, choose the most comfortable mattress you can afford for your Murphy bed. Your back and the backs of your guests will thank you.

2.Wrong side cabinet style and size choices

Adding side cabinets to your Murphy bed is almost always a smart choice. Where you can go wrong is by choosing the wrong cabinet style or size for your needs.

Before you go shopping, take an inventory of the room the Murphy bed will be going in. Look for items you will want to store and organize. Knowing how much you want to store in your cabinets and the size of the items is crucial for picking the right cabinet.

Side cabinets that function as bedside table are useful when guests are staying but will just be taking up space when not in use. If the bed will be seldomly used, consider other cabinet options.

Narrow cabinets do not offer much in terms of storage but can function well as display units. Consider adding a pullout shelf to open style cabinets so they can double as a bedside table when the Murphy bed is being used.

If you are looking to use you side cabinets for extra clothes storage, take note of the cabinet depth when you are shopping. A cabinet designed for clothes must be a minimum of 18″ deep for a hanger rod. 20″ is the standard depth of most closets. Increasing the depth of your cabinets will have a big impact on how much space these cabinets take up in the room.

3. Communication and knowing what you want

 Alright so this is a hard one and is certainly not limited to just buying a Murphy bed. So many different problems can be avoided by clearly expressing any concerns you may have and asking questions.

 Before you go shopping arm yourself with as much information as you can find on Murphy bed styles and choices. Never assume something is included, always ask.

 Bring in pictures of design you like or even a picture of the room the Murphy bed will be going in. Having dimensions handy and noting any obstacles or items that may get in the way will be very helpful.

 Many manufacturers and retailers are guilty of not communicating details as well. The only suggestion I have to avoid this is to ask all the questions you can think of even the ones that seem obvious. If you hear an answer you don’t like or the retailer does not like answering your questions, this is the time to walk away.

 You should always request a detailed workorder/receipt from the retailer or manufacturer. Nobody likes to be surprised with last minute changes or alterations on install day. If a retailer or installer makes changes, without your approval, ask for a discount. If you cannot live with the alteration having written proof of what you wanted will aid in negotiating your refund.

 There are many other details to consider when purchasing a Murphy bed. These are just the most common pitfalls I have encountered over the past ten years of building Murphy beds.

Please add in your comments about your own Murphy bed purchase or any tips you may have. I hope you have found find this information useful now go and do some research on the perfect Murphy bed for you.