Murphy Bed With
Wardrobe

How it works

Wardrobe towers flank the bed cabinet: full-height cabinets with hanging rods, shelves, or a mix. The bed folds down between them. Closed, the wall reads as a bedroom suite: wardrobe, bed cabinet (often with decorative panels or mirrors), wardrobe. It's the closest a murphy bed gets to looking like built-in bedroom furniture.

The towers are typically 24 inches deep to fit hangers, which makes them deeper than the bed cabinet. Good designs step the bed cabinet forward or add a valance so the depths reconcile visually instead of looking like a mistake.

Who it's actually for

Bedrooms with no closet, guest rooms, and small primary bedrooms where the dresser had to go. If you're giving up a closet to make room for the bed, the wardrobe towers give it back.

This is a commitment piece. A queen with two 24-inch wardrobes is nearly 10 feet wide. Make sure the room can absorb that much furniture on one wall before you build.

Dimensions and footprint

Queen plus two 24-inch wardrobes: about 114 inches wide, 87 inches tall, 24 inches deep at the towers. Each wardrobe interior fits a standard hanger rod with room for shirts and folded items; full-length hanging needs the full 84-inch interior height, so plan the shelf layout before you cut.

You need a wall at least 10 feet wide and 8-foot ceilings. Open, the bed needs 85 inches of floor. That's a 10-by-12 room minimum to keep it comfortable; check how to measure your room first.

DIY vs buying: the real cost

Retail wardrobe walls run $2,200 to $6,500. Wardrobe cabinets are pricier than bookcases: doors, rods, and deeper boxes cost more in materials and labor.

DIY: $600 to $1,000 for the bed, $300 to $600 for two wardrobe towers (deeper plywood boxes, doors, rods, hardware). Total $1,000 to $1,700 plus our $100 plans. The doors are the fussiest part. Budget your patience for hinge adjustment, or build slab doors and skip the raised panels.

What to watch out for

• Door swing needs clearance. Wardrobe doors need 24 inches of swing, so don't put the bed where an open door hits it mid-fold.
• Ventilate the wardrobes. Closed cabinets with clothes get musty; drill vent holes top and bottom of the tower backs.
• Don't hang heavy coats on a rod spanning more than 36 inches without a center support. A sagging rod is forever.
• Anchor towers independently to studs. They're tall, deep, and heavy when loaded.
• Reconcile the depths. A 24-inch tower next to a 20-inch bed cabinet needs a design decision: step, valance, or filler, not a shrug.

Frequently asked questions