For custom modular furniture, especially Murphy Beds, Smart Spaces is the leader in every category. Wherever else you may go, you are not through shopping until you’ve been here.

1. HIGHEST QUALITY

Smart Spaces only uses the best materials to manufacture your furniture. From woods to sheet goods, stains, the ISO 9002 certified lift mechanism, select handles, countertops and down to our screws, hinges and other hardware, finer materials cannot be found. End products that you can trust and be proud of for many years also have a warranty comparable to other fine furniture stores.

2. LARGEST SHOWROOM AND SELECTION

Our 3,000 sq. foot showroom has over 20 Murphy and Wall Beds on display in a huge variety of sizes, styles, colors and materials. A larger selection does not exist for literally hundreds of miles in any direction. You can expect to see 1-3 beds at other stores. Solid woods, veneers, Thermo Foils, Chemetals and melamines – including the new textured style – are integrated with dozens of customized side cabinets that include shelves, drawers, doors and closets. We also have 9 custom home offices in the showroom so that you can actually visualize our options and make a confident choice. Whether you take home a color sample or bring in an item that you would like to match, you will know that you will be getting exactly what you want.

3. LOWEST PRICES

Smart Spaces is the only Murphy Bed retailer in Colorado that proudly publishes its prices. There is a reason.

4. CONVENIENT LOCATION

Our retail showroom and manufacturing facility at 1295 South Santa Fe Dr. is located on the northbound lanes of a major street just south of downtown Denver. It is very close to I-25 which is important to our many customers who travel considerable distances to visit and shop.

5. MOST EXPERIENCE

Since its founding in 2004, Smart Spaces has manufactured and installed over 2,000 Murphy and Wall Beds, home offices, custom closets and other custom cabinetry. Nobody else even comes close. Naturally, this amount of business translates into an acquired breadth of expertise and a corporate culture that prioritizes excellence, timeliness, and overall customer satisfaction.

6. TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGE

Smart Spaces uses the latest and most comprehensive software to design and manufacture your furniture. The latest technology in this industry exists because it is simply better than the “old school” or whatever else came before it. It is faster, more accurate, more consistent, produces less waste, and is more flexible and easy to adjust. Our autoCAD based design software produces accurate dimensions and renderings for your visualization. It is seamlessly connected to our computer-driven saw which perfectly cuts dimensions, dados, and placement holes for our hardware that is a marvel of perfection and craftsmanship. This all means that your furniture is done exactly as you want and with cost and time savings.

7. DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION

Our installation teams work full time, and exclusively, for Smart Spaces: We do not subcontract. Their acquired expertise allows them to make any adjustments that are required by your custom furniture installations on the spot to the extent possible. The teams also carry the tools in the delivery trucks necessary to fit all of the furniture to your exact space.

8. COLORADO MADE

Almost all of the material that we use has a Colorado connection. Even if it is not manufactured in Colorado, it is distributed and received by us in Denver. It is then manufactured here in our 2,000 sq. foot facility by Coloradans for delivery to your home.

9. LOCALLY OWNED

Smart Spaces is owned by Coloradans. We are not a franchise and have only our one showroom and manufacturing facility. We do not pay a franchise fee and pass the savings on to you.

10. YOU

If you’ve read this far, you need to visit us because you are an intelligent and informed shopper – our favorite kind. Let’s get started. Bring your needs, room dimensions and ideas.

How To Build A Murphy Bed

This video gives you step-by-step, detailed directions with all the information you need to build a Murphy Bed. We will walk you through the whole process, demonstrating each step from top to bottom, showing you the tools needed and offering you helpful hints along the way. We break it down for you into chapters so at any time if you need to refer back to something, you can go directly to that specific chapter.

Feb. 11-19: Come visit Smart Spaces at the 2012 Colorado Garden & Home Show at the Colorado Convention Center, Booth #2307

:: Click here for more information

:: Click here for Exhibitor List & Map

Small Space Design: “Lego-Style” Apartment

Transformative Space Saving Furniture

When Christian Schallert isn’t cooking, dressing, sleeping or eating, his 258 square feet small apartment is an empty cube. To use a piece of furniture, he has to build it.

