32 Smart Murphy Desks With Pros And Cons

smart murphy desks with pros and cons

As many of us are facing lack of space, saving each inch of it has become a must. Working from home is also current reality, and if you literally don’t know where to organize your home office nook, I have a brilliant idea – a murphy desk! A murphy desk, also called a bureau, is a type of desk that is stored vertically against a wall when not in use. Murphy desks can also be folded into a tiny cabinet for more storage space. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of such furniture.

Pros

The primary purpose of a typical murphy desk is to save some space in small homes. If you have limited space, a murphy desk can let you free up some space during the day or while the bed is not being used.

Modern murphy desks can include storage shelves inside, and some models offer even more. You may get some built-in drawers or a pegboard to organize your working space right.

One thing people love about murphy desks is that they look like a regular wall storage unit, when folded up against the wall. This is important because the overall aesthetic of your room influences how comfortable you will feel while being there. The part of the murphy desk that’s visible when it’s folded against the wall can also be seen as a bit of decoration. For example, you can put some books, pictures, or decorative items that match your space.

A chic contemporary Murphy desk with books, candles and a potted plant, a white plywood chair and some vases.

A chic contemporary Murphy desk with books, candles and a potted plant, a white plywood chair and some vases.

A chic wooden Murphy desk with curved angles and some storage for notebooks inside is a stylish option.

A chic wooden Murphy desk with curved angles and some storage for notebooks inside is a stylish option.

A colorful Murphy desk with a turquoise base and a yellow door, with a pegboard for smart storage inside is ideal for a kid's room.

A colorful Murphy desk with a turquoise base and a yellow door, with a pegboard for smart storage inside is ideal for a kid's room.

A cool rustic Murphy desk of stained wood is great for working, crafting, studying, eating and much more.

A cool rustic Murphy desk of stained wood is great for working, crafting, studying, eating and much more.

A cool small working space with a black Murphy desk with a potted plant and all the gadgets, a simple white chair.

A cool small working space with a black Murphy desk with a potted plant and all the gadgets, a simple white chair.

A cool stained Murphy desk with boxes for storage and books, a small stool and some blooms in a vase.

A cool stained Murphy desk with boxes for storage and books, a small stool and some blooms in a vase.

A cute white Murphy desk with built-in lights and some decor is all you need to do some simple work.

A cute white Murphy desk with built-in lights and some decor is all you need to do some simple work.

A dark-stained Murphy desk with books and some vintage decor, a pendant lamp and a black chair.

A dark-stained Murphy desk with books and some vintage decor, a pendant lamp and a black chair.

A DIY rustic Murphy desk made of a stainned pallet and chains that hold the desktop in a very secure way and with display space.

A DIY rustic Murphy desk made of a stainned pallet and chains that hold the desktop in a very secure way and with display space.

A grey Murphy desk that includes some storage space and a built-in lamp, some neon green touches is super smart.

A grey Murphy desk that includes some storage space and a built-in lamp, some neon green touches is super smart.

A minimalist white Murpy desk with storage compartments and a small desktop plus a white stool for an airy space.

A minimalist white Murpy desk with storage compartments and a small desktop plus a white stool for an airy space.

A Murphy desk for a kids' room is a stylish and smart option that allows saving much space and hide it when not necessary.

A Murphy desk for a kids' room is a stylish and smart option that allows saving much space and hide it when not necessary.

A Murphy desk integrated into a mid-century modern storage unit with hairpin legs, the unit features much storage.

A Murphy desk integrated into a mid-century modern storage unit with hairpin legs, the unit features much storage.

A simple and stylish Murphy desk in white and light colored wood with storage space for paints is amazing for arts and painting.

A simple and stylish Murphy desk in white and light colored wood with storage space for paints is amazing for arts and painting.

