Murphy bed in master?

[UglyViking]

Hey folks, first time poster, long time lurker.

The Mrs. and I are getting ready to pull the trigger on a 5th wheel/toyhauler. Leaning heavily towards the toyhauler currently for a number of reasons but I figured this question may get more traction in the 5th wheel section.

We are looking at the GD Momentum 395MS. It's the perfect layout for us, sans the master bedroom. It's got a N/S bed which doesn't give me any room for mounting a desk, monitors or whatever for working. (plan is to work remote a few months of the year)

I saw the trailer "living vehicle" and they have a "mobile office" option (link) where it's functionally a murphy bed with a desk connected that acts as the beds legs when it's folded down.

Is anyone aware of something similar that exists on the market today? Has anyone done such a conversion? Does anyone have alternate ideas where I could mount two monitors and have a keyboard and mouse? I feel like I cant be the only person with this desire.

EDIT: Additional context. We are leaning toyhauler over 5th wheel for a few reasons. Room for our two young kids to have space to play that is far separated from the master for while I'm taking meetings and working, ability to haul my Harley if I desire, plus bikes and other larger items, and an area to strap the dogs crates down during travel days.

(P.S. I know that dogs in a trailer is a charged topic, so I ask that you please keep your feedback on this point to yourself, however helpful you feel you're being what I plan to do isn't illegal nor do I view it as against the welfare of the dogs. We will be setting up a portable AC to run off batteries during travel days with both a video monitor as well as temp sensor.)

[MtCamper]

Looking at the floor plan, why not eliminate the rear 1/2 bath and use that wall to mount your monitors and build your own fold down desk? BTW, that's a big fifth wheel. Dually or bigger TV and lots of prep $ if you plan to boondock. Fully doable in todays world.

[UglyViking]

Originally Posted by MtCamper

Looking at the floor plan, why not eliminate the rear 1/2 bath and use that wall to mount your monitors and build your own fold down desk? BTW, that's a big fifth wheel. Dually or bigger TV and lots of prep $ if you plan to boondock. Fully doable in todays world.

I had actually originally planned to do basically that, but I'm trying to avoid it.

I'll add some additional context to my initial post, but for sake of simplicity we are wanting to keep the garage area as a bedroom for my two kids as they grow (toddler and infant). So that space will be where they take naps during the day and have plenty of space for playing with toys and all that good stuff.

EDIT: Forgot to add. I'm currently doing paperwork on a Ram3500 DRW with Aisin and 4.10s, so I'll be well within capacity. Agreed it's a large trailer and much larger than our current 32ft TT but I feel that I can get the hang of it with time like everyone else.
That is still potentially a backup option if I can't figure something out for this bedroom, assuming we move forward on the 395MS.

[CecilD]

I don't know why not unless your overhead height will not accommodate your mattress, then you will be forced into a hinged foam mattress. An 80" mattress 10" thick will require a minimum of 81" of clearance which is 6'-9"; I don't think many front bedrooms have that capacity in order to keep under the overall height limitations.

Most things can be accomplished if you toss enough money and ingenuity at them. You may have difficulty matching the existing wood color if that is an issue. It sounds like a good idea if executed properly. Keep us posted.

[UglyViking]

Thanks for the feedback CecilD. I think I may need to bring a tape measure and take another look to see what it looks like.

For what it's worth, apparently the living vehicle murphy bed is made by a furniture company specializing in them. Cost seems to start around 6k, yikes!

The good news is that there seem to be other DIY bed options with the desk built in out there. I'll have to take some measurements and go from there.

Man I wish there was a company provided option. It seems crazy to me that with the number of youtube influencer RV families out there none of them have addressed working on the road with a brand partner. Maybe I need to be that guy, although then I'd have to be on youtube so maybe not.

[jacknife]

What kind of AC that runs off batteries is going to keep your dog cool in a fifth wheel ? If you have an Onan Generator as most Toy haulers do you can run that going down the road just run the bedroom one and put him in there . Most large motor homes run theirs going down the road as the Ducted engine ac will not keep the coach kool .

[CecilD]

Been giving it some thought and this is how I might approach it. Have a custom foam mattress made with a cover that hinges in the middle, or at 40". When you want to use your desk, flop the leg portion on top of the head portion of the mattress. This will free up 40" of space; probably adequate.

Hinge your storage cover under the bed that the mattress sits on at the 40" mark, raise vertically, brace, and install a folding shelf. You will have to remove the bed box upright at the foot of the bed and bolster. You can stow your chair and electronic stuff under the bed when not in use.