Located in Barcelona’s hip Born district, the tiny apartment is a remodeled pigeon loft. Christian says its design was inspired by the space-saving furniture aboard boats, as well as the clean lines of a small Japanese home. In this video, Christian shows us his lego-style home and demonstrates some great ideas about double duty furniture in his small space.

We loved these small space saving solutions:

To sleep, he rolls his bed out from under the balcony, his stairs become bedside tables and he can even swing his TV out from the wall.

To dine, he lowers a plank from the wall, his flower-stand becomes a support and his stairs become a bench.

To cook, he clicks a spot on his vast wall of click-able furniture, and a spring-loaded door swings up to reveal an instant kitchen: double-burner, dishwasher, sink, countertop and microwave oven. The full-sized refrigerator and freezer click open just alongside.

For more information on Christian’s transformable small space click HERE.

Smart Spaces: Murphy Bed Design

Custom design solutions for you home

So you are decorating your home and you have no idea what to do or how to do it, where to start and what direction you should go. Guess what? You are not alone and we are here to help.

Our team worked closely with this client to design a Queen Size Murphy bed with custom stained cabinetry built floor to ceiling in a small guest room. They didn’t want to have to sacrifice the square footage with the use of a regular bed but wanted to be able to comfortably accommodate occasional guests.

Additional shelving and built in cubbies to the ceiling elongate the wall and create much needed extra storage. Any time you can extend cabinetry or shelving to the ceiling, this works to draw the eye upward making the ceiling feel taller and small spaces feel larger. Building vertical is often a smart way to take advantage of underutilized wall space.

Our interior design professionals have to expertise to simplify the process of how people achieve function, comfort, style and value. We build on your own sense of flair and style while providing smart solutions specific to your dimensions and desires. With your input, our designers will transform your existing space into a beautiful, multifunctional, storage solution. The two of you will discuss space planning, style, finishes and accessories. With the use of state of the art CAD-based design software, the designer will create a rendering of your space to which you can add cabinets, doors, drawers, hardware – whatever you need to create the most effective and stylish solution, customized just for you.

House in a Suitcase

Two Trunks + Smart Space

Take a look at this inspiring 290 square foot space designed by Barcelona architects Eva Prats and Ricardo Flores. Prats takes us through a day in the life in their “Casa en una Maleta” or “House in a suitcase” where every inch of space works to simplify living with minimal work. At such small size, the space was only intended as a temporary home but it certainly plants a smart seed for some of our own small space design challenges.

“House in a suitcase” consists of two big trunks which when opened, transform in a number of ways to create a kitchen with counter and stools, a guest bed with storage and a reading table, a master bed, his and hers closets, reading light, tables and storage in every usable space. Just these two trunks in a small space and daily living becomes smart and simple!

Video via Kirsten at faircompanies.com

Smart Style in a Small Space

Are you short on space? You don’t have to live in 3,000 square feet to take advantage of good design. Recently featured by Better Homes and Gardens, homeowner Sheila York has some excellent ideas for smart style in a small space. Here are a few of our favorite dos and don’ts for maximizing minimal space.

DO Draw the eye upward. Building vertical is often a smart way to take advantage of underutilized wall space. Built in storage to the ceiling creates the illusion of more volume, which makes up for a lack of square footage.

DO Include built-ins. They take up little floor space and offer much needed storage – win-win.

DO Opt for light colors. Dark colors recede creating the illusion of a shrinking space. Stick with light colors to visually expand your space giving it an airy lift.

DON’T Waste an inch of space. Customize how you think and work! Incorporate wall systems that can  create hidden storage or add shelves and cubbies.

DON’T Be afraid of large-scale furniture. Sheila recommends using a few dramatic pieces. They add necessary storage and serve as focal points to keep each room from feeling too “wimpy,” she says.

