As living space becomes more efficient, two social trends have converged to foster the Murphy beds regained popularity. First, because housing is more expensive, every available area needs to be used in as many ways as possible. Multi-use rooms are an extremely effective way to expand that space. Second, the do-it-yourself boom is still in full swing, as people choose to economize where they can by providing their own labor. Thus, turning a bedroom or study into a multipurpose guest room/work room by building ones own Murphy bed is an increasingly popular project.
Murphy bed plans and kits are available at a variety of sources. Manufacturers and retailers of Murphy beds often offer suggestions and technical support for this project. Many of these manufactures also sell a Murphy bed Plan. Other resources are the fashionable home improvement shows and home make-over shows. Often, a video of one of these instructional programs will be available to guide the home carpenter. Carpentry books are also a good resource.
The project itself is fairly simple, involving a box that fits within another box, and that has legs that rotate in or out, depending on the position of...