Murphy Bed with Nightstands: Integrated Side Storage
Short answer: A Murphy bed with built-in nightstands uses the side panels or cabinet top as shelves. Those shelves add to the closed cabinet depth, so the room needs more wall space than a plain bed. On a freestanding cabinet bed, the top stays level and usable when the bed is open. On a wall-mounted bed, follow the maker's instructions for anchoring. Compare the stated depth and width on the listing before ordering.
What built-in nightstands are on a Murphy bed
On a Murphy bed listing, "with nightstands" describes side shelves, bookcase panels, or a cabinet top that works as a place for a lamp, a phone, or a book. The shelves are part of the frame, not separate furniture. Some wall beds include bookcase sides; some cabinet beds use the top of the cabinet as the nightstand surface.
Wilding Wallbeds describes its built-to-order Murphy beds as offering customizable storage solutions, including storage headboards, slide-out trays, shelves, and wardrobes. The maker's cabinet bed page says the cabinet top can hold items like a TV, lamp, books, or decor when open or closed. Night and Day Furniture lists cabinet beds in its Murphy cabinet collection with similar top surfaces.
The benefit is an integrated look: the nightstand never moves out of place. The trade-off is that the bed gets wider and deeper, and that changes how much wall the room needs.
How nightstand shelves change the closed footprint
When the bed is closed, the nightstand shelves are part of the cabinet, so the closed footprint is the bed plus the shelves. The listing's stated depth and width are the numbers to compare. A deeper cabinet means the bed sticks further into the room when closed.
Wilding publishes the closed dimensions of its cabinet beds: several models are 23.7 inches deep, one model is 26.4 inches deep, and another is 25.25 inches deep. The maker's FAQ states that most of its cabinet beds are 24 to 27 inches deep when closed. Shelves that extend past the cabinet add to those figures.
A bookcase-style wall bed works the same way: the side shelves are part of the frame, so the whole unit needs more wall width. Read the height, width, and depth in the listing before ordering, and measure the wall space in the room. The vertical or horizontal fold changes where the shelves sit.
How nightstand shelves change the open footprint
When the bed folds down, the nightstand shelves stay fixed to the frame. The open footprint is the bed plus the shelves on either side or above, depending on the fold direction. The listing's opened dimensions, when stated, show that space.
On a vertical-fold wall bed, the shelves beside the bed stay in place while the mattress lowers in front of them. On a cabinet bed, the cabinet top stays level; the maker's page says items can remain on the top when the bed is open or closed.
On a horizontal-fold bed, the shelves may sit above or below the bed, which changes what stays reachable from the mattress. Compare the open footprint with the room's clear floor area before deciding.
What to check for stability and anchoring
Stability depends on the kind of bed. A freestanding cabinet bed does not attach to the wall: Wilding states that its cabinet beds do not need to be mounted to the wall or floor, which makes them easy to reposition. A wall-mounted bed hangs on the wall and needs the maker's mounting instructions.
For a wall-mounted bed with nightstand shelves, the maker's installation page decides the wall type, the mounting method, and the tools required. Follow those instructions exactly. If the listing does not say whether the bed is wall-mounted or freestanding, ask the seller before ordering.
The nightstand shelves add width and depth to the unit, so the footprint numbers matter for what fits in the room. The site cannot judge stability from a listing; the maker's instructions are the only reliable guide.
Access: what stays reachable when the bed is open
Access is the practical question. When the bed is open, you want the nightstand surface to stay reachable from the mattress. On a cabinet bed, the top stays level and accessible: Wilding says items can remain on the cabinet top when the bed is open, so a lamp or glasses can stay in place.
On a wall bed with side shelves, the shelves remain beside the mattress when the bed is down, so they stay within reach. On a horizontal wall bed with shelves above the bed, the shelf may be out of reach from the mattress.
Check the listing's description of the fold direction and the shelf placement before buying. If the listing does not describe the shelf position, ask the seller.
When separate nightstands make more sense
Built-in nightstands look tidy, but they commit the wall space. If the room is small, a plain wall bed with two separate nightstands keeps the cabinet as shallow as the mattress allows, and the nightstands can move or be removed when guests need floor space.
A separate nightstand adds flexibility: you can change the layout, use a small table that doubles as a desk, or remove the nightstands entirely. The trade-off is that the room looks less integrated than a bed with built-in shelves.
Match the choice to how the room is used. A guest room that doubles as an office benefits from a bed with shelves or a desk; a studio may prefer the cleanest possible cabinet.
What to pick for your situation
| If you | Pick | Buying guide |
|---|---|---|
| The room doubles as an office or craft space | A wall bed with bookcase or shelf sides | Best Murphy Beds With a Desk in 2026 |
| The room is a studio where every inch of wall counts | A plain wall bed with separate nightstands | Best Wall Beds (2026): Wall Beds and Frames Compared |
| The bed sits in a rental and cannot be mounted to the wall | A freestanding cabinet bed with a usable top | Best Murphy Cabinet Beds (2026): Chests and Cabinets Compared |
| Guests will want a lamp and a place for a phone overnight | A cabinet bed whose top stays level when open | Best Murphy Cabinet Beds (2026): Chests and Cabinets Compared |
| The wall is narrow and the bed needs to fold sideways | A horizontal wall bed with side shelves | Best Horizontal Murphy Beds (2026): Wall Beds That Fold Sideways |
| The budget is tight and the room is flexible | A Murphy bed kit with separate nightstands | Best Murphy Bed Kits (2026): DIY Hardware and Frame Kits Compared |
Questions
Do built-in nightstands make the cabinet deeper?
Yes. The shelves add to the closed depth. Wilding lists several cabinet beds at 23.7 inches deep, one at 26.4 inches, and another at 25.25 inches, and its FAQ says most of its cabinet beds are 24 to 27 inches deep when closed. Compare the depth on the listing.
Can I leave things on the nightstand when the bed folds down?
On a cabinet bed, yes: the maker's page says items can remain on the cabinet top when the bed is open or closed. On a wall bed with side shelves, the shelves stay beside the mattress. On a desk bed, the desktop stays level with 17 inches of clearance, per Wilding's desk bed page.
Does a freestanding cabinet bed with nightstands need anchoring?
Wilding states that its cabinet beds do not need to be mounted to the wall or floor. A wall-mounted bed does need mounting. Follow the maker's installation instructions for whichever kind you buy.
What if the listing does not say whether the nightstands are built-in?
Check the image set and the bullet list. If the listing does not state the shelf depth or whether the shelves are part of the frame, ask the seller before ordering.
Are nightstand shelves useful on a horizontal fold bed?
It depends on the placement. On a horizontal fold, shelves may sit above or below the bed, so they may be out of reach from the mattress. Read the fold direction and the shelf position in the listing.
Recent updates
- : First published.