DON’T Clutter up the house. “Sometimes, less really is more,” Sheila says. “Pieces that work hard are especially important in a small space.”

For more Do’s and Don’ts from Sheila York and BHG click here.

Smart Spaces: Home Glass Studio
with Queen Side Bed

Basement Storage Solutions

A recent client located in Broomfield, CO was renovating her basement to include a glass studio and guest bedroom. She wanted to incorporate workspace and storage for her glass projects with a Queen size Murphy bed for occasional guests. Careful space planning allowed for a Queen Side bed, large work surface, ample storage and plenty of room for the client’s kiln.

Low ceilings in basements can often be short on height requirements, which is why the Side Murphy bed is a perfect solution! It is positioned to open horizontally working to accommodate not only a low ceiling height but a narrow floor plan as well.

This design includes a large amount of work surface allowing our client to spread out and let her imagination wander! With a work surface designed at 36” high, as opposed to 30” desk height, our client could easily work to cut glass in a safe and comfortable position. A series of wall cabinets were designed with custom shelving solutions for glass and plenty of tool and accessory storage.  Extending the cabinetry to the ceiling worked to make the room feel larger while utilizing every inch of usable space!

Built in Solutions for Unique Spaces

Apartment Therapy recently reported on a man who lives in a refurbished garbage truck! As you can imagine, living in such a small space, one must be very organized or clutter can take over in the blink of an eye.

Obviously, the key to this small space is smart design solutions for every nook and cranny. A place for everything and everything in its place!

Living in such a confined space is not for everyone (nor is living in a garbage truck), but it does make one wonder if you’re putting your space to good use.

For more photos of this incredibly organized small living space please visit Apartment Therapy.

Smart Spaces of the Sky

This is not your father’s treehouse!

Set among the tall trees of the west coast rainforest of Vancouver Island, Canada, these spherical treehouses called “Free Spirit Spheres”, were envisioned and engineered with the use of sailboat construction and rigging practices.

Constructed of cedar, spruce or fiberglass these handcrafted spheres measure only 10 feet in diameter and suspend like pendants from the trees swaying gently with the breeze.

While there are currently three featured treehouse designs, our favorite design includes black walnut interiors with 5 windows, a sky light, a small sink, cupboards for dishes and purified water. Bench seats under the windows sit comfortably with two folding drop tables for work or eating surfaces.

A full size murphy bed for two comes out of the back wall in order to create a cozy bedroom at night. Electrical heat, adjustable lighting and built in speakers enable you to set the mood making it the perfect private space!

For more pictures and additional information about how to rent or buy a “Free Spirit Sphere” check out their website HERE.

Smart Spaces: Storage Solutions

How to make the most of built in storage systems

Getting organized takes more than good intentions
and room full of plastic bins, it takes a system!

We often feature tips on how to make your small space feel larger and more organized and built in storage solutions are the answer! Check out these great built in solutions for some of our Smart Spaces clients. Built-ins are a great solution for customizing how you think and work by creating proper storage, eliminating cluttered surfaces and plastic bin abuse. Any time you can extend cabinetry or shelving to the ceiling, this works to draw the eye upward making the ceiling feel taller and small spaces feel larger. Building vertical is a smart way to take advantage of underutilized wall space while adding extra storage.

Big Ideas from Small Architecture

Living Large in Small Spaces

In the United States, a typical garage can measure between 400 and 600 square feet. To some the idea of living in a space this size would seem crazy, but in Japan these small spaces have inspired big ideas in miniature architecture. Check out these inspiring ideas for your small space recently featured by MSN Real Estate!

This small home movement is called kyosho jutaku which translates to “narrow house”.

Undeveloped urban land is scarce so rather than trying to shoehorn conventional homes into plots that once held parking spaces and garden sheds, these architects are creating smart spaces that take advantage of vertical space.

