Simply having a guest bedroom in your home can be an accomplishment. Many of us make guests sleep on the sofa or give up our own beds for years before having a room for them. When you can offer guests their own bedroom, it should feel luxurious. This means providing a comfortable bed behind a closed door and designing the room with time, effort, and intention.
6 Things to Clean in Your Guest Room Before Family Visits:
Functional bedside tables are crucial for guests’ comfort, providing them with a place to keep essentials like a glass of water, a book, or their phone, and to turn on a lamp at night. Having a phone charger readily available is an added convenience for forgetful guests.
Layering in blankets and cozy throws is a thoughtful touch that ensures guests can adjust to room temperatures without asking for adjustments. This level of detail conveys a welcoming atmosphere and makes guests feel at home. A well-designed throw or blanket basket can also enhance the room’s overall design. Investing in light-blocking shades is essential for a good night’s sleep, especially for guests from different time zones or those needing mid-day naps. These shades, like those added by Linda Hayslett of LH.Designs, contribute to a cozy and comfortable guest suite. Sheva Knopfler, decor expert and co-founder of Lights.com, emphasizes the importance of guest bedroom lighting that is both functional and comforting. A bright primary light and additional table or floor lamps allow guests to adjust lighting to their preference, with attention to color temperature for a cohesive environment. Providing a workspace in the guest bedroom, as demonstrated by HCO Interiors, is particularly important in the era of remote work. A designated space with necessary supplies like paper, pens, and an outlet for charging can significantly reduce stress for guests needing to work during their stay. Adding playful wallpaper to an accent wall, as seen in Erin Wheeler’s North Carolina home, is a quick way to make a guest bedroom appear well-considered. The use of gallery-wall inspired wallpaper and vintage artwork adds depth and personality to the space.Choosing a calming, all-over color can transform a guest bedroom into a dreamy destination. Houston-based design blogger Fariha Nasir of Pennies for a Fortune used a warm, rosy pink shade, along with beadboard and box molding, to achieve this effect.
Creating a multi-purpose hangout space is ideal for guest bedrooms, especially when unoccupied. Architect Amanda Gunawan at OWIU incorporated a hidden futon that can be pulled out for visitors and stored away to utilize the space as a hangout spot. Working with existing features, interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel modernized a basement guest room by installing new wood floors and bringing the wood up three-fourths of the wall behind the bed, using natural attributes as an inviting design element. In tight spaces, a design-forward stool can replace nightstands while still providing a spot for guests to rest their items. The Inside by Havenly demonstrates this with a bobbin leg stool complementing a rust-colored, arched headboard. Adding a carafe of water near the bed can help guests stay cozy and avoid midnight trips. A simple, chic glass bottle can be enhanced with beautiful ceramic pieces, as shown by Caitlin Parker-Brown of Parker Studio. Hanging soothing art can set a calm and relaxing tone for a guest room. Designer Dabito chose abstract pieces in muted shades for a client’s room, creating a space that is easy on the eyes and not visually distracting. Murphy beds can be a great solution for space-saving, and there are models that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Bre Bertolini of Brepurposed shows that a well-designed Murphy bed can be inviting and cozy for overnight guests.We were amazed by this creation by Bre Bertolini of Brepurposed. She DIY’ed it using a Murphy bed kit. When closed, it resembles a beautiful armoire with cane doors. When unfolded, the delicate floral wallpaper lining the back is revealed, making it extra special for guests.
Victoria Ford of PrepfordWife suggests adding local touches to make a guest room more welcoming. For example, in a Southwestern home, little cactus plants and terracotta vases can be added. Victoria Ford hung a Raleigh flag over a headboard in her last home in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is a great idea for a guest room too! Megan Schlachtenhaufen of Undecorated Home recommends adding lots of hooks. Hooks are great for tight spaces and help guests stay organized by providing a place to hang bags and coats. If you want more storage in a guest room while keeping it cozy, an upholstered bench like the one from CB2 is a great option. It’s cushy and has plenty of storage space. Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow suggests plugging in a phone charger in a guest room. This thoughtful detail can make a big difference in a guest’s comfort. Cass Smith of CassMakesHome fills up the nightstand with basics like an alarm clock, tissues, and reading material. A retro clock and a bud vase with greenery add character and calming vibes. Jessica Glynn for HW Interiors recommends setting up towels and toiletries. Corralling supplies in a basket and rolling up towels is a great idea. Finally, don’t forget to put a rug down in the guest room. Nobody likes cold floors in the morning!Here, Far Studio added a higher pile knotted rug to this space. It will feel great underfoot and also ties in the tones and textures from the bed and curtains.
A painted ceiling is fun, unexpected, and cozy. Especially when it’s done in a warm tone like Alexandra Gater did here. And why a guest room? It’s the perfect place to take a design risk. Think about it, it’s not something people see every day, so it’s a space you can really try new things with. Adding a pop of color to the fifth wall will definitely make a statement and be something your guests will remember. There’s nothing worse than having to trek to a different room to check out your fit! Give guests a full-length mirror so they can primp in peace each morning. If you don’t have a ton of wall space, you can add one to the door like the team at BANDD/Design. If you don’t want to drill, pick out an over-the-door option. Transitional furniture is always a good idea, but this is especially true for rooms that have multiple purposes. Isy’s Interiors was tasked with creating a guest room that also functions as a den when no one is staying over. She added a storage ottoman to seamlessly hide pillows and blankets for guests while also serving as a foot stool for those lounging on the couch. When you’re hosting someone, you’re taking them out of their element and typical nighttime routine, so it’s thoughtful to give them access to some familiar things. Since many people like to read before bed (but may not have a new book with them) stash some of your own favorite reads by the bedside for them to borrow and peruse, like in this cozy guest space designed by MK Worshop. Bonus points if you leave a little note on the book(s) telling your guest why you think they’ll love it.
