Wall Bed for a Small Bedroom: How to Maximise Your Space
When floor space is limited, a wall bed can take up a surprisingly large proportion of a room. This can make it difficult to fit in a wardrobe, desk, storage or even enough space to move around comfortably.
A wall bed offers a different approach. Instead of permanently occupying the floor, the bed can be folded away when it isn't being used, allowing the room to serve another purpose during the day.
This makes wall beds particularly useful for small bedrooms, box rooms, studio flats, student rooms, home offices and guest rooms.
In this guide, we look at how a wall bed can help maximise a small space and the different types of rooms where a wall bed could be a practical solution.
How Does a Wall Bed Save Space?
A conventional bed occupies its footprint all day and night. Even when you're not sleeping, the bed remains in the middle of the room.
A wall bed works differently. When it is not required, the sleeping area can be folded vertically or horizontally into a cabinet or frame, depending on the design.
This can potentially free up a substantial amount of floor space during the day. That space could then be used for:
- A desk and office chair
- A wardrobe
- Additional storage
- A play area
- A sofa or armchair
- Exercise equipment
- A hobby area
- General living space
This is why wall beds are sometimes described as space-saving beds, folding beds, pull-down beds or Murphy beds.
Wall Bed for a Small Bedroom
A small bedroom can be difficult to furnish because the bed is usually the largest item of furniture in the room.
Once you have allowed space for the bed, there may be very little room left for anything else.
A wall bed can change the way the room is used. Instead of designing the room around a permanently positioned bed, you can potentially have a room that changes depending on the time of day.
During the day
The bed can be folded away, leaving more open floor space.
At night
The bed can be lowered to create a full sleeping area.
This can be particularly useful in smaller bedrooms where every square metre matters.
However, it's important to measure the room carefully before choosing a wall bed. You need to consider both the closed dimensions and the space required when the bed is open. For more information, see our guide to Wall Bed Dimensions & Space Requirements.
Wall Bed for a Box Room
A box room can be one of the most challenging rooms to furnish.
It may be large enough for a bed but leave very little usable space for anything else. A traditional single bed could occupy much of the available floor area, making it difficult to create a useful room around it.
A wall bed can provide another option. When folded away, the room could potentially be used as:
- A study
- A homework area
- A playroom
- A hobby room
- A dressing or storage area
- A guest room
Then, when the room is needed for sleeping, the bed can be brought down.
Could a box room become a multi-purpose room?
This is one of the biggest advantages of a wall bed.
Rather than having a small room that is effectively used only as a bedroom, you may be able to create a space that performs several different functions. This can be particularly useful in homes where an additional bedroom is rarely occupied.
Wall Bed for a Studio Flat or Apartment
A studio flat has a particularly obvious space-saving challenge: one room may need to provide almost everything. The same area may need to function as:
- Bedroom
- Living room
- Dining area
- Workspace
- Storage area
A permanent double bed can make the room feel dominated by the sleeping area. A wall bed allows the sleeping area to be folded away when it isn't needed.
For example, during the day the room could have space for a sofa, table and desk. At night, the wall bed can be lowered to create the sleeping area.
This can make a wall bed an interesting option for studio flats, studio apartments and small apartments where floor space is at a premium. If you're weighing up a wall bed against a sofa bed for this kind of multi-purpose room, our wall bed vs sofa bed comparison goes through the trade-offs.
Wall Bed for a Student Room
Student accommodation is another situation where space can be limited. A student room may need to accommodate:
- A bed
- Desk
- Chair
- Wardrobe
- Books
- Computer equipment
- Personal belongings
In a particularly small room, the bed can occupy a significant proportion of the available floor area.
A wall bed could potentially allow the room to be used differently during the day, providing additional space for studying or other activities.
What about rented student accommodation?
This is an important consideration.
Many student rooms are rented, so you should always check the tenancy agreement and obtain the landlord's permission before installing a wall bed that requires permanent fixing.
The installation requirements also need to be checked carefully to make sure the wall is suitable for the particular wall-bed system.
Wall Bed for a Home Office
One of the most useful applications for a wall bed is a home office that doubles as a guest bedroom.
Working from home has made spare rooms increasingly valuable. But if the room is only occasionally used by guests, having a conventional bed permanently occupying the floor may not be the most efficient use of the space.
A wall bed can allow the room to work as an office most of the time.
During working hours
The room can accommodate:
- Desk
- Office chair
- Computer
- Shelving
- Filing or storage
When guests arrive
The bed can be lowered to transform the office into a bedroom.
This makes a wall bed particularly interesting for homeowners who don't want to sacrifice an entire room just to provide occasional sleeping accommodation.
Wall Bed for a Spare Room or Guest Room
A spare bedroom isn't necessarily used every day. If it is mainly used when friends or relatives visit, the rest of the time it could potentially serve another purpose.
A wall bed can make it easier to create a multi-purpose guest room. The room could become:
- Guest bedroom + home office
- Guest bedroom + study
- Guest bedroom + hobby room
- Guest bedroom + exercise room
When guests arrive, the sleeping space is restored by lowering the bed.
This is one reason wall beds can be particularly useful in homes where space is limited but an occasional guest bedroom is still required. If you're deciding between a wall bed and a simpler option for occasional guests, our Wall Bed vs Air Mattress guide compares the two.