Intelligent architecture, smart space planning and lots of light, combined with the use reflective, translucent and transparent materials to make these homes as efficient as they are uniquely beautiful.

For more pictures and information on Japan’s mini architecture movement featured on MSN Real Estate click HERE.

Small Space Tips and Tricks

Spring Cleaning with Smart Spaces

Spring has sprung! In the spirit of Spring cleaning and small space organization here are few helpful tips and tricks from Apartment Therapy. You don’t have to live in a small space to take advantage of these design ideas but if you do – these fab tips will help you spring into action and make the most of your space!

1) Get rid of the clutter – Have a place for everything and everything in its place.

2) Use small pieces that fit the scale of the apartment It will make your space will feel bigger.

3) Rather than lots of traditional freestanding dressers, cabinets or desks consider built-ins and modular furniture systems that can be custom built to fit your space. Wall-to-wall and floor-to ceiling systems will accommodate all your storage needs in one compact area.

4) Dual purpose! Look for multiple uses in everything you buy.

5) Go vertical! Use the space up to the ceiling whenever possible – shelves and tall wall cabinets with a small footprint will make the room feel larger and add much needed storage

6) For everything new you bring in, take out something old. Unless you’re really starting with a blank slate don’t hang onto things for forever just because they might come in handy.

Really think about how you use space and remember to combine the things you love with things you need. There are no rules so have fun!

For more small space design tips and tricks from Apartment Therapy click HERE.

Smart Spaces: Rolling Library Ladder

Small Space Living with Imagination

These are just a few reasons why we love small spaces.

Small spaces require more imagination and allow you to experiment.
They are cozier, they clean up faster and everything is at your fingertips.

This recent installation for a client located in Boulder, Colorado includes some great solutions for small space living with imagination! This client recently moved into a small one bedroom home but still wanted to have space for her grandchildren to visit and stay the night.

With only a single bedroom, her floor plan was short on wall space for a Murphy bed so we worked to design a smart solution for a large corridor area. This design incorporates two Side Twin Murphy beds that only open 50” into the space.

Small spaces never include enough storage so we built additional open shelving to the ceiling for books and cozy, personal touches. Taking advantage of vertical space is an excellent way to make a room feel larger and add extra storage – and what better way to reach those high shelves than with the help of a classic rolling library ladder!

Small Spaces with Sleek Style

Check out these transformational space saving designs from Boxetti. Multi functional furniture is a smart way to create a comfortable room that is compact and free of wasted space.

This design includes a hide away remote control Murphy bed with integrated nightstand and wardrobe with shelves, drawers and hanging space!

The Boxetti Collection’s contemporary aesthetics and technology bring this Murphy Bed to high level of sleek style.

See more information on the Boxetti Collection here.

Annual Floor Model Sale

Save up to 50% OFF Select Models!

Join us at Smart Spaces for our Annual Floor Model Sale. It’s time to freshen up our showroom. You can save up to 50% off select models!

The History of the Murphy Bed: A Love Story

Smart Spaces and the Legend of William Murphy

Smaller homes with smaller spaces are becoming more and more common, even in the suburbs. Whatever can be used to help space become more efficient is the becoming the right answer. Murphy beds are experiencing resurgence in popularity because it’s best to make the most of a small space!

Have you ever wondered where they came from?

Inventor William Lawrence Murphy began experimenting with idea of a fold away bed while living in a one room apartment in San Francisco in the late 19^th century. Murphy wanted to be able to entertain, yet courting customs during this age would not permit a decent proper lady to enter young man’s bedroom.

According to legend, he was falling for a young opera singer and with the help of his new invention; Murphy was able to keep his strict moral code intact without spoiling his chance at love. The Murphy bed was a perfect way for him to stow his bed in the closet, transforming his one room apartment from a bedroom to a parlor.

The idea was patented in 1900 and the beds went into production as one of the most popular space saving ideas of the age. In fact, following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the beds became even more popular. The massive damage that followed the quake left living space at a premium throughout the city. His business prospered once again as Murphy beds prevailed as the best way to make the most of a small space!

