A Factory-Built Studio Stashes Its Bed in the Ceiling
The disappearing bed is part of an effort to make small, factory-built apartments live larger and rent better.
Modular Building Institute · How "Productized" Modular Construction Can Reduce Costs & Create More Housing w/ Cloud ApartmentsThe Cloud S studio keeps its bed in the ceiling until bedtime. The unit is one of three standardized apartment designs from Cloud Apartments, a startup led by founder and chief executive Curtis Wong that builds apartments as factory-made modules designed to snap together on site.
The disappearing bed comes from a partnership with Ori Living, a company that makes movable furniture. Folded away during the day, the bed frees the same floor for couches, work, and daily life, then drops down at night.
Wong said he designed the studio to be "as buildable as possible and as rentable as possible." That means a patented system that connects pipes, wires, and structure between modules, plus renter-friendly touches like ample storage, large windows, and smart home features run through one app. In a small studio, floor space is too valuable to give to a bed all day.
Questions people ask
Who makes the bed that goes into the ceiling?
Ori Living is a Boston-based furniture company that designs motorized, space-saving pieces for small apartments. Its Cloud Bed is a platform bed that raises to the ceiling when not in use and lowers to sleep height when needed, usually operated by a switch or app.
Is a factory-built apartment really a finished apartment?
Yes. The walls, floors, finishes, wiring, and plumbing are assembled indoors in modules, which are then trucked to the site, stacked, and connected. In the United States they must meet the same state and local building codes as site-built apartments, and much of the inspection happens in the factory.
Why go to the trouble of hiding the bed?
It is about making a small unit feel and function larger without adding square footage. A studio that works as a living room by day and a bedroom by night can attract more renters and command higher rent, which matters in expensive cities where every square foot costs money to build.