How Does a Cabinet Bed Work? Steps, Sizes and a Video Demo

Last updated October 2026 by the Forward Furniture team

A cabinet bed looks like a dresser or a sideboard during the day. At night it turns into a real bed with a real mattress. If you have only seen one in photos, it can be hard to picture how a whole bed fits inside a chest that is about 2 feet deep.

This guide walks through what happens, step by step, with a short video of the Olivia cabinet bed opening and closing. Every size below comes from the maker's spec on our product pages. Our cabinet beds start at $1,971.99 for the Stow Twin, and you can see every model in our cabinet bed collection.

In this guide

• How does a cabinet bed work?
• Watch one open and close
• What is inside a cabinet bed?
• Types of cabinet bed mechanism
• How much room does it need open?
• How is it different from a Murphy bed?
• Can you keep bedding on it?
• Which one is right for you?
• Questions

How Does a Cabinet Bed Work, Step by Step?

Every cabinet bed we sell works on the same idea. The cabinet is the headboard end of the bed. The bed platform is folded up inside it, with the mattress folded in thirds on top. Opening it is a matter of unfolding both.

1. Clear the floor. Move anything in front of the cabinet. A queen needs about 83 inches of clear floor from the wall.
2. Open the cabinet. Depending on the model, you lift the top, lower the front panel or open two doors.
3. Pull the platform out. The folded frame swings forward and down. Legs fold out under it so it stands on the floor on its own.
4. Unfold the mattress. The tri-fold mattress opens out flat across the platform, like opening a book twice.
5. Make the bed. Add sheets, pillows and a blanket. To close it, reverse the steps.

There are no tools involved after the first setup, and there is no wall bracket to line up. The weight of the open bed sits on its own legs on the floor, not on the cabinet hinges alone.

Watch a Cabinet Bed Open and Close

This 17 second demo shows the Olivia side by side: on one side the cabinet unfolds into a queen bed with the mattress already inside, and on the other it folds back into a cabinet.

Once the bed is set up, the Olivia opens in about 30 seconds. It is also the cabinet bed on our Kelowna and Calgary showroom floors, so you can open and close it yourself before you order. People who try it in the store are often surprised by how little effort the platform takes.

What Is Inside a Cabinet Bed?

Open the doors of a closed cabinet bed and you will find five parts. Knowing them makes it easier to compare models.

• The cabinet: the chest itself. The Olivia is hardwood; the Stow is acacia wood and plywood.
• The folding platform: the bed base, hinged so it folds in sections.
• Legs: fold out to carry the weight of the open bed.
• A tri-fold mattress: 5 to 6 inches of foam that folds in thirds to fit inside.
• Storage: many models add a drawer in the base for sheets and pillows.

The mattress is part of the design. The Olivia comes with a 6 inch tri-fold memory foam mattress that stores inside the cabinet, and the mattress comes with a manufacturer's warranty. A thicker mattress will not fit inside when the bed is closed. Our guide on whether these beds need a special mattress explains why.

What Are the Different Types of Cabinet Bed Mechanism?

The steps are the same, but the hardware inside differs. There are three common designs.

• Fold-out wood platform: the base unfolds in wood sections. The Olivia and the Stow work this way. It looks like real furniture when open.
• Pull-out metal frame: a steel frame folds out of a sideboard-style cabinet. The Nebula works this way, and it supports up to 750 lb evenly distributed.
• Chest with a storage drawer: a console you can use as a table, with a deep drawer below. The Madrid has a 10 inch drawer and the Midtown has a 9 inch drawer.

How Much Room Does a Cabinet Bed Need When Open?

Closed, a cabinet bed takes about as much floor as a dresser. Open, it needs the full length of a bed in front of it. Here are the real numbers for the models we carry.

Sizes and weight limits are the maker's spec on each product page (Olivia 750 lb per our product team). Open length is measured from the wall or the back of the cabinet. Prices from our catalogue, read October 3, 2026.