Wall Bed for a Small Flat
You don't necessarily need to live in a studio apartment to benefit from a wall bed.
A small one- or two-bedroom flat may have a spare room that needs to perform several functions. For example, a second bedroom could be used as an office during the week and a guest bedroom at weekends.
A wall bed can make this type of arrangement easier because the largest piece of bedroom furniture can be folded away.
It can also be useful in a living room where there isn't enough space for a separate guest bedroom.
Wall Bed for a Garden Room
Garden rooms and garden offices can be another interesting application. A garden room might be used primarily as:
- A home office
- Studio
- Hobby room
- Gym
- Relaxation space
But it could occasionally be required as sleeping accommodation.
A wall bed can potentially provide a sleeping area without permanently filling the room with a conventional bed.
However, if the room is intended to provide sleeping accommodation, it's important to consider the relevant planning, building, safety and accommodation requirements for your particular situation.
Wall Bed for a Loft Conversion
Loft rooms can have unusual layouts and restricted floor space, particularly where sloping ceilings are involved.
A conventional bed can sometimes make an already awkward space feel even more cramped.
Depending on the room's height and wall configuration, a wall bed may provide an alternative way of using the available space.
A horizontal wall bed can sometimes be particularly interesting in rooms where ceiling height is restricted, although the suitability depends entirely on the individual product and room.
Always check the manufacturer's complete dimensions before choosing a wall bed for a loft room.
Wall Bed for a Holiday Let or Airbnb
Wall beds can also be useful where one room needs to provide flexible accommodation.
For example, a small holiday property might need to sleep additional guests without permanently dedicating another room to beds.
A wall bed can potentially allow a room to function as living accommodation during the day and sleeping accommodation at night.
For holiday lets and rental properties, however, durability, installation, access and safety should all be considered carefully.
Single or Double Wall Bed for a Small Room?
One of the biggest decisions when choosing a wall bed is the size.
A single wall bed takes up less space and can be particularly suitable for:
- One-person bedrooms
- Children's rooms
- Student accommodation
- Small offices
- Box rooms
- Occasional guest accommodation
A double wall bed provides more sleeping space but requires a larger footprint when it is opened. It can be useful for:
- Couples
- Guest bedrooms
- Studio flats
- Spare bedrooms
- Larger home offices
Don't automatically choose the largest bed that will fit. Think about how the room will actually be used. If the room needs to function as an office during the day, for example, a smaller wall bed may leave more usable space for the desk and other furniture.
Vertical or Horizontal Wall Bed for a Small Room?
The orientation of the wall bed can make a significant difference.
Vertical wall beds
A vertical wall bed folds upwards and generally requires more height. It can work well where the available wall is relatively narrow but the room has sufficient ceiling height and floor depth.
Horizontal wall beds
A horizontal wall bed folds sideways. This can be useful where there is more wall width available but less usable height or depth.
The right configuration depends on the shape of the room and the position of doors, windows and other furniture.
Before buying, check the complete dimensions of the wall bed both folded away and fully open.
How to Make a Small Room Work With a Wall Bed
A wall bed is only one part of designing a small room. You can potentially make the available space work even harder by combining it with other space-saving ideas.
Use multi-purpose furniture
A desk can double as a study and dressing area. Storage can be incorporated into the wall-bed unit where the design allows.
Keep furniture off the floor where possible
Wall-mounted shelving can provide storage without taking up valuable floor space.
Use light colours
Pale walls and furniture can help a small room feel more open and airy.
Keep walkways clear
Don't fill every available corner with furniture. Having some clear floor space can make a small room feel considerably less cramped.
Use the wall space
In a small room, vertical space can be just as valuable as floor space. Shelving, cupboards and a wall bed can make use of areas that would otherwise remain unused.
How Much Space Do You Need for a Wall Bed?
There isn't one universal room size that works for every wall bed. The amount of space required depends on:
- Bed size
- Wall-bed design
- Cabinet dimensions
- Vertical or horizontal configuration
- Mattress dimensions
- Room layout
- Furniture placement
- Doors and windows
- Required access around the bed
This is why it is important to measure your particular room rather than relying on a general minimum room size. For a more detailed explanation, see our guide to Wall Bed Dimensions & Space Requirements: How Much Room Do You Need?
Is a Wall Bed a Good Solution for a Small Room?
A wall bed can be an effective way of making a small room more flexible.
The main benefit isn't necessarily making the room physically larger. Instead, it allows you to use the same floor space for different purposes at different times.
- A bedroom can become an office.
- A spare room can become a study.
- A studio flat can become a living area during the day.
- A box room can become a multi-purpose space.
- And a guest bedroom can be used for other purposes when visitors aren't staying.
The important thing is to choose the right wall bed for the room and carefully check the dimensions before ordering — our complete Wall Bed Buying Guide covers everything from mechanisms to mattresses if you'd like the full picture.
Explore Wall Beds at Family Window
Whether you're looking for a wall bed for a small bedroom, box room, studio flat, student room, home office or guest room, the right design can help you make your room considerably more flexible.
Explore our Wall Beds collection to see the range we're preparing.