How many baby boomers even know what a “Murphy Bed” is? In the early years of the 20th Century, these ingenious space-saving devices were all the rage.  And they were practical, too. What good’s a bed during the middle of the day? When the sun pops up in the morning, it’s time to make the bed, fluff the pillows and tuck the bed back into the closet.

“The Cinderella” (so named because the house was so small it required less work), was a cute and cozy kit home offered by Sears in the early 1920s. This little bungalow made good use of its small spaces by incorporating a murphy bed. Take a look at the pictures below to see how they did things in the 1920s. All images are from the 1921 Sears Modern Homes catalog.

To learn more about built-ins in the 1920s kit home, click here.

To learn about breakfast nooks, click here.

This page from the 1921 catalog shows the practical application of a Murphy Bed.

Murphy Bed

So easy, even a very large child can do it!

And there's a sink in the corner!

Beddy Bye Bye

Floor plan, showing the Murphy Bed.

The Cinderella, as seen in the 1921 catalog

To learn more about Sears Homes, click here.

To buy Rose’s book, click here.

*   *   *