The A to Z of folding beds for Indian homes

Sunita Vellapally Sunita Vellapally
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Most people associate folding beds with cramped hotel rooms, where the request for an extra bed is met by a foldable bed frame with a mattress that can be extended or collapsed. However, these types of beds are also ideal for small modern homes that struggle to accommodate everything within the limited space. The advantage of fold up or roll away beds is that they help in efficient space utilization in a tiny room. They can be placed in a guest bedroom or even a children’s room, if you don’t like the idea of bunk beds. In a studio apartment or a small home, a sofa pull-out bed can serve a multifunctional purpose in the living room by offering seating by day and a place to sleep at night.

To help you get a better idea about how you can use these beds in your small home, we present design ideas for the best fold up beds.

1. Pull out queen bed

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In apartments, the guest bedroom is often used as a multi-purpose space. It can serve as a study or a television room when you don’t have guests. To make the room more spacious when visitors aren’t staying over, a queen-size sofa pull-out bed is the best option. Whenever the need arises, it has sufficient space to accommodate at least two guests – perfect for the summer break when relatives come visiting. At other times, the bed can be converted back into a sofa so that you can relax and watch TV. Besides providing more space to move around the room comfortably, a folding bed also makes it easier to clean the room daily as you won’t have to bend and stretch to sweep and mop underneath the bed.

These beds are easy to build, and if you know a reliable carpenter, you can show him a design that you like and get it made for your bedroom.

2. Pull out beds for kids

Kids rooms are the smallest spaces in most apartments and houses due to which organizing the space can prove to be challenging. Besides a bed, a children’s room needs a desk as well as storage. While modular bunk beds with storage and study desks can work in the rooms of younger children, for teenager’s rooms more sophisticated designs of folding beds for small spaces are recommended. For example, the bed can fold up during the day to provide desk space or even sufficient room for other activities such as music or gaming when your child’s friends drop in.

Get inspired by these brilliant bed ideas for children's rooms.

3. Fold-up guest bed

In tiny apartments, where you need space during the day to move around comfortably, innovative designs such as a bed that folds up against the wall are ideal. That way, the floor space is free during the day. At night, all you need to do is pull down the bed to sleep. These kinds of folding beds with mattresses come with different mechanisms. Some are motorized, so that you can raise and lower the bed by pressing a button. Others work manually, so you can push and lock the bed safely in place.

Other versions of a fold-up guest bed are sofas with a backrest that can be collapsed to convert them into beds and futon beds that can be folded back into seats.

4. Retractable ceiling beds

When you don’t want to use up precious wall or floor space for a folding bed, look toward the ceiling. Although not commonly seen in Indian homes, this type of bed has the advantage of creating two rooms within the same space. When the bed rises to the ceiling, the floor underneath is left vacant for another element, whether it’s a bath tub or a study desk. In a studio apartment, the space can be shared by the bedroom and the living room. An added benefit of a ceiling bed, compared to other designs of folding beds, is that you don’t have to make the bed up each time you pull it down. Depending upon the mechanism, these beds can be pulled up and down manually with a pulley system or controlled with a remote.

5. Trundle beds

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Some bedrooms are so small or narrow that only a single bed can fit in comfortably. However, you still need space for extra guests. In such cases, a trundle bed, which is basically a bed with a pull-out bed underneath is an excellent option. The pull-out bed is designed like a drawer, so that it slides out smoothly.

6. Roll away beds

If you need an extra bed for guests, but don’t want to invest in convertible furniture, then the traditional roll away bed is an option worth considering. These beds are usually housed in a folding frame and can be rolled in and out easily. The advantage of roll away beds is that you can use them in any room, including the living room or bedroom. In fact, when space is a constraint, it can even be set up in a narrow passageway or corridor. The problem with a rollaway bed is that it needs to be stored when not in use. Whether it’s in the space under the staircase or in a custom-designed closet in the corridor, if you are considering getting a rolling bed, make sure you plan for its storage so that it doesn’t clutter your room.

7. Day beds

Diwans are traditional furniture that can be found in many Indian homes. While they are popular for putting one’s feet up and relaxing during the day or even for taking an afternoon nap, these daybeds can also double up as an extra bed at night when the need arises. The advantage of this bed is that it blends into the arrangement of furniture in the space, whether it’s the living room, dining room or family room. All you need to do is make up the bed at night to offer your guests a comfortable place to sleep.

Get ideas for diwan designs for living rooms.

8. Sectional sofas for small spaces

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In apartments with a modern design theme, sectional sofas are popular when it comes to living room furniture. By choosing the right design, these sofas can be rearranged to provide a cosy bed to sleep at night. Depending upon the size of the furniture, these sectional sofas for small spaces can be converted into a single bed, twin beds or joined together in a queen-size arrangement.

9. Customized folding beds

A folding bed is all about clever design that maximises the utilization of space. By working with a professional designer who can provide innovative ideas for incorporating a folding bed into your home, you can get a unique modern element that is functional and stunning. Whether it’s a sleek wall unit that acts as a partition between the living room and kitchen in a studio apartment or a pull-out bed that slides out like a drawer from the storage cabinet in an area with a low or sloping roof, custom-beds are the best way to save space in an irregular shaped room.

It’s always advisable to consult an interior designer who can understand your requirements and lifestyle before designing a multi-functional space with retractable or folding beds that are comfortable, stunning and functional.

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