Wall Beds & Murphy Beds UK: Vertical vs Horizontal, Sizes and Costs
A wall bed and a Murphy bed are the same thing. This guide explains which way yours should fold, what size fits your room, how the two lift mechanisms differ, and what they cost in the UK.
Vertical (folds down from the head end) suits most rooms and needs about 2.1 m of ceiling height. Horizontal (folds sideways) is the one to choose when your ceiling is low or the only free wall is short and wide — under a window, in a loft room, or beneath a sloping ceiling.
0 models are in stock, from to , in single, small double, double, EU king and super king, with spring or gas lift.
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Wall bed or Murphy bed — is there a difference?
No. They are two names for the same piece of furniture: a bed that folds up into a cabinet against the wall. "Murphy bed" comes from William Murphy, who patented the design in early-1900s San Francisco, and the name stuck in North America. In Britain the trade tends to say "wall bed", while shoppers use both — which is why you will see the terms used interchangeably here.
You may also see pull-down bed, fold-away bed, cabinet bed or foldaway wall bed. All describe the same mechanism. What genuinely differs between models is the direction it folds, the lift mechanism, and whether it comes with storage.
Vertical vs horizontal wall beds: which should you choose?
This is the decision that matters most, and it is settled by your room rather than your taste. A vertical bed pivots from the head end and stands tall against the wall. A horizontal bed pivots from the side and sits wide and low.
Vertical wall beds
0 models- Needs height, not width. A double stands roughly 2.05–2.1 m tall closed, so allow about 2.1 m of clear ceiling.
- Takes less wall. A double occupies about 1.5 m of wall width — useful in a narrow room.
- The usual choice for standard UK ceilings, and the only option at super king.
Best for: standard-height rooms, narrow walls, larger sizes.
Horizontal wall beds
0 models- Needs width, not height. Closed height is around 1.2–1.3 m, so it clears low ceilings and sloping roofs.
- Takes more wall. A double runs about 2.1 m wide.
- Fits under a window, where a vertical bed would cover the glass — often the deciding factor in a box room.
Best for: loft conversions, low ceilings, walls with a window.
Measure the ceiling height of the wall you intend to use before anything else. If it is under about 2.1 m, the choice is made for you: go horizontal.
What size wall bed do you need?
Sizes follow standard UK mattress widths, with one exception worth knowing: the 160 cm model is a European king — narrower than a UK king at 150 cm and longer — so it takes EU king bedding rather than UK king. Tap a size to filter the range.
Spring lift or gas lift?
Both counterbalance the mattress so the bed comes down and goes back up with one hand. The difference is how it feels and what else you get.
Spring lift
0 modelsA tensioned spring mechanism — the long-established design, mechanically simple and the more affordable of the two, with a clean, minimal cabinet front.
Best for: keeping the cost down, or a plain cabinet look.
Gas lift (soft-close)
0 modelsA pneumatic piston, like a car boot strut. The motion is smoother and slows at the end of travel, so the bed will not drop the last few inches. These models also add internal bookshelves and a metal slatted base.
Best for: daily use, and anyone who wants the softer close.
How much does a wall bed cost in the UK?
Across this range, prices run from to . Three things move the price: size, lift mechanism, and whether the model includes storage.
- Size adds the least — typically £50–£150 between one size and the next.
- Gas lift adds roughly £75–£125 over the equivalent spring model.
- Storage adds the most. Side wardrobes or an over-bed cabinet can add £200–£330, and 0 models here include it.
Fitted, made-to-measure wall beds from a joiner usually start well above this and run into several thousand pounds. Free UK delivery applies across the range.
Every wall bed we stock
All 0 models, with fold direction, size, lift and storage. Sorted by price.
| Model | Fold | Size | Lift | Storage | Price |
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Wall bed and Murphy bed FAQs
Is a Murphy bed the same as a wall bed?
Yes — they are two names for the same thing. A bed that folds up into a cabinet against the wall is called a Murphy bed in North America, after William Murphy who patented the design in early-1900s San Francisco, and a wall bed in the UK trade. You will also see pull-down bed, fold-away bed and cabinet bed used for the same product. No difference in mechanism is implied by any of these names; what actually varies between models is the fold direction, the lift mechanism and whether storage is included.
Can you get Murphy beds in the UK?
Yes. They are widely available in the UK, usually sold under the name "wall bed", which is why searching for "Murphy bed" can return fewer British results. We stock 0 models in UK and European mattress sizes — single 90 cm, small double 120 cm, double 140 cm, EU king 160 cm and super king 180 cm — in both vertical and horizontal folds, with free UK delivery. Buying in the UK also means the bed is sized for UK bedding, which is the main practical problem with importing an American Murphy bed: US mattress sizes such as Queen and Full do not match UK sizes.
What is the difference between a vertical and a horizontal wall bed?
A vertical wall bed folds down from the head end, so it stands tall against the wall and needs roughly 2.1 m of ceiling height, while taking up about 1.5 m of wall width for a double. A horizontal wall bed folds sideways, so it sits low and wide — around 1.2–1.3 m tall when closed but about 2.1 m across for a double. Choose vertical for a standard-height room or a narrow wall, and horizontal when the ceiling is low, the room is in a loft or under a slope, or the only free wall has a window in it that a vertical bed would cover. Measure the ceiling height first: below about 2.1 m, horizontal is the only workable option.
How much do wall beds and Murphy beds cost in the UK?
Our range runs from to , with free UK delivery. Three things drive the price. Size adds the least, usually £50–£150 between one size and the next. A gas soft-close lift adds roughly £75–£125 over the equivalent spring-lift model. Storage adds the most: side wardrobes or an over-bed cabinet can add £200–£330. Bespoke, fitted wall beds built by a joiner typically start well above this range and can run to several thousand pounds, so an off-the-shelf cabinet model is considerably cheaper if a standard size fits your room.
How deep is a wall bed when it is closed?
A closed wall bed cabinet typically projects around 40–45 cm from the wall, which is comparable to a shallow wardrobe or a chest of drawers. That depth has to house the folded mattress, so it does not vary much between models — a thicker mattress needs a deeper cabinet. Allow for the door or handle to clear when planning the room, and check the individual product page for the exact depth of the model you are considering, since cabinet and storage versions differ. Fold direction changes the closed height and width, not the depth.
Do wall beds come with a mattress?
Check the individual product page, as this varies by model. What matters more is mattress depth: a wall bed cabinet is built to close around a mattress of a particular thickness, so fitting a deeper one than specified can stop the bed folding flat or put strain on the mechanism. If you are supplying your own mattress, match the maximum depth stated for that model rather than assuming any mattress of the right width will fit. Gas soft-close models in this range use a metal slatted base, which suits most foam and sprung mattresses.