Check these two sites:

https://coolcreativity.com/handcraft/diy-modern-farmhouse-murphy-bed-bookcase/

http://www.orghome.com/our-company/news/murphy-bed-2/

We've had two sleeper sofas and neither were comfortable for sleeping. There may be some newer models out that are. Murphy bed would be my first choice. A while back someone posted this IKEA model that was being used in guest/office space. I also found a review for it.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69216757/#/S59216814

We have the same issue, so following!

I have a good friend who installed one in their family room for overflow guests (the room has french doors that can be closed for privacy). It's really wonderful; they use the table as a game or project table when needed - otherwise it's all folded up and you would never even think it's a wall bed.

I think this is the one they have, only without all the office furniture, just the bed and bookshelves to the right. Theirs is maple I think and more attractive than this picture, but this pic shows the generous size of the table - theirs is a queen bed:

Olychick, do you know if that's the brand they have? That table is huge! That would be great. Thanks so much!

Check out these:

Folding table murphy bed

Rustic murphy bed

Serenity murphy bed

No they're not cheap but great for making a room do double duty.

If it's for comfort, I would do the Murphy bed. Much better than sleeper sofas IMO and daybeds are really only good for one -- but they are great for one! But Murphys are pricey! I looked at one for us.

I’m pretty sure that’s where they bought theirs. I’ll be at their house on Monday so will ask for sure and post back.

I think both these ideas are not good ones for parents visiting. Both involve some effort to open the bed. Often, a visiting parent may want to take a quick rest in the afternoon - what a nuisance to have to do all this.

To me, a guest room is a guest room, not some multi-purpose room, especially not a craft room. If I'm sewing, the last thing I want to have to do is put everything away all the time. That's why I prefer to have my machine and serger and all my supplies in my semi-finished basement. I can leave it as it is and come back and not have to set everything up again.

I love having a guest room ready if I get a phone call that someone is passing through my area. I always have clean sheets on the bed and so it's always ready. Does it get used a lot? No, but it's ready when I need it.

If it was a murphy bed I would keep it down and have the room be a guest room the entire time the guests were there. That's why my office is in a nook outside of the guest room. I don't want there to be a reason I would need to use the room when guests were there. But I do think my treadmill will end up going in there. And like you said, cpartist, it seems silly to have a room that is unused 75-90% of the time. This is the bed I'm fawning over https://expandfurniture.com/product/italian-wall-bed-revolving-bookcase/

But then I would need to have a chair in there, too. And we also don't have a closet in that room. I've seen some murphy beds with skinny closet-type things on the side. Ahhhh! I've gone from envisioning this as a guest room to wanting it to be too many things at once. The rest of the house is designed to suit our family so well and I just don't want this room to feel like an afterthought or not be useful. I'm including the design for the house.

How about a Murphy bed over a sofa?

Have you started construction yet? You might take your plans to the Building a Home forum. Be prepared to discuss why you want your bedroom in full view of the living room (my DH is notorious for not closing the bedroom door while I am in the shower...), and to hear that the kids' bathroom should trade one of e sinks for storage and counterspace.

bpathome, I like that idea! I found this one

https://resourcefurniture.com/product/penelope-2-book-sofa/

that looks like it has a closet on the side. I could do something like that and then a foldup craft table. Construction has not started, but we're set with the plan. We have our room by the front door and living room now and don't mind it. And the kids bathroom is a bit tight on space to accommodate the flue from the masonry heater. Both very good points, though!

I think Murphy beds are so clever! The also make them in a lateral style but I think it's only a twin bed.

Kid bath: yes, I see why it's sized as it is, and all the more reason to have just one sink. They will only occasionally be in there at the same time, but will always need storage and counterspace. (My kids have two sinks and one just gets dusty, they both use the one furthest from the door, but they could use an extra bank of drawers.)

..just to share that when we stayed in my sister's place earlier that year, we slept on American Leather sleeper sofa-and it was the first sleeper sofa's matress that I indeed found very comfortable.

(some great click-clack sleeper sofas do exist too, they're usually very expensive)

It is so hard to find a sleeper sofa with good reviews.