are you gonna get that and have dh make it? It sure seems like a great way to save. And get the look for it that you want.

It is an IKEA hack, so you need to live near an IKEA to get the necessary parts.

I've seen that before. If you do a search, there are places where you can buy the usual hardware, lifts, etc, for a Murphy bed for about the same price.

Steph, I was not thinking of doing the bed for my White Dove house, no. But sometimes I come across ideas that I like so much that I wind up changing things so I CAN use the idea.

However, what I'm thinking of doing is taking a foot floor to ceiling for the whole wall behind my headboard and making that entirely cabinets with doors or baskets or just open shelving. Our bed is a storage queen size bed, so the drawers need space to roll out. I was going to mount the bedside tables on the wall there, have the bedside lamps mounted on the wall above each table. And then the storage space behind the headboard would wind up being the place for DH's tax papers and other carp that we don't need to see on a regular basis.

Just think what all can be stored in that amount of space, and we won't lose but one foot width of the bedroom.

What started all of this was my DH was saying that where I wanted to put the washing machine did not leave enough space to walk past it in the new kitchen arrangement. So I tried to figure how to put the washer on a diet! The wall behind many washers have wall pockets for the water connections, so I thought to meself, hmmmmmm, I can afford to drop back the wall into the bedroom space just in that corner, and it won't even look irregular if I made that part of the storage wall. Then the washer can be pushed flush with that wall, no allowance for water connections which will be in that slot, as will the dryer vent. You see, ours is a stacking Frigidaire laundry unit, built together. Heavy sucker, but I love it for its compactness. Front loading, of course, HE.

And with it part of the kitchen setup, I can use the adjacent countertop for folding clothes....as long as I'm not cooking on the gas stove! But I'm way past multitasking at my age. Slow and easy is my motto.

This sort of thing seems to fit pieces of a puzzle together, and I like that. My problem is similar to Lavender's, I see too many options and they are all sweet, so it is hard to settle on one. But, there is no one perfect solution, you just have to put your money on a number and watch the wheel of life spin.

A Murphy bed would be a good option in our basement den, and as some of you know, I'm somewhat of a DIY'er. I had planned a wall of bookshelves anyway, so I could put the bed in the middle with shelves flanking it. I'll have to do more research...

Jay, very pleased when you find an idea useful, because I know you are very hands-on creative.

Good day it is when you drop by, we all know how busy you are.

I couldn't find a photo of a finished bed on that site. I know what a murphy bed is, but wondered what these plans built? looks like?

ML, how is the door on your washer holding up? Mine is dragging and I've read online that that is a big problem with the front loading Frigidaire. drift>

Marti, we've had our washer for at least 4 years now. It is the bottom half of a stacking all-in-one unit, called a Laundry Center. It is not a separate washer standing alone.

We've had no such issues, and I am very careful not to put any wet clothes across the door of washer or dryer. Since we are the only two (mostly me/one) it is easier to make sure the machine is cared for. Some younger people might not have a care in the world and may hang onto the door as they bend over. Do you reckon that could cause some of the dragging door issues in many of the cases?

I couldn't find a photo of a finished bed on that site. I know what a murphy bed is, but wondered what these plans built? looks like?

I don't know ML. I don't hang onto mine either, and it was dragging when it was just dh & me here. I think the door is just heavy and the hinge isn't strong enough.

check ana-white.com for plans.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ana's fold-down bed

WOW Those are great directions. For us old timers it would be hard to get up off the floor mattress. Even so I am sure this plan could be adapted to a bed with legs. Or bed sideways since we have a full size. Just think of the room saved. Futon is about 36 deep and this would be a foot or so if that. That is TWO more glorious feet!!!

I am considering this for sure now with my sewing room / guest room. I can see putting a table in front of it when not in use.My fold up table that stashes away quickly should I need the room as a guest room.

Thanks lazygardens!!! Will explore some more of her blog.

Thanks for the link to Ana_White. Several projects seem very useful where rustic is desirable. Especially the floating ledges. She makes good videos too.

Shades, missed your post about "bed sideways."

When we went to Ireland, in the old stone cottages we toured near Shannon, in the parlor the multi-purposed room included a sideways folded bed. It was in like a cupboard of beadboard. The board was the bottom of the bed, which was the height of the wainscoting around the room or at least on the wall opposite the fireplace. It was a rather wide mattress, but being old fashioned, not sure it was a double bed. However, I think it was the sleeping quarters of the mother and father, because the children slept up in a loft behind the chimney over that room. My DH's mama was raised in a similar cottage, slept in one loft behind one chimney, and the boys slept behind the other chimney at the opposite end of the cottage. It had been added on to and was over 200 years old. Very smokey in those rooms too, because they burned peat. But I digress here.