Downsides: Sleeping comfort may not be there and you will have to make and unmake your bed a lot. Upside: Heck of a lot less than 6 grand.

[UglyViking]

Originally Posted by jacknife

What kind of AC that runs off batteries is going to keep your dog cool in a fifth wheel ? If you have an Onan Generator as most Toy haulers do you can run that going down the road just run the bedroom one and put him in there . Most large motor homes run theirs going down the road as the Ducted engine ac will not keep the coach kool .

I wasn't aware you could run the genny while moving. That's pretty fantastic news and saves me a lot of headache and money in battery banks.

[UglyViking]

Originally Posted by CecilD

Been giving it some thought and this is how I might approach it. Have a custom foam mattress made with a cover that hinges in the middle, or at 40". When you want to use your desk, flop the leg portion on top of the head portion of the mattress. This will free up 40" of space; probably adequate.

Hinge your storage cover under the bed that the mattress sits on at the 40" mark, raise vertically, brace, and install a folding shelf. You will have to remove the bed box upright at the foot of the bed and bolster. You can stow your chair and electronic stuff under the bed when not in use.

Downsides: Sleeping comfort may not be there and you will have to make and unmake your bed a lot. Upside: Heck of a lot less than 6 grand.

I thought about something like that but my only problem with it, and it's a very "first world problem", is that it sounds like a hassle. It's one thing to flip a mattress up and down every day, but the whole daily expand collapse just seems like it would be a bit of a hassle. I'm sure I'd obviously do it without complaints while I'm out, but my fear is that it would prevent me from getting out in the first place.

As of this moment, the Mrs. and I are looking at toyhaulers with the focus being flipping the garage to a master/office and then converting the master to a kids room. Selfishly I wish it was the inverse, and I may be able to make it happen, but I'm not 100% sure.

My current thought is that a toyhauler will give me the option of trying to setup the master with the murphy bed, and if it's a massive failure, I can easily rip the bed out, call it a failure, and make some bunks for the kiddos.

[Palmeris]

Check out 1 Strange adventure on you tube. They put bunks in the front bed room and made the toy hauler master that converted to office

[UglyViking]

Originally Posted by Palmeris

Check out 1 Strange adventure on you tube. They put bunks in the front bed room and made the toy hauler master that converted to office

Thanks for the recommendation. I've seen many, many, that have done similar layouts with the kids room in the front. That is what we are currently learning towards as the TV I'm picking up will be more than capable to drag it around.

I was just hoping to find something where we could keep the garage dedicated to the kiddos since the space is larger for playing.

It seems like there are a few less than ideal options, and a few options that are probably cost prohibitive, but that's life I suppose.

[john1981]

Originally Posted by UglyViking

I wasn't aware you could run the genny while moving. That's pretty fantastic news and saves me a lot of headache and money in battery banks.

i would still plan on keeping the plug in a/c unit depending on where you travel and the dog breed. i dont feel the roof acs are very adequate, but i end up in florida once a year. if its 100 out, my roof acs dont keep up.

[Thomm85n]

Sounds like lots of thoughts going into this. That Murphy Bed might have better form and function from your IKEA store and they may have things set up in the store for more ideas. The toy hauler garage sounds full already. Is that where you expect the kids to play? The garage is going to take some of you office space floor and with kids inside a full garage moved forward because it’s full and will be full on bad weather days. Dangerous for the kids if anything falls on them. If you have a receiver on the back outside of your trailer they make drive on motorcycle lifts to haul the Harley back there if there isn’t too much overhang past the trailer axles. You might be able to
Get a triple axle toy hauler. If the Nike on a lift adds lots of overhang weight you’d need to really beef up the trailer frame AND use the heaviest sidewall and capacity truck tires back there to be safer. If you had a fifth wheel TT with a long bed you might be able to use an elevated lift forward of the fiber nose. Personally to me, I think you are trying to carry too much in a short length. You hauler will ride like an undprung empty dump truck without all the gear you WANT to take with you. Bicycles can hang on the sides of your hauler. A guy on Reddit added rails on the rear end of his hauler sides to carry bikes. Things are still going to need baths even though you’re trying to keep things clean. The full garage and kids playing there and a small trailer office for you on bad weather days… how long before you head back early for rest and Excedrin? Is your wife or woman in the family willing to drive another vehicle behind your moving van? The car behind could transport the kids and adult during the day, they’ll be tired enough to sleep soon after their day trips!