For more information on the History of the Murphy Bed:

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2009/04/curator-finds-murphy-beds-place-in-american-history/

http://www.real-estate-blog.org/the-history-of-murphy-beds-and-how-they-can-be-advantageous-to-individuals-with-small-houses/

Working with less to create more!

Check out these smart built in solutions for kids rooms from Spanish designer Sergi. He works to make the most out of these spaces through the use of Murphy beds, multi functional furniture and platform beds with additional drawer space.

These rooms may not have acres of space but Sergi has miles of imagination in his use of color and playful space saving design. His creative workspaces combined with vertical kid-sized shelving and cubbies utilize every inch of space with room to spare.

Kids and adults alike can learn how to work with less to create more from these unique and inspiring rooms!

Click here to see more space saving ideas from Sergi.
http://www.home-designing.com/2009/10/space-saving-ideas-for-small-kids-rooms

Small Space Living:1937 Ford House Car

Space saving tricks from the road!

Check out these photos of the Ford House car built in 1937! Take peak inside and you’ll find some great space saving ideas for making the most your small space.

Here’s a little history about this interesting find. One of only six said to have been made per year in the mid-’30s at the Ford Plant in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to an article on this car in a 1993 “Old Cars” magazine.

“When discovered in a garage in Northern Minnesota in August 2001, she had only 19,000 miles, and the owner’s manual was actually still the glove box in like-new condition! The interior, all wood lined, was still the way it appeared in the ’30s and ’40s. Just the way the owner left it, complete with framed photos from his travels (mainly to Florida) and his cabin in the North Woods, plus and other memorabilia from the era.”

The House Car includes these space-saving tricks:

• A pop-up roof
• Wide built in storage cabinets under the bed/sofa.
• Windows and a tilting windshield on all sides allowing for ventilation and light.
• An aluminum sink with a wood cover that allows it to function as counter space when not in use as a sink.
• A folding drop table behind the driver’s seat.

For former owner Graeme Thickins’ images and more information check out this website!

http://www.gtamarketing.com/1937FordHousecar.html

Learn How to Live Big in Small Spaces

Smart Spaces: Less is the New More

How much stuff do we really need? Some people may find this question difficult while some find the process of purging and organization completely liberating! Some people like Dave Bruno practice the extreme. His goal: to whittle down the things he owns and needs to a list of 100 things by November 12th and to live with just those things for an entire year. While some of us may not be able to fathom “The 100 Thing Challenge” we can still find ways to live with less!

Buckminster Fuller once said:

“Our beds are empty two-thirds of the time.
Our living rooms are empty seven-eighths of the time.
Our office buildings are empty one-half of the time.
It’s time we gave this some thought.”

Check out this article by Lloyd Atler and how he explores the idea of learning how to live big in small spaces. Americans are living in more space than ever before. These days, everyone is experimenting with ways to live more economically and finding ways to save money and energy. We are learning how to live with what we have and make use of it more efficiently. We loved his smart space strategies like the use of “Swiss Army Furniture”. Finding multitasking furniture that can do many things at once is a great way to make the most of your space! Look for ways to utilize underused space and you may find the perfect place for extra storage.

“Less is the new more” but with Smart Spaces you can have style and comfort too!

Learn How to Live Big in Small Spaces by Lloyd Atler

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/live-big-small-space.html

Smart Spaces in a Tiny House

Living in 100 sq feet!

You think your space is small? Check out this home tour with Jay Shafer at Tumbleweed Tiny Houses as he takes you inside his tiny 100 square foot home. This house is smaller than some people’s closets! While this type of living is not practical for everyone, it includes smart design features and not one inch of wasted space. Composed with meticulous attention to light, warmth and proportion, these tiny houses utilize basic principles for small space design by working to build vertical and find purpose for otherwise unusable space in every nook and cranny. We love his use of built in storage along every wall and under every surface!