Diagram drawn to the maker's spec on the Olivia product page. The double opens to 75 in.

Add walking room beside the bed too. The Nebula product page suggests 30 to 36 inches of clearance around the open bed, which is a good rule for any model. For a full room by room check, read will a cabinet bed fit.

How Is a Cabinet Bed Different From a Murphy Bed?

Both fold away, but they move in different directions. A Murphy bed stands on its end against the wall and tips down. A cabinet bed lies flat inside a low chest and folds forward.

Closed depths from our product pages: cabinet beds 22 to 26.4 in, our wall Murphy beds about 16 in.

Renters and people who move often tend to pick a cabinet bed, because nothing goes into the wall. People who want a thicker mattress and a slimmer closed profile tend to pick a Murphy bed. Our full cabinet bed vs Murphy bed comparison covers cost and comfort too.

Can You Keep Bedding on a Cabinet Bed?

Not the way you can on a Murphy bed. The mattress folds in thirds to fit inside, so pillows and a thick duvet will not fit in a closed cabinet. Plan on a short routine instead.

• Keep pillows and the duvet in the base drawer, if your model has one.
• Use thin sheets and a light blanket for guests who stay one or two nights.
• Let a new foam mattress breathe before the first guest. The Nebula mattress needs about two days to fully expand.

Comfort is the other common question. A 6 inch foam mattress on a firm platform suits most guests for a few nights. Read are cabinet beds comfortable for the details.

Cabinet Beds to Compare

Prices are read from our catalogue on the day this guide was updated.

Olivia Cabinet Bed (Queen or Double)
Preorder, charged in full at checkout: see the current price

Hardwood, freestanding, holds 750 lb. Lifetime warranty on the cabinet. On our showroom floors.

Stow Queen Cabinet Bed
$2,217.99

Acacia wood, 6 in gel memory foam, holds 660 lb. Four finishes.

Stow Twin Cabinet Bed
$1,971.99

Our narrowest at 42.7 in wide closed. Good for an office or kids' room.

Nebula Full Cabinet Bed
$2,611.99

Sideboard look with a metal frame inside. Holds 750 lb evenly distributed.

Madrid Cabinet Bed (Full or Queen)
From $3,203.99

Console top by day, 10 in storage drawer, about 10 minutes of final assembly.

Which Cabinet Bed Is Right for You?

• You want to try it first: the Olivia, on the floor in Kelowna and Calgary. It is sold on preorder and charged in full at checkout.
• Smallest room: the Stow Twin at $1,971.99, 42.7 inches wide closed.
• Couples and taller guests: the Stow King at $2,463.99, the only king in our range.
• A living or dining room: the Nebula at $2,611.99, which looks like a sideboard when closed.
• Extra storage: the Madrid from $3,203.99, with a 10 inch drawer.

How Cabinet Beds Work: Common Questions

Does a cabinet bed need to be attached to the wall?

No. A cabinet bed is freestanding and the open bed rests on its own legs, so there is no drilling. The Nebula can also be fixed to the wall if you want, but it does not need to be.

Do you have to assemble a cabinet bed?

Yes, most arrive ready to assemble. The Olivia comes with paper and video instructions, and the Madrid needs about 10 minutes of final assembly. After that first setup, opening and closing takes no tools.

How long does it take to open a cabinet bed?

Under a minute once it is set up. The Olivia opens in about 30 seconds: open the cabinet, pull the platform out onto its legs and unfold the mattress.

How much weight can a cabinet bed hold?

It depends on the model. The Olivia holds 750 lb, the Nebula 750 lb evenly distributed, the Stow 660 lb, and the Madrid and Midtown 500 lb, per each product page.

Can you use your own mattress in a cabinet bed?

You can sleep on another mattress, but it will not fit inside when the bed is closed. Cabinet beds are built around a thin tri-fold mattress of 5 to 6 inches that folds into the cabinet.

See How Our Cabinet Beds Open