Horizontal vs Vertical Wall Bed: How to Choose for a Mumbai Flat

By DWALS Team · Last updated October 2026

Horizontal vs vertical wall bed: which one should you choose? Usually, it comes down to your ceiling and what’s on the wall. A vertical bed stands up from a tall cabinet and needs height. A horizontal bed folds sideways from a lower, wider cabinet. DWALS builds horizontal when the ceiling is under 7 ft 2 in, or a window or beam is in the way.

This guide explains how each one works, what each asks of your room, how the two compare on price, and the Mumbai features that usually make the choice for you.

How we wrote this: every DWALS rule, figure and price below is as published on dwals.in on 4 October 2026, and linked. Many online guides to this question are written for US, Canadian or UK homes, and their figures don’t agree with each other, so we haven’t used them. Where DWALS doesn’t publish a number, we say so.

How each type works

Vertical wall bed

A vertical wall bed stands on its end inside a tall cabinet, with the head of the bed at the top. When you pull it down, it comes out along its length, so the foot of the bed ends up farthest from the wall. DWALS’s vertical cabinet stands about 6 ft 9 in tall and projects 12 inches from the wall when closed (DWALS fit FAQ).

Horizontal wall bed

A horizontal wall bed lies on its side, with its long edge along the wall. It folds sideways out of a lower, wider cabinet (DWALS fit FAQ). Because it comes down along its width rather than its length, it reaches less far into the room. DWALS notes that a horizontal single needs less room depth than a vertical one (Kids Wall Beds).

On the mechanism, DWALS publishes one set of specs for its wall beds: gas struts rated to 300 kg and tested to 40,000 cycles, and opening with one hand in about eight seconds (DWALS mechanism). Ask at the measurement how these apply to the configuration you choose.

Horizontal vs vertical at a glance

	Vertical	Horizontal
How it folds	Down along its length	Sideways, along its width
Cabinet	Tall and narrower, about 6 ft 9 in high at DWALS	Lower and wider
Wall width	Less: DWALS’s planning rule is the mattress width plus 4 in	More, because the mattress’s length runs along the wall
Ceiling	DWALS builds horizontal instead if it’s under 7 ft 2 in	Suits ceilings under 7 ft 2 in
Room depth when open	Mattress length plus about a foot (DWALS’s planning rule)	Less; a horizontal single needs less depth than a vertical one
Good for	Standard ceilings and narrower walls	Low ceilings, lofts, and walls with a window or beam
DWALS starting price	From ₹70,000	From ₹85,000

Sources: DWALS fit FAQ and price list, Kids Wall Beds. DWALS doesn’t publish horizontal cabinet dimensions, so the exact width, height and depth of a horizontal bed for your room are confirmed at the site measurement.

When DWALS builds horizontal

DWALS’s own rule is short. Ceiling height rarely stops a vertical bed in Mumbai flats, it says, but if yours is under 7 ft 2 in, or a window or a beam sits in the way, it builds the bed horizontal instead (DWALS fit FAQ).

So the choice is less about taste and more about your wall. A good way to think about it:

Start with vertical if the wall is clear from floor to ceiling and the ceiling is 7 ft 2 in or more. It uses less wall width, and it’s DWALS’s lower starting price.
Switch to horizontal if the ceiling is lower, or something sits on the wall where the tall cabinet would go.
Let the measurement decide close calls. If you’re near the limit on height, width or depth, the free site measurement settles it. To see how to take each measurement yourself, read our guide to how much space a wall bed needs.

Mumbai room features that point to horizontal

These are the things in Mumbai flats that often decide it. DWALS doesn’t publish clearance figures for them, so note each one and point it out at the measurement.

Lofts

Many Mumbai bedrooms have lofts above the wall, and they take away the height a vertical cabinet needs. A horizontal bed’s lower cabinet can sit underneath. DWALS shows this on its own site: a children’s room where a bunk bed was replaced by a horizontal Dwalsbed under the loft (DWALS before and after), and a horizontal single under a loft with a desk beside it (Kids Wall Beds).

Windows

If the only free wall has a window, a tall vertical cabinet would cover it. DWALS builds horizontal when a window is in the way (DWALS fit FAQ). The lower cabinet may be able to sit below the window, which is checked at the measurement. Measure the height of the window sill from the floor.