Message is, that folding bed arrangement or Murphy bed (Irish name too, hmmmmm).....is not a new concept. It can be very quaint and old fashioned, or quite modern depending on how it is finished. I'm thinking a sideways bed now, instead of a tall bed, but maybe I can use the front bedroom as a 2nd bedroom (again) as well as a study, if I move the majority of our books into our master whole wall of shelving/storage.

Our two bedrooms are 12 x 12 approximately, maybe lack a few inches. So there is room to take away a foot in one dimension along the whole wall of our master bedroom. We will be adding about 70 sq feet more to that room as a sitting area/tall closet, just not in the area reserved for the bed. I think we'd still have room for a wheelchair to park beside the bed, or a walker, will have to incorporate this storage wall (with AND without) a Murphy bed into both rooms. I mean, why stop with just ONE ROOM....after all, I was used to small spaces when I lived on a houseboat and worked on a boat where I had a tiny personal bunk room. Every bit of the space had to WORK.

I like the fold-down bed in this book. For a little over $13 this book has some good ideas, with the fold-down bed being the best in MHO. I think the plan is for a queen size bed - double for sure. I've had the book for some time and eventually we will probably build the bed. Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Built-Ins-Storage-Pros-Fine-Homebuilding/dp/1561587001/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348369255&sr=1-1&keywords=built+ins+and+storage

Orcasgramma, you can also go to the Fine Homebuilding online site and subscribe to their regular newsletter and get lots of good info that way. They do put out great guides and discuss important issues related to safety and economical construction.

Thank you for the tip moccasinlanding. I will subscribe - had not thought of that.

In the none-of-my-business category. I enjoy your infrequent mention of your days on the water. Did you spend a lot of time on the ICW? It has been a few years now but we have very good memories of trips motoring on the ICW and keeping a close radio and visual look-out for commercial traffic. I was only in the gulf twice (in Texas from Galveston to Freeport) then back up the ICW - always thinking about the Texas Chicken while in the ICW.

Orcasgramma, most of my time was spent offshore.
In fact, I worked out of Aransas Pass (Corpus Christi), Port O'Connor, Freeport, Galveston, Sabine Pass, in Texas for many years, it was quite interesting in all those ports, but Port O'Connor was my favorite there. Then I worked in Louisiana ports--Cameron, Intracoastal City, Houma, Dulac, Morgan City, Fourchon, Venice, Grand Isle. I even got close to home once, I think it was GulfPort, backed up to the Chevron Refinery behind Horn Island. I could hear my favorite Mobile radio station for the first time while working.

Our boats were very fast, and the ICW required mostly slow moving traffic or extreme caution. Some of the ports I worked out of (especially Morgan City) were far from the Gulf, and required a long time on inland waterways before reaching open water. Parts of it were ICW.

Of course, the paddlewheeler yacht I worked on never went offshore, always on rivers and ICW, but those trips were from Mobile to Pensacola. It was definitely NOT a seagoing vessel! :) But what an experience.

Thank you Moccasinlanding - when work allows I am going to get out the charts and check out the places you mention. All the places you mention in Texas are familiar - either because we visited them or because I've heard the name. I may have to make some land trips to visit Port O'Connor, which I know less about than the other Texas ports. When you write your book :?) I will stand in line for it. I have no doubt you have many stories to tell.

I have good memories of flocks of Ibis in May and Brown Pelicans any time. Also Black skimmers at anchorages - especially one mosquito filled evening when we were almost carried away by mosquitoes before we could tear ourselves away from watching the skimmers to go below decks.

I imagine the bird life you saw on the paddlewheeler was incredible. I wonder if that has to do with the birds you now live with?

Again, thank you very much for sharing some of your experiences and evoking good memories.

Orcasgramma, I recommend to you a book I read about the history around Port O'Connor. It is

INDIANOLA: MOTHER OF WEST TEXAS.

Fascinating book, and so very interesting. That town ended up with hurricanes wiping it out two years in a row, and the good settlers moved the bricks from the buildings to Victoria and made it a nice place. Indianola was the port where the camels were landed, and shipped on the railway out to the deserts of the southwest. It was where many of the Germans of the Hill Country landed, and where the folks streaming to the gold fields landed and then embarked on their fevered quest for gold. I loved the place. Not much there when I last saw it, but totally wonderful residents.

When you go, you'll have to tell me what you see.

Thank you moccasinlanding. I have ordered the book and I am looking forward to a good read. Not sure how you knew I was in need of recommendations for books. I have read right through all my favorite authors and it seems to me they are writing at a very slow pace :)

With best wishes, OG