Question about rear Dining/Living/Bed

[fulltimin]

Those of you who have no permanent bed in your rig, but have the rear living arrangement where the Dining table turns into a bed, and is also used as a living arrangement, do you like it?

Do you find it to be a pain to change to a bed and then back to a dining table?

What would you change about it if you could, or would you leave it as is?

What's the good, bad, or indifferent?

Thanks.

[fulltimin]

Tripalot wrote:
Our 24 ft. unit with the Murphy bed allows us to have a huge bathroom and lots of storage. The only drawback is that both partners need to have the same sleep patterns. One cannot stay up and sit at the dinette and watch TV while the other goes to bed. It is either or. Not a problem for us. We both like to go to bed at the same time. During the day we have full use of the entire RV - no bedroom that is used for 8 hours taking up valuable daytime space.

Our sleeping patterns are the same as well. I like the idea of having the extra space when the bed is not needed.

Thanks!

[fulltimin]

winnietrey wrote:
14 years, 60K miles, hundreds of nights. 24ft rear kitchen model with no fixed bed. Our thoughts.

DW sleeps on the dinette, me up top. Takes less than 2 minutes to break it down and put it back up

advantages 1) she can stay up and read. 2) don't have crawl over each other to go to the bathroom 3) more individual sleeping space.4) And lastly which is rarely mentioned, no bed means an extra 5 ft of living space. That part is really a big plus

To each his own of course, but we personally, would have no interest in a fixed bed in a small rig like ours

Ah, after 14 years, that's definitely a lot of experience. Glad it's working for you.

In our case, if i suggested sleeping separately, DW would have my head! Lol.

However, I do like the part about the extra living space, which is one of the reasons we are looking into it. Thanks!

[fulltimin]

toedtoes wrote:
I think a murphy bed can be a good compromise. It's definitely better than having to convert a dinette every morning and night.

Possibly. I'll have to see what may fit into our space. Thanks.

[fulltimin]

toedtoes wrote:
I agree about not getting an RV without a designated bed. My class C has the cabover bed, the couch converts to a twin, and the dinette converts to a double. I use the cabover. It's great to be able to pull up at a campsite and go to sleep without having to worry about making up a bed every time.

Even my 16ft trailer has a dedicated double bed (two actually), plus a couch with a table.

Tripalot wrote:
We have a murphy bed. Takes less than 2 minutes to make it into sleeping position and same for storing. Bedding, etc. is left on - no big deal at all. Just re-arrange a couple of the dinette cushions, unlatch and lower full size queen bed.

I'm thinking maybe whether or not it's a workable solution, may depend on how long or how much effort it takes to turn it into and out of a bed.

That's the reason for question. Trying to find out what others are using. Thanks.

[garmp]

Our Phoenix Cruiser 2100 has a full time dinette and a sofa that converts to the bed. Leave the bedding on, push the button and it's a sofa again. No hassle. DW can sit at the dinette & read while I stretch out. And still room to get around, albeit close.

[fulltimin]

Cool. This is the info I am looking for. Don't stop now. Anyone else want to chime in here with their experience?

[toedtoes]

Yep. It's finding what works best for you. With the cabover bed, I can have two large dogs and four adults (and a parrot) inside for an evening of chatting during a rain and we are all pretty comfy. And I am able stay with a 20.5ft length.

[winnietrey]

toedtoes wrote:

Dusty R wrote:
I've always figured that as long as you are able and willing to climb up into the crows nest, bed over the cab, a full time bed down is wasted floor space.

I think it's about having a layout that fits.

Above a poster mentioned they have no problem using the dinette and the cabover. But if they didn't have the cabover - just the dinette - would it still work?

I love having the cabover because it allows me a dedicated bed. The TT I had before had the dinette and a couch only. Fortunately, the couch was positioned so that I could leave it as a bed and still be able to get around. I've seen other layouts where that would not be doable.

Toad Toes, no it would not work just to have the dinette
As far as the " crows nest as folks call it" my suggestion, buy a better ladder. We have one of those collapsible ladders, wide rungs very stable. I hope to continue to be able to climb four stair rungs for a very long time.

This is what I do not get, lets say you have been married 20, 30 40 years like us (44 years) Why do you have to sleep in the same bed? Don't get it. We have the same bed at home and would not change that.
But for 2 weeks on vacation? And BTW if one wants some romance the dinette works fine.

And as I said above, we are on vacation, DW wants to stay up and read, cool, I want to turn in early cool, one has to get up to use the facilities cool. Kind of nice in a lot of ways

[toedtoes]

Dusty R wrote:
I've always figured that as long as you are able and willing to climb up into the crows nest, bed over the cab, a full time bed down is wasted floor space.

I think it's about having a layout that fits.

Above a poster mentioned they have no problem using the dinette and the cabover. But if they didn't have the cabover - just the dinette - would it still work?

I love having the cabover because it allows me a dedicated bed. The TT I had before had the dinette and a couch only. Fortunately, the couch was positioned so that I could leave it as a bed and still be able to get around. I've seen other layouts where that would not be doable.

[Dusty_R]

I've always figured that as long as you are able and willing to climb up into the crows nest, bed over the cab, a full time bed down is wasted floor space.

[Tripalot]

Our 24 ft. unit with the Murphy bed allows us to have a huge bathroom and lots of storage. The only drawback is that both partners need to have the same sleep patterns. One cannot stay up and sit at the dinette and watch TV while the other goes to bed. It is either or. Not a problem for us. We both like to go to bed at the same time. During the day we have full use of the entire RV - no bedroom that is used for 8 hours taking up valuable daytime space.

[winnietrey]

14 years, 60K miles, hundreds of nights. 24ft rear kitchen model with no fixed bed. Our thoughts.

DW sleeps on the dinette, me up top. Takes less than 2 minutes to break it down and put it back up

advantages 1) she can stay up and read. 2) don't have crawl over each other to go to the bathroom 3) more individual sleeping space.4) And lastly which is rarely mentioned, no bed means an extra 5 ft of living space. That part is really a big plus

To each his own of course, but we personally, would have no interest in a fixed bed in a small rig like ours

[toedtoes]

I think a murphy bed can be a good compromise. It's definitely better than having to convert a dinette every morning and night.

[Tripalot]

We have a murphy bed. Takes less than 2 minutes to make it into sleeping position and same for storing. Bedding, etc. is left on - no big deal at all. Just re-arrange a couple of the dinette cushions, unlatch and lower full size queen bed.

[toedtoes]

I agree about not getting an RV without a designated bed. My class C has the cabover bed, the couch converts to a twin, and the dinette converts to a double. I use the cabover. It's great to be able to pull up at a campsite and go to sleep without having to worry about making up a bed every time.

Even my 16ft trailer has a dedicated double bed (two actually), plus a couch with a table.