The Best Mattress for a Murphy Bed: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why We Recommend Lull
One of the most common questions we get at Madewell Woodworks is simple:
What mattress works best with a Murphy bed?
It’s a great question, and one that matters more than most people realize. The wrong mattress can affect how your Murphy bed operates, how long the mechanism lasts, and how comfortable your guests actually sleep.
After years of installs and feedback from hundreds of Austin homeowners, here’s everything we’ve learned.
Murphy Bed Mattress Requirements: The Basics
Not every mattress is compatible with a wall bed. Murphy beds fold vertically or horizontally against the wall, which means your mattress needs to meet some specific criteria to work properly.
Thickness: Our standard spring mechanism accommodates mattresses up to 12 inches thick. If you want to go up to 13 inches, we offer a leg upgrade option that creates the additional clearance needed. Anything thicker than 13 inches won’t work with our system.
Weight: The mattress should weigh 125 lbs or less. Heavier mattresses put excessive strain on the spring mechanism over time, affecting both performance and longevity.
Flexibility: The mattress needs to be able to travel with the bed as it folds up and down. This rules out some ultra-rigid or oversized constructions.
What Types of Mattresses Work Best
Memory Foam — Our Top Pick
Memory foam is the ideal Murphy bed mattress material. It holds its shape well, doesn’t shift inside the cabinet when the bed is stored vertically, and folds smoothly with the bed’s movement. It’s also typically lighter than hybrid or innerspring options, which is good for mechanism longevity. The Lull Original and Premium Original are both memory foam and check every box.
Hybrid with Pocketed Coils — Works Well
A quality hybrid mattress can work in a Murphy bed, but only if it uses pocketed coils (also called individually wrapped coils). Pocketed coils move independently and handle the folding motion much better than traditional connected coil systems. The Lull Luxe Hybrid uses pocketed coils and is a great option if you prefer the feel of a hybrid.
Innerspring — Not Recommended
Traditional innerspring mattresses, including popular brands like Avocado, use interconnected coil systems that don’t flex well with the folding motion of a Murphy bed. Over time, this can damage the coil structure and affect both comfort and compatibility. We don’t recommend innerspring mattresses for wall beds.
Thick Pillow Tops — Avoid
Pillow tops add comfort when a mattress is lying flat, but they create real problems in a Murphy bed. When the bed is stored vertically, gravity pulls on the pillow top material, causing it to sag and bunch over time. This not only looks bad but can make the mattress sit unevenly when the bed is lowered. Stick to a flat, uniform mattress profile.
Why We Chose Lull as Our Exclusive Mattress Partner
We spent a long time evaluating mattress options before recommending one to our clients. Lull kept rising to the top for a few key reasons:
They’re built for how Murphy beds actually work. The memory foam construction holds its shape whether the bed is vertical or horizontal, and the weight comes in well under our 125 lb limit across all sizes.
The thickness options align perfectly with our builds. The 10″ and 12″ Original models work with our standard mechanism. The 13″ Luxe Hybrid pairs with our leg upgrade for clients who want a plusher feel without compromising the mechanism.
CertiPUR-US certified foam. Every Lull mattress uses foam that’s been independently tested for harmful chemicals — important when you’re sleeping on something in a confined cabinet space.
Lifetime warranty. That matches the confidence we put into our own builds. We don’t want to recommend a mattress that’s going to need replacing in five years.
Convenience. We deliver and install your Lull mattress on the same day as your Murphy bed. No coordinating separate deliveries, no wrestling a mattress up your stairs alone.
Which Lull Mattress Is Right for You?
Lull 10″ Original — Best for guest rooms that see occasional use. Solid memory foam comfort at an accessible price point. Works with our standard mechanism.
Lull 12″ Premium Original — Our most popular choice. A step up in comfort with additional foam layers, still within the standard mechanism’s specs. Great for rooms that double as a home office and guest room.
Lull 13″ Luxe Hybrid — For clients who love the feel of a hybrid mattress. Pocketed coils plus memory foam, with our leg upgrade to accommodate the extra inch. The premium option for guests who deserve a great night’s sleep.
10" Original Memory Foam Mattresses
Lull Original
10" Memory Foam - Full-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Lull Original
10" Memory Foam - Queen-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Lull Original
10" Memory Foam - King-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
12" Premium Original Memory Foam Mattresses
Lull Premium Original
12" Memory Foam - Full-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Lull Premium Original
12" Memory Foam - Queen-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Lull Premium Original
12" Memory Foam - King-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
13" Premium Original Memory Foam Mattresses
Lull Luxe Hybrid
13" Hybrid Memory Foam - Full-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Lull Luxe Hybrid
13" Hybrid Memory Foam - Queen-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Lull Luxe Hybrid
13" Hybrid Memory Foam - King-
Lifetime Warranty
-
CertiPUR-US Certified
Add a Lull Mattress to Your Order
When you purchase a Lull mattress with your Madewell Woodworks Murphy bed, you receive special discounted pricing — no showroom, no delivery coordination, no hassle. We bring everything on install day and set it all up for you.
