Introduction
For many people, the Swedish furniture giant IKEA is heaven-on-Earth. They have trendy styles, cheap prices, and delicious meatballs–what’s not to like? However, a quick search through their online catalog or a leisurely stroll through one of their mega stores will reveal one gaping hole in their product offering: Murphy beds. IKEA does not sell Murphy beds.
While they offer a wide variety of different bedroom furniture, Murphy beds are conspicuously missing from their product line. The reason IKEA has stayed out of the Murphy bed industry is the durability, and strength of their construction materials. IKEA rely’s heavily on manufactured wood, also known as particle board. According to The Spruce, “Manufactured wood or particleboard is lighter, but may have a lower maximum weight limit and some long-term durability issues.”† Murphy beds have immense stored energy in their lifting mechanisms which require durable construction materials and IKEA’s materials fall dramatically short.
Before going too much further, I’d like to make one thing clear: we understand that there are many, many things which IKEA does well. This article is not an attack. Instead, the purpose is to explain why they do not offer Murphy beds.
Does IKEA sell Murphy beds?
Walking through IKEA is an emotional experience. Everything you see, from colanders to chandeliers, are beautifully designed and gloriously, gloriously cheap. You may have walked in as a normal person, but now you have been transformed into the top 1%, buying up everything in sight. It’s no wonder IKEA has generated such a frenzied, cult-like, frothing-at-the-mouth following of fans. But here’s the truth about IKEA’s furniture–it could be accurately described as “imitation furniture”. Their particle board follows the same basic production process as fast food french fries: make a slurry, drop it into molds, cook it, and drop it into some cardboard to be doled out to the masses.
This particle board is precisely the reason IKEA does not offer a Murphy bed in their otherwise comprehensive product catalog. They understand that their materials cannot withstand the force generated by a Murphy bed’s springs or pistons and eventually the cabinet would fail, leading to injuries and lawsuits. And that’s the whole point, Murphy beds require sturdy construction materials, a statement with which it appears IKEA fully agrees.
Where to buy a Murphy bed from instead of IKEA
By now you’ve realized that IKEA does not sell Murphy beds, which begs the question, “Where should I buy a Murphy bed?”. Allow me to give you an outline of the most important things to consider when shopping online for a Murphy bed, especially if you tend to like IKEAs pricing and styles.
Transform your space and
make your guests feel at home.
Style
If you like IKEA, you probably like simple, understated furniture that has clean lines and a modern feel. If that sounds like you, you’re in luck! Finding a real wood Murphy bed that meets those criteria is not difficult. For example, take a look at the Scape and the Dakota Murphy beds below.
Both of these styles exhibit clean lines with a simple, modern design motif, but with real wood construction. And, just like every product offered by Wilding Wallbeds, they are totally customizable, meaning you don’t have to buy it the way it is shown. You can change the color, the wood type, the size, etc. You can get the style you want, the strength you need, and customize it to fit your taste.
Price
IKEA is known for their low prices, so odds are you are trying to keep to a tight budget when looking for your Murphy bed. However, IKEA is able to keep their prices low by using very low-quality materials that create a very affordable final product that is designed to function for 1-2 years and then be tossed into the landfill. Put another way, in 50 years nobody will be selling the particle board dresser you bought this year as ‘vintage’ or ‘antique’; it will be long gone.
On the other hand, real wood will last a lifetime. You only have to buy one real wood Murphy bed in your entire life and you will never have to replace it. In fact, we hear about our wall beds being handed down from one generation to the next because they outlived their original owner. With all of that being said, an old maxim comes to mind: you get what you pay for. When you purchase a Wilding Wallbed, the initial price is higher than what you would expect from a piece at IKEA, but the value you are purchasing is much greater as well. To see our current prices, take a look at our line of Murphy beds.
What materials are high-quality Murphy beds made of?
