Keeping our homes neat and organized can be a challenge, especially in small living spaces like apartments and condos. However, cabinet beds in Canada provide an ingenious solution to save space while also acting as comfortable and stylish beds.
What are Cabinet Beds?
A cabinet bed, also referred to as a Murphy bed or a wall bed, is a bed that can be folded up into a cabinet or a wall to create more space when it’s not in use. Cabinet beds come in many different styles and designs, with customized storage spaces like shelves, cabinets and drawers. Some even double up as workstations or media centers when folded upright.
The concept of cabinet beds has been around since the early 20th century, but advances in technology and design have made modern options safer, more reliable and aesthetically pleasing than earlier models. They use springs, counterweights and pistons to easily lift and lower the bed frame, with safety features that prevent sudden dropping.
There are two main types of cabinet beds available in Canada:
Vertical cabinet beds: These lift upwards and fold into a tall, vertical cabinet recessed into the wall. They are space-efficient but require higher ceilings.
Horizontal cabinet beds: These feature a bed that lifts horizontally and stores inside a low cabinet close to the floor. They work better in rooms with standard ceiling heights.
Benefits of Cabinet Beds
Installing a cabinet bed is an excellent choice in any Canadian home or apartment with limited space. Here are some key benefits they provide:
Space Saving Design: Folding away out of sight when not in use allows for multifunctional spaces. Rooms can easily convert between bedrooms and living rooms, home offices, guest rooms, and more.
Comfort: Reputable cabinet bed brands use quality materials and mattresses for comfort, with customizable options. Features like draws for bedding storage also help.
Aesthetics: Cabinet beds come in a wide range of materials like wood, metal and laminates, with customized finishes. Horizontal designs can even have couches over the bed cabinet! Their clean, minimalist look fits beautifully in urban homes.
Versatility: Cabinet beds meet many needs beyond guest rooms. Home offices can double up as extra bedrooms. Basement suites or laneway houses also benefit from fitting an entire bed into a small footprint.
Value: Cabinet beds provide ample extra living area after storing the bed away during the day, effectively adding usable space for free their small footprint makes them ideal for small spaces.
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How to Choose the Right Cabinet Bed
With the variety of styles and options available, focus on these key factors when selecting the ideal cabinet bed:
- Room Size: Measure the overall dimensions like height as well as length/depth when folded up. Allow for accessibility around furniture as well. Custom sizing is often available.
- Mounting Type: Choose between wall mounted or free-standing models depending on room layout.
- Mattress Size: Standard mattress sizes used are twin, full, queen or king. Choose based on room size and how many sleepers it needs to accommodate.
- Weight Capacity: Ensure the bed frame and lift mechanism safely supports the mattress weight plus inhabitants. Average capacity is 500-1000 lbs.
- Design Style: Match the style to your existing décor, with options like contemporary, modern, traditional, industrial and more.
- Features: Consider conveniences like integrated lighting, charging stations, shelves and storage drawers to enhance functionality.
- Budget: Prices range widely from around $1000 up to $5000+ for high end custom cabinet bed systems. Set a budget before shopping.
How to Use Cabinet Beds
Installing a cabinet bed drastically transforms your usable space, but how do you convert the room back to a bedroom at the end of the day? Using a cabinet bed is simple:
Lowering the Bed: Release the safety latch if present, then gently pull downwards on the front edge of the bed or the provided handle. The lift mechanism slowly lowers the mattress until resting fully horizontal.
Raising the Bed: First ensure bedding isn’t hanging over the edges. Then lift the front edge of the mattress upwards until reaching the maximum vertical position, at which point the support locks activate. For powered units, use the included remote.
Night Use: Lower bed fully before getting in! Customize for your best sleep with options like lights built into the bed frame. Use integrated storage drawers for convenient access to bedding materials at night.
Day Use: Raise bed fully into the upright position after getting up. Flip down an oversized picture frame for a hidden TV in a home office. Add a couch cushion over the cabinet for extra seating in a living room. Get creative with your functional new space!
Conclusion
Cabinet beds provide the ultimate solution for transforming cramped rooms in Canadian condos and apartments. Their innovative space-saving designs neatly convert in seconds from comfortable beds to stylish cabinets or workstations when not sleeping. Choosing the right size, style and features tailored to your space makes enjoying their benefits even easier.
Give your room an instant upgrade with expanded living space. Bring home a cabinet bed in Canada, and improve your dream!
