Wallbeds for Modern & Mid-Century Inspired Homes

At Design Consignment Gallery, wallbeds are more than clever space savers. Paired with mid-century and contemporary finds throughout the showroom, a Murphy bed can turn a spare room into a guest-ready studio, home office, or reading lounge that still feels beautifully designed when the bed is closed.

Inside the gallery, our Wallbeds ‘n’ More showroom lives alongside curated pieces like a modern guest daybed, sculptural accent lounge chair, and large abstract art, making it easy to imagine how a wallbed can belong in a stylish, mid-century-leaning home instead of just a “spare” room.

1. Start with the Wallbed as Your Design Anchor

Think of your wallbed as the hero piece. Whether you choose a vertical Murphy bed, a horizontal wallbed, or a cabinet-style design like the Verona Cabinet Bed, its face will read more like cabinetry than a traditional bed during the day.

In a mid-century inspired interior, a clean-lined cabinet bed like the Verona Cabinet Bed pairs beautifully with warm wood tones and simple geometry. In a sleeker contemporary room, a flat-front Murphy bed with integrated shelving can echo the planes of a low modern nightstand set or a linear storage credenza.

For a truly elevated office–guest suite, some clients pair their wallbed with a sculptural Roche Bobois Prismo white gloss desk in the main workspace or a vintage 1960s rosewood and chrome desk by St. Marie & Laurent under a window. Both options keep the wallbed area clean while giving the room a gallery-level focal point when the bed is closed.

2. Make the Guest Room Work All Week Long

A well-designed guest room rarely spends most of its life hosting guests. The rest of the time, it might be your office, studio, or TV room. That is where a wallbed plus versatile pieces like a modern guest daybed come in.

For example, you might pair a queen Murphy bed with a low Design Within Reach Duet Daybed. Closed, the wallbed reads like a clean built-in and the daybed acts as a long sofa. Open, the Duet Daybed converts to a second sleeping surface for families, kids, or long-weekend guests.

If the room functions as an everyday media lounge, a bold modern mustard yellow sectional sofa can run opposite the wallbed. By day, it is the hangout zone. At night, the cushions frame the lowered bed so the space still feels designed, not improvised.

If you prefer a classic bed frame look, a mid-century teak headboard can anchor the main sleeping wall while the Murphy bed lives on the opposite side of the room, ready when you need a second bed without sacrificing everyday floor space.

3. Lean Into Mid-Century Lines and Materials

Mid-century modern design loves clean silhouettes, warm wood, and pieces that multitask. That philosophy lines up perfectly with a wallbed.

Try flanking your wallbed with a pair of compact tables like a Bassett mid-century walnut end table or a low mid-century writing table. These can act as nightstands when the Murphy bed is open and as side tables for books, plants, or a laptop when it is closed.

For seating, a sculptural Huppé Kite Lounge Chair adds that mid-century angular frame and bold upholstery that loves sharing a room with a warm-toned cabinet bed or a minimalist Murphy bed.

4. Use Contemporary Storage to Keep the Room Calm

Clutter is what makes a guest room feel like a storage closet instead of a retreat. Contemporary storage pieces with clean faces and hidden features keep your wallbed room feeling polished.

For clothes, linens, or board games, a Foundations 6-Drawer Dresser by Bernhardt tucks everything behind soft-close drawers and a pale, modern finish that complements both warm wood cabinet beds and crisp white Murphy beds. Beside the bed, a pair of Foundations 2-Drawer Nightstands bring discreet charging and storage without visual noise.

Along the longest wall, something like the mirrored Meuse Sideboard or the substantial Restoration Hardware French Contemporary sideboard and hutch can act as both visual anchor and storage hub. Style the top with a tray, carafe, and books for guests, and tuck extra bedding, games, or office supplies behind the doors.

If your guest room doubles as an office, a slim, locking Artoplex storage credenza offers file-ready drawers and a modern wood finish that plays well with a Murphy bed on the adjacent wall. During the day, it reads like a streamlined office console. At night, it quietly supports the guest-room role with spare blankets and pillows inside.

5. Mix Mid-Century & Contemporary Surfaces

One of the easiest ways to blend mid-century with contemporary style is through surfaces. Think a warm wood table next to a sleek lacquer nightstand, or a sculptural vase against a matte wallbed face.

In a compact guest room, a mid-century inspired Seb solid acacia dining table can double as a work table or craft station during the day. In larger homes with an open guest suite, dramatic scale pieces like the 108″ refinished oval dining table or the Vanguard 98″ modern oak dining table with black geometric base can visually connect the sleeping area to an adjacent dining or game table without feeling crowded.

For a softer bedside look, try a glossy Casa Magna white lacquer bedside table on one side of the wallbed and a textured Gabby raffia nightstand on the other. The mix of finishes keeps the room feeling layered, while the wallbed itself stays clean and architectural.

6. Let Art & Lighting Do the Talking

When the bed is closed, the front of a Murphy bed or cabinet bed becomes a major wall. That makes it the perfect backdrop for art and lighting.

For a true gallery moment, hang a bold piece such as the original Mirac Creepingbear “Messenger” portrait or a large geometric abstract painting beside the wallbed, then ground it with a warm wood mid-century end table and a simple table lamp. The composition feels intentional in a contemporary home but still nods to mid-century color and shape.

Overhead, keep lighting clean and simple, and rely on bedside lamps or a slim floor lamp near a lounge chair to make reading easy. When the wallbed is down, your guests will appreciate having real lighting, real surfaces, and real art instead of a room that feels like an afterthought.

7. Extend the Experience Beyond the Guest Room

Many contemporary and mid-century homes flow from guest room to hallway to patio. If your wallbed room opens to an outdoor space, consider continuing the design language there with something sculptural like the Dedon outdoor lounge set with coral cushions. Guests can step out from a crisp, modern wallbed to a resort-level seating area that feels like part of the same story.

Just outside the room, a statement piece such as the oversized Vinotemp wine cellar can live in a hallway niche or loft landing, turning a simple circulation space into a hospitality moment. It pairs beautifully with the idea of a guest suite, but also serves the whole home when you are entertaining.

8. Give Guests a “Real Room” Welcome

The magic of a well-designed wallbed room is that it never feels temporary. A guest sees a finished space: a comfortable wallbed or cabinet bed, a matching pair of nightstands, a useful dresser, a sculptural accent chair, and perhaps a mid-century writing table or credenza ready for their bags.

When you are ready to plan your own multi-purpose guest room, stop by Design Consignment Gallery on Miramar Road and step into the Wallbeds ‘n’ More showroom. You can see how the wallbeds function in person, pair them with mid-century and contemporary pieces from around the gallery, and build a space that feels thoughtful every single day, not just when company comes to town.