The Murphy bed, also known as a foldaway bed or the wall bed, is regaining popularity in America after a recent publication. A prominent manufacturer of the bed spoke about the product’s history and functionality during a recent interview attracting attention from American consumers, reports CBS News.
Gene Kolakowski, from the Original Murphy Bed Company, which started in San Francisco, took some time to discuss the origin of the Murphy Bed and the inspiration the contraption.
Family legend holds that inventor Lawrence Murphy was inspired to make a hidden bed after wanting to spend time with his girlfriend. Murphy lived in a one-room apartment and knew it would be inappropriate to bring her into a single room with a bed, as living standards were much more restrictive around the turn of the century.
“He was a tinkerer, inventor, and he came up with the idea, ‘If I could put the bed away then she can come into my living room,“ Kolakowski told CBS. ”And it’s only a bedroom when she leaves—that was the concept, and that’s what got him started.”
The invention that started as a ploy to further a relationship with a girlfriend not only made Murphy a famous inventor but also a wealthy businessman. Murphy beds are still in production around the world and there are multiple manufacturers in the US, including Kolakowski’s Original Murphy Bed Company, Murphy Bed Direct, E-Z Murphy Beds, and the Wall Bed Factory.
The bed was most popular in the 1920s in New York. The beds have still lingered in the market but have not been as popular since the Great Depression.
Prices can vary significantly due to the possibility of room reconstruction along with the various levels of quality, sizes, and mattress materials. Some models are similar to a large bookcase with the centerpiece holding the bed, avoiding the hassle of cutting into a wall. There are also versions that utilized closets as a space to conceal the bed.
Gene Kolakowski, from the Original Murphy Bed Company, which started in San Francisco, took some time to discuss the origin of the Murphy Bed and the inspiration the contraption.
Family legend holds that inventor Lawrence Murphy was inspired to make a hidden bed after wanting to spend time with his girlfriend. Murphy lived in a one-room apartment and knew it would be inappropriate to bring her into a single room with a bed, as living standards were much more restrictive around the turn of the century.
“He was a tinkerer, inventor, and he came up with the idea, ‘If I could put the bed away then she can come into my living room,“ Kolakowski told CBS. ”And it’s only a bedroom when she leaves—that was the concept, and that’s what got him started.”
The invention that started as a ploy to further a relationship with a girlfriend not only made Murphy a famous inventor but also a wealthy businessman. Murphy beds are still in production around the world and there are multiple manufacturers in the US, including Kolakowski’s Original Murphy Bed Company, Murphy Bed Direct, E-Z Murphy Beds, and the Wall Bed Factory.
The bed was most popular in the 1920s in New York. The beds have still lingered in the market but have not been as popular since the Great Depression.
Prices can vary significantly due to the possibility of room reconstruction along with the various levels of quality, sizes, and mattress materials. Some models are similar to a large bookcase with the centerpiece holding the bed, avoiding the hassle of cutting into a wall. There are also versions that utilized closets as a space to conceal the bed.