Say it with me: “I deserve better than particle board.” Did that sink in? Any time you feel yourself slipping back into old habits of settling for low-quality alternatives to real wood, feel free to give us a call and we’ll get you back on track.
Great Murphy beds are built from real wood. This typically means a combination of solid wood and furniture-grade plywood. A very common misunderstanding is that plywood is lower quality than solid wood, and this is simply untrue. They are each great for different purposes and should be used in different applications. For instance, most people don’t realize that solid wood is remarkably unstable as a construction material. It has the tendency to warp and bow depending on the moisture levels in its environment. This means that it shouldn’t be used in structural components that need to maintain their integrity and shape long-term. In those instances, a real-wood furniture grade plywood is best because it has the look and feel of solid wood with the strength of many layers of real wood, strategically bound together.
When selecting a Murphy bed, be wary of any product that claims to be built from particle board, mdf, thermofoil, laminates, or engineered wood. These are all forms of inferior wood alternatives that are not fit for use within a Murphy bed.
A few other important considerations
When deciding the company you entrust to build your Murphy bed, there are a few other factors to consider, namely customer service, innovative functionality, and product warranties. These factors, in combination with style preferences, should point you firmly in the direction of the best Murphy bed for you.
Customer service
The main consideration with regard to customer service is whether or not you can get in touch with the company you trust when you need them. We’ve all been through the frustrating phone trees that loop endlessly from menu to menu and act more like a defense mechanism to keep you from speaking with a customer service rep. A Murphy bed is a large piece of furniture which requires setup and installation and the last thing you need is a company that will leave you high and dry when you need some assistance. Hint: Wilding Wallbeds offers unparalleled customer service, but don’t take it from me, see what one of our customers had to say.
“The quality/craftsmanship is unmatched. The lift mechanism is sturdy and seems like it will last forever. When the bed is not in use, the furniture is absolutely beautiful. The customer service is another highlight as they were very helpful, responsive, and extremely friendly. I would buy from Wilding again and recommend them to anyone.”
Innovative functionality
An easy way to view this is what room is your Murphy bed going in? Is it going to be an office? A craft room? A library? The type of Murphy bed you purchase will depend on your answer. For example, if you are going to be using this room as an office, you could consider the Murphy Desk Bed as a great option for your space. A few other innovative beds to review would be the Sofa Murphy Bed and the Bookcase Wall Bed, if you play your cards right you might just wind up saving space while enhancing the functionality of your room.
Product warranties
A warranty is a company’s way of showing that they believe in their products; putting their money where their mouth is, as it were. As you peruse the various options available to you, check with each company to learn about their warranty. Hopefully you will never have to use the warranty, but it’s a great way to gauge a company’s faith in their products as well as their willingness to make sure you are happy with your purchase. Bear in mind that wood can be difficult to warranty, as it is a natural product, but there are other things that are easily warrantied on Murphy beds, such as lifting mechanisms and hardware.
But aren’t futons just as good as a Murphy bed?
While IKEA doesn’t sell any Murphy beds, they do offer a line of futons. Which leads to the question, “aren’t futons just as good as a Murphy bed?”. If you’ve ever slept on a futon, you know the answer to that question. The difference between a futon and a Murphy bed is the comfort of the mattress. Murphy beds use real mattresses where futons use sofa cushions, and the difference in the comfort and quality of sleep is drastic. So, if you opt for a futon for your guests, you better plan on paying for their physical therapy as well.
Where to find a Murphy Bed instead of IKEA?
Wilding Wallbeds has been Manufacturing all-wood Murphy beds for over 25 years. We build every bed in Southern Utah and ship nationwide. Because we build every Murphy bed to-order, you can get the look and style you are looking for without settling for low-quality production techniques and materials. We are the manufacturer, which means that you you are getting the best prices by buying factory-direct.
†TheSpruce.com, Erica Puisis. ‘How to Choose a Murphy Bed’. Accessed 12/19/2023.
