Looking for ideas on how to add a DIY bed in closet? This is such a creative idea to make any room into an instant guest room.
This cool space saving idea allows you to open up your living room for more living space. Find out how to transform your room from a guest bedroom to a larger living space in a flash.
Does anyone else remember the sage, wise wisdom that was School House Rock?
Where conjunctions had their function.
When interplanetary Janet was a galaxy girl and bills just sat on the steps of the Capitol building and lolly, lolly, lolly got some adverbs here?
But my favorite?
The one where mother necessity was rocking in her chair and knitting that blue sweater and talked about Edison and Alexander Graham Bell and Rober Fulton with a wise expression on her face.
It’s the one I think about when I’m trying to figure out a problem because it’s so true.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Just like the instant guest bedroom idea behind these barn doors.
DIY Bed In Closet Project Idea
These barn doors are in the study at my mother’s house.
The room had a spare closet that wasn’t being used.
So we repurposed it and installed shelving in the closet and then hung up the barn doors to hide the TV and a dozen movies and the entire lego population this side of the Mississippi.
But then?
As great as the shelving unit in the closet was, we needed more.
Lego storage is great, but we needed the room to serve more than one purpose.
We needed a guest bedroom in a minute.
And so?
We took the closet and added an instant guest bedroom.
If you pull back the barn doors you’ll see something that looks like this.
It’s the bottom of a bed.
If you reach up to the top and pull down….
It looks like this.
We tucked a murphy bed behind those barn doors.
It’s such a great solution for another sleeping space that doesn’t look like a sleeping space at first.
You just pull it down and extend the feet.
They look a little like this.
And the best part? It’s a queen bed in a minute.
We store the bedding and pillows on the shelves on either side of the bed.
When you are ready to make the bed you pull them out.
And when you’re done? You fold them up, place them on the shelf.
Push the bed back into the closet.
And shut the doors.
You’d never even know that guest bedroom was there.
Isn’t it amazing? I can’t even tell you how large the room lives now. It’s a great solution for an empty closet.
And all it took?
A little sage advice from that font of wisdom—School House Rock.
Now if you’ll excuse me. I’m running low on my modifiers. I need to see if Lolly has a few extra. 🙂
PS We had a contractor install the bed, but I found this post on how to make one yourself.
disclosure: affiliate links are used in this post.
:-O ! I absolutely love those doors but behind them? That's just pure genius. If for some reason we don't take in the garage at the farm for a living room and we need the spare bedroom to be Bruce's office, I wonder if we can do a Murphy bed in there as an option...it would be challenging as we'd have to build a unit for the bed but wouldn't that be great? Love the whole concept. Cool! Happy week to you, my friend! Cecilia
Love the Barn Wood Doors~ and the Murphy Bed! I'd love to add Barn Wood Doors to my laundry room, to replace the folding wooden doors there currently~ but need your opinion~PLEASE~ will this look still be in style for a few more years?? We plan on moving and downsizing but that doesn't mean I don't want to try and have fun with the place while we are still there!! Thanks!
That is so clever and a great use of space.
Genius! Great solution and so pretty too.
Such a great idea and use of space! I can't even imagine what it would be like to have an unused closet! Love it! And thank you for not writing about the Nordstrom Annuversary Sale!!
Oh, I just love this idea! I once had an unused closet in our guest bedroom that I turned into a sewing nook. But this is tons better than that! The guest bed was used a whole lot less than the sewing nook. If I had it to do over, I'd reverse it...make the room a 'sewing/craft room' with a murphy bed hidden in the closet.
What a wonderful idea! Not only does it give you an extra bed when needed, but the barn doors look amazing. I absolutely love 'interior barn' doors.....so much in fact, my husband and I put one in our MBR going into our mater bath. KUDOS on a job well done!
That's pure genius!! ;)
Love your solution! We are SOOOO doing this when we move! We fight over who gets the empty bedroom to use as an office. Here's my solution! Didn't have to use all of the adverbs and conjunctions either!
Love the new guest room! Butt have to ask what's a "spare closet*? No such creature here!
Love this idea and how the bed blends into the room without being obvious. The bedding makes it all look so inviting as well. Can you share what rug is pictured under the bed. Love it as well. Great job.
Blow away by this....Wow...Wow on the barn doors...Wow on the hidden bed...Wow on Wow. WOw. No other words for me were as fitting. :)
All's I know, is that they need to bring Schoolhouse Rocks back! I still refer back to those tunes that taught me so much...Oh...and that Murphy Bed...it's outstanding...which I know is an adjective because of SchoolHouse Rock!
The instant guest room is terrific, but I enjoyed your take on School House Rock. I loved, love, loved conjunction junction what's your function.
I just had to move my office into the guest bedroom and we had decided to put in a Murphy Bed so I can utilize more of the space. We have guests rarely and I use my office daily so it makes more sense to make it more office than bedroom. We were thinking of doing it ourselves but I think it is more of a reality if we hire it out. We are both so busy in our businesses. Now to find a contractor that knows how to install Murphy Beds.
Very smart solution. I'd love to know the details of choosing and installing your Murphy bed; you need to choose carefully and install carefully or you can have a real mess on your hands. Murphy beds are a timeless choice; better, in my opinion, than something like a pull-out sofa. I'd also love to know how it came out costwise, if you don't mind discussing that. Thanks!
SO Great!! And so many ways to adapt this--studio or home office closet, or even in a wall in a rec-room. Thank you!!
Wow, that's a great idea!
Crushing on those doors! 😍
LOL Soooo love this! And I love Murphy beds. Pretty cool hide-away! :D
I love Murphy beds. Wish I could figure a way to make one work in My Wee Abode.. Oooo, better go talk to the Mother of Invention! ;-) Hugs, KariAnne... thanks!
Very nice! Love to save space that way!!!
I love the idea of installing a murphy bed. And the barn doors are so "hot" these days. I just had to comment though--not because of the murphy bed or barn doors but because you instantly took me back in time. My favorite was, "Interjections". "Hoo-ray, I'm for the other team!" My husband and I still sing them from time to time just for a laugh.
OMW that's just brilliant Karianne. As they say in the classics - everybody needs some elbow room ;-) and you've given them that plus so much more. I love this idea
Maybe you still have room to attach shallow baskets (open on one side) to the bottom of the bed and store comforters, extra blankets, a second set of sheets, pillows, etc.? Instead of a basket, you could make sturdy fabric hammocks or slings where you could stuff those things I mentioned above. If you have the space, you might as well take advantage of it. After all, the only time you'll see it is when you go to pull the bed down. What you've done to make an extra guest room is wonderful!
Love this idea for maximising space! What a great way to have room for guests without losing space long term. Sharing on Twitter and the Hearth and Soul Facebook page. Hope to see you back at the party when we return from summer break later today! Thank you for being a part of Hearth and Soul.
A Mural scene would be a Plus on the inside wall~ Just an idea~