Beams and low ceilings

A beam running across the wall lowers the usable height at exactly the spot where the vertical cabinet would stand. Measure the height to the underside of the beam, not to the ceiling. If either is under 7 ft 2 in, horizontal is DWALS’s answer.

Split ACs, switchboards and skirting

A split AC mounted high on the wall can clash with a tall cabinet. A lower horizontal cabinet may clear it, but that’s a check for the measurement rather than a rule. Switchboards behind either cabinet will be covered, and skirting tiles affect how the cabinet sits, so note those too.

Which is better for a kids’ room?

Either can work. The deciding factors are the same as anywhere else: the ceiling, any loft above, and the windows. Both of DWALS’s loft examples above are children’s rooms.

Whichever type you choose, DWALS says the bed can’t fall open on its own. When it’s closed, the struts hold it against the cabinet, and it only comes down when you pull the handle and guide it (DWALS FAQ). At handover, a DWALS professional shows everyone in the household how to use the bed, including children.

Which suits senior citizens?

The same rule applies: choose by the room, not the age. DWALS says its wall beds open with one hand in about eight seconds, and it sets the strut force to your mattress’s thickness and weight at installation (DWALS FAQ). At handover, a DWALS professional shows elders and senior citizens how to use the bed, so the first time they open it is with the team in the room. If someone in the family has particular needs, mention them at the measurement.

Is a horizontal wall bed more expensive?

At DWALS, a horizontal wall bed starts from ₹85,000, against ₹70,000 for a vertical one (DWALS price list). Those are DWALS’s starting prices, not market rates, and the final price depends on size, finish and site conditions.

If you want more than the bed on the same wall, DWALS’s full wall units combine the bed with wardrobes, lofts and a desk in one planned run.

What to measure before you decide

Ceiling height at the wall you’d use, and the height to the underside of any beam or loft.
Clear wall width, between corners, door frames and anything built in.
Window sill height, if there’s a window on that wall.
Room depth from that wall to the nearest fixed obstacle.
Extras: split ACs, fans, switchboards, skirting and any door that swings into the space.
Your mattress size. DWALS builds around single 3×6, double 4×6, queen 5×6 and king 6×6 ft mattresses (DWALS mattress FAQ). Which sizes suit a horizontal bed in your room is confirmed at the measurement.

Got your numbers? Share them, with a photo of the wall, when you book the free measurement.

Let DWALS measure and decide with you

You don’t have to pick between horizontal and vertical on your own. DWALS measures your wall for free across Mumbai and the MMR, then shows you the layout in 3D before you confirm anything (DWALS process). If your ceiling, loft, window or beam rules out a vertical bed, you’ll know on the day.

Book your free space consultation today. Call or WhatsApp +91 906 706 5557, or email contact@dwals.in.

FAQ

What is the difference between a horizontal and a vertical wall bed?

A vertical wall bed stands on its end in a tall cabinet and comes down along its length. A horizontal wall bed lies on its side and folds sideways out of a lower, wider cabinet. Vertical needs more ceiling height, and horizontal needs more wall width.

My ceiling is under 7 ft 2 in. Can I still get a wall bed?

Yes. If the ceiling is under 7 ft 2 in, DWALS builds the bed horizontal instead, folding sideways from a lower, wider cabinet.

Can a wall bed go under a loft?

Yes, usually as a horizontal bed, because its lower cabinet can sit beneath the loft. DWALS shows horizontal beds fitted under lofts in children’s rooms.

There’s a window on the only free wall. What can I do?

DWALS builds a horizontal bed when a window is in the way. The lower cabinet may be able to sit below the window, which is checked at the site measurement.

Which takes less wall width, horizontal or vertical?

A vertical bed takes less wall width, because the mattress stands on its end. DWALS’s planning rule for a vertical bed is the mattress width plus 4 inches of clear wall. A horizontal bed runs the mattress’s length along the wall, so it needs a wider wall.

Is a horizontal wall bed more expensive?

At DWALS, a horizontal wall bed starts from ₹85,000 and a vertical one from ₹70,000. The final price depends on size, finish and site conditions.

Which is better for a kids’ room or for senior citizens?

Choose by the room rather than by who will use it: the ceiling, any loft and the windows decide. At handover, a DWALS professional shows everyone in the household how to use the bed, including children and senior citizens.