Old built-in murphy beds

[lovesickest]

Wow - the link to the vintage catalog is really great ! I had no clue that Murphy beds did anything except fold up against the wall in a sort of cabinet. The pivoting mechanism so that a double bed can come from a single door frame is very sensible.

I seem to remember in a particular apartment building in Vancouver, built in the 10's, that there was a sort of arts and crafts type cabinet that the beds pulled straight out of - like they were a long drawer. Does anyone remember these ?

[Sacto Diane (WavyGlass)]

I seem to remember in a particular apartment building in Vancouver, built in the 10's, that there was a sort of arts and crafts type cabinet that the beds pulled straight out of - like they were a long drawer. Does anyone remember these ?

I've seen those in one of the various Arts and Crafts photo books. I've never seen one in person but was fascinated by the one in the book. I have a spot in my house that it would be perfect for a bed like that and thought about trying to get someone to build one for me.

Diane

[Texas_Ranger]

I seem to remember in a particular apartment building in Vancouver, built in the 10's, that there was a sort of arts and crafts type cabinet that the beds pulled straight out of - like they were a long drawer. Does anyone remember these ?

I've seen those in one of the various Arts and Crafts photo books. I've never seen one in person but was fascinated by the one in the book. I have a spot in my house that it would be perfect for a bed like that and thought about trying to get someone to build one for me.

Diane

Where did those go while they were in? Did the adjacent room have a raised floor?

My uncle built something like that in the early 90s or so. He split a bedroom in two, adding another door from the hall and the smaller part had a raised floor with a few steps. the bed in the other part just slid underneath the floor like a huge drawer.

[lovesickest]

I have to admit I was never close enough pals with anyone who lived in that building (Caroline Court I think ? In the West End) to be able to scrutinize the workings of the pull out bed/cabinet. All I remember is that some units still had the intact bed while others did not, while the cabinets with drawers and cupboards remained. I recall a sort of large - like small room sized closet in the bachelor units - but that was across the room from where the bed cabinet was located. I think the cabinets were deeper than a usual cabinet so I don't know if the mattress sort of accordianed up to fit in the cabinet or if they slid in flat. Many mysteries...

[Sacto Diane (WavyGlass)]

I seem to remember in a particular apartment building in Vancouver, built in the 10's, that there was a sort of arts and crafts type cabinet that the beds pulled straight out of - like they were a long drawer. Does anyone remember these ?

I've seen those in one of the various Arts and Crafts photo books. I've never seen one in person but was fascinated by the one in the book. I have a spot in my house that it would be perfect for a bed like that and thought about trying to get someone to build one for me.

Diane

Where did those go while they were in? Did the adjacent room have a raised floor?

It looked like it slid back into a space behind a knee-wall. In my case I have bedrooms that have knee-walls on the second floor where the roof line come into the space. The knee-wall can hide a lot of unused space. On one side of the house I have a small door to the space that I can use for storage, etc. I always thought that some built-in's with the bed-drawer would be a good use of the knee-wall and space beyond the wall. Maybe add a secret door in the built-ins.

Diane

[Neighmond]

My Grandma Murphy was a relative of the bed folks.

There was a set of hardware that an architect could specify, and a large sideboard/buffet/built-in could be mounted to a platform and beefy back board assembly and swung on these arm hinges. The hinges were sort of a crank shaped affair, mounted in ball bearings on the bottom and top of the item to move, and it would allow the furniture to either open to one side or the other or rotate as much as a tad less than 180 degrees, then a standard in-a-door bed was either mounted to the back of the built-in or in the cavity behind.

[bfarwell]

Neighmond, that sounds exactly right! I don't suppose you have a couple sitting around, do you??

[sepviva]

I recently saw a new piece of furniture that worked exactly like this. It was at a store called Cella Luxuria in Philadelphia, wad very modern, and made by an Italian company. I don't see it on their site but if you called they will remember the piece. It was in the basement. If you found the company that makes it that might give you a lead on the hardware.

[Neighmond]

Bfarwell, I have some for a light (single) door/bed combo, but I may not have all the end cups. The double size are a hog to find!