It’s no secret that built-in furniture can make all the difference in small spaces, and is a great way to customize your space to suit your exact needs. We routinely work with talented carpenters and woodworkers to design and build furniture for our clients that is practical and cool. Here are some of our favorite built-in beds.
Bed #1: Room-sized headboard
In this custom bed design, we incorporated built-in charging, reading lights, and shelves, as well as a ledge for art and nighttime supplies. Look closely at the tilted headboard, perfect for sitting up in bed and reading! The headboard ledge flows seamlessly into the window sill, while books and curiosities can be kept close at hand in the book nook.
Bed #2: Built-in Murphy Bed
One of our favorites! The charge from our client for this space was to make a single space that could support formal dining, office work, and a guest room – all without blocking light or building permanent walls. Our solution was a hard-working built-in that not only contains a fold-down Murphy bed, but also has room for chair and shoji screen storage.
Designs like this require a close collaboration between us, our client, and a talented furniture builder [in this case, Seth Bournival], as well as commitment to every tiny detail. Stuff like this looks easy and simple because of all the planning, and because the client is willing to make sure we’ve got the time and resources to make it happen!
Even if your project can’t quite support this level of custom millwork, there are still lessons you can draw from what we’ve done here – collapsible and convertible furniture, willingness to “operate” your house and take an active part in changing things around to suit your daily rhythms, and being up for trying strategies that don’t fit the typical “resale value” mindset.
More on this project here >>>
This project featured in the Boston Globe >>>
Bed #3: Storage, Storage, Storage
This bedroom, from the same project as Bed #2 above, required maximum storage. In a tight space, using the depth of the closets on either side to tuck the bed inside allows more walking space around the bed, as well as cozy, practical nooks for books, charging, and knick knacks.
Each side of the bed features a full sized hanging closet, with four deep drawers. the bed itself is actually made of a series of drawers, and the soffit above the bed are operable “garages” for off-season storage.
The mix of warm oak and clean white, with leather handles providing interest, ensure that while the space is packed with storage, there’s nothing cluttered about it!
For your own space, consider the spaces you can “steal” by thickening up a wall, or by using the space under your bed. There are hidden spots for storage everywhere, and if they’re planned well, they look clean and elegant.
More on this project here >>>
This project featured in the Boston Globe >>>