Cons

Early murphy desks were quite bulky and were challenging to fold and unfold. Although modern murphy desks are designed to make it easier for the user to fold them up and out when needed, it might still be difficult in some cases: children shouldn’t open or close a murphy desk; they might not be able to ensure that the bed is completely unfolded before they sleep in it, which could cause severe safety issues.

Since murphy desks are opened and closed quite often, they might not last as long as regular desks. On average, murphy desks can be expected to last for 15 to 16 years, whereas regular desks can last for much longer.

A simple white Murphy desk with some storage space inside and a large desktop is a comfortable workspace.

A simple white Murphy desk with some storage space inside and a large desktop is a comfortable workspace.

A small and elegant Murphy desk of light-stained wood, with built-in mini drawers for storage.

A small and elegant Murphy desk of light-stained wood, with built-in mini drawers for storage.

A small and sleek Murphy desk with a desktop, some shelves inside and additional light, which is great for a corner.

A small and sleek Murphy desk with a desktop, some shelves inside and additional light, which is great for a corner.

A small wall-mounted Murphy desk is a nice solution for a tiny kid's room, here your kid will be able to draw, craft and study.

A small wall-mounted Murphy desk is a nice solution for a tiny kid's room, here your kid will be able to draw, craft and study.

A small white Murphy desk with rounded touches, with a built-in lamp is a lovely idea for a tiny working space.

A small white Murphy desk with rounded touches, with a built-in lamp is a lovely idea for a tiny working space.

A small working space with a tony Murphy desk, a built-in lamp, a matching plywood chair is all you need for working.

A small working space with a tony Murphy desk, a built-in lamp, a matching plywood chair is all you need for working.

A stained Murphy desk with an additional shelf inside, some ooks and a clock is a cool idea to work.

A stained Murphy desk with an additional shelf inside, some ooks and a clock is a cool idea to work.

A stylish modern Murphy desk with a white desktop and a plywood base on the wall features soem storage space for holding your laptop.

A stylish modern Murphy desk with a white desktop and a plywood base on the wall features soem storage space for holding your laptop.

A stylish Murphy desk with a stained plywood base and a white desktop plus some display shelves inside and some artworks on top.

A stylish Murphy desk with a stained plywood base and a white desktop plus some display shelves inside and some artworks on top.

A stylish rustic Murphy desk of stained wood with a black top features also a shelf for storage, not just a desktop itself.

A stylish rustic Murphy desk of stained wood with a black top features also a shelf for storage, not just a desktop itself.

A sunny yellow Murphy desk with toys, photos and monograms is a great solution for a kid's room.

A sunny yellow Murphy desk with toys, photos and monograms is a great solution for a kid's room.

A tiny working space with a small Murphy desk, a black chair, a blush pendant lamp is a cool Scandi nook.

A tiny working space with a small Murphy desk, a black chair, a blush pendant lamp is a cool Scandi nook.

An eclectic space with a storage unit and a built-in Murphy desk that can be hidden any time.

An eclectic space with a storage unit and a built-in Murphy desk that can be hidden any time.

An elegant contemporary Murphy desk with some storage space and a comfy tabletop for a cozy working nook.

An elegant contemporary Murphy desk with some storage space and a comfy tabletop for a cozy working nook.

An elegant minimalist Murphy desk done in light colored plywood and navy, with stylish and neat storage compartments inside.

An elegant minimalist Murphy desk done in light colored plywood and navy, with stylish and neat storage compartments inside.

Several Murphy desks are used to provide an art space and some storage for each kid individually.

Several Murphy desks are used to provide an art space and some storage for each kid individually.

Such a Murphy desk can be easily DIYed, it features much storage space and a large desk, which is enough for crafting, too.

Such a Murphy desk can be easily DIYed, it features much storage space and a large desk, which is enough for crafting, too.

This murphy table in solid oak is a perfect solution if there is not much space in your kitchen, living room, or any other room.

This murphy table in solid oak is a perfect solution if there is not much space in your kitchen, living room, or any other room.