The need for a multi-functional room quickly arose in our small Copenhagen apartment. The outcome was an office/ guest room which turned out to work really well. With an old bed, a kitchen table in hand and some leftover IVAR sections the idea was born – a DIY Murphy Bed with desk.
A quick stop at the lumber yard to get hinges, and four shelves in different measurements and we got started.
IKEA items used
- IVAR system
- 1 Bed (in this case 120×200 cm)
- 1 office table (in this case a wooden kitchen table)
- 4 individual shelves (in this case bought at the lumberyard)
- 1 MDF board (in this case 6 mm. Caution, this adds weight when pulling up and down)
- Chalkboard paint
- 2 bed feet
- 2 bolts (to act as hinges)
- 2 rails (bolts can slide in)
Hack instructions for Murphy bed with desk
To make the IVAR section look like an integrated part of the not so wide office table (kitchen table) I had to modify the standard IVAR shelves to fit the width of the office table. I took the side rail off and cut to fit and reattached the side rail. Now that section was done and it was time to build the Murphy bed.
I made the bed hinges over two aksels (bolts) which can slide in a rail. This makes the bed able to slide all the way against the wall when the bed is pulled down.
The wide shelf on top is attached between two IVAR sections by hacking side rails from a leftover IVAR shelf.
The bench is build up by three shelves bought at the lumber yard and modified to fit into the IVAR section. The bench also works as storage room for the bed feet, duvets etc.
To make it office-like I made a blackboard on the bottom face of the bed. It appears when the bed is folded up.
See the Murphy bed with desk in action
~ by Martin Vester
