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The perfect guest room


18 Tips to Make Your Guest Room Feel Like Home

Preparing your home for house guests can be a very enjoyable experience. There's something satisfying about helping your visitors feel welcome and comfortable.

When you start to plan your guest room, think about what you'd expect to find in a 5-diamond hotel and try to make your room measure up to that standard. Your budget may not be enough to create a getaway oasis, but you can clear the decks, lay out all the necessities, and provide a quiet place to relax.

Read on for a comprehensive list of things to do or buy to help you set up a welcoming guest room for your visitors.

Provide a Comfortable Bed

Don't give your guests the oldest, saggiest mattress you have. If you can't afford a new or good used bed, think about getting a quality air mattress. They're really quite comfortable and can be placed on top of a box spring, over a sofa bed mattress, or on the floor.

The 9 Best Box Springs of 2023

ucpage / Getty Images

Upgrade Your Bedding

Beyond clean bedding, think about adding luxurious bed linens and comfort items supplied by fine B&Bs: a featherbed mattress topper, a choice of pillows, a cozy down comforter, extra blankets, and freshly ironed pillowcases.

Supply Extra Linens

Always have an extra set of bed and bath linens available for your guests. Accidents do happen! Or you may have one of those wonderful guests who insists on changing the sheets when they leave. Let them do it, and thank them profusely.

Make Room for a Suitcase

Clear a space to put a luggage rack or provide a small table or bench to set down a suitcase. No one likes to have to stoop over to the floor to pull out a clean pair of socks. Even a chair is better than nothing.

Clear the Decks

Resist the temptation to put your beautiful collection of dolls on the dresser or fill the closet with out-of-season clothes. In a guest room, less is more––more space, more comfortable, and more welcoming. Get rid of anything you would not find in a hotel room. Keep only the most useful items in the room, like a clock and calendar.

Make Sure There's a Comfy Place to Sit

Some people do not feel comfortable sitting on a bed and your guests shouldn't have to. Place an upholstered armchair or side chair in the room with a table and lamp close by.

Brighten Things Up

One of the biggest hotel decor missteps is when an otherwise nice room has no light to read by. It's always helpful to have a light control near the bed so your guest won't have to stumble around in the dark just to turn a light on. If nothing else, provide a good reading light near a chair or over the bed. Another fixture or lamp near the desk would be great. A small night light is helpful, and a lighted magnifying makeup mirror is a real luxury.

The Spruce / Olivia Inman

Clean the Closet

If your guest room shares space with a home office, clear at least a foot or two of pole space in the closet. Or purchase an inexpensive over-the-door hook that can accommodate some hanging clothes. Don't forget a supply of six to eight hangers. A simple hook on the wall or behind a closet door can hold a robe, coat, or a purse.

Make Some Drawer Space

If you have an extra chest of drawers, that's ideal, but if not, clearing out at least one or two drawers for small items is sufficient. Both you and your guest will feel better with odds and ends out of sight.

Don't Forget Simple Basics

A lighted clock next to the bed is a great amenity, and an alarm clock or clock/radio is even better. Provide paper and pens, scissors, tape, tissue, and a hairdryer to have all the bases covered. If you don't have an extra iron and ironing board to offer, be sure to tell your guest where they can find yours.

Provide Privacy

You might know that the big maple tree just outside the window camouflages everything going on, but your guests won't. Choose window coverings that add to the character of the room and also provide privacy and light control. If you need to keep it simple, blinds work great. You can always add a beautiful valance or side panels later.

Supply a Set of Keys 

Put together several sets of keys to your home (and car if your guests will be using it). Color-code the sets and keep track of who has what. Keep a simple log of who has which colored set, and check them in when they're returned.

Give Guests the Inside Scoop

If your home has a security system, provide instructions for your guests. This applies if you live in a gated community or neighborhood that has a swimming pool, walking paths, parking regulations, emergency evacuation rules, or any other HOA guidelines that your house guests should be aware of.

Share Local Tourist Info 

If your guests will be going around town without you, they'll appreciate area maps, brochures on the hot spots, and directions to your home. Make a list of the best shopping areas, museums, parks, and your favorite restaurants. Mark special locations on the maps with highlighter pens. Place all the items in a box or basket that you keep in the guest room. That way, you won't have to re-gather everything when another guest arrives.

Provide Snacks to Enjoy

House guests get "the nibbles" in the evening, just like everyone else. Place wrapped snacks, fresh fruit or cookies, and a bottle of water in the guest room. How about a small coffee pot or water heater, instant cider, tea, and coffee, and creamer and sugar? When your guests are up late at night reading that book they can only get to while away from home, they'll be able to put together a tasty snack without sneaking down to your kitchen.

Leave Good Reading at Hand 

If you've read a wonderful novel, share it with your guest. Five-minute mysteries, travel books, an assortment of magazines, classic novels, or the local paper will provide quiet-time activities for your guest.

Set Up a Center for Entertainment 

A TV in the guest room is much appreciated. Don't forget to place the remote control near the bed so they don't have to get out of bed to turn it off.

Help Guests Stay Connected

If your home is wired, great! Write down your wi-fi password and leave it on the nightstand for your house guests. If not, provide a cable connection to hook up a computer. Many people travel with laptops and do work or check e-mail when away from home. Provide a desk and chair and a good lamp.

The list of ideas you've just read might seem long, but everything is simple and logical to provide. By thinking of what you would like to find in a fine hotel room, you'll be on your way to creating a perfect guest room.

How to Style the Perfect Guest Bedroom

By

Ashley Knierim

Ashley Knierim

Ashley Knierim is a home decor expert and product reviewer of home products for The Spruce. Her design education began at a young age. She has over 10 years of writing and editing experience, formerly holding editorial positions at Time and AOL.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 01/27/22

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

One of the joys of home decorating is showing it off to friends and family and getting a chance to welcome your loved ones into your home. If you're someone who loves to host (or even if you're not!), creating the perfect guest oasis is key to ensuring a memorable stay for your family and friends.  

The best guest rooms are uncluttered, comfortable and feel a little like home. But it is also a place to put your own personal touch and make your guest feel like they're staying somewhere that's well thought out and intentional. Whether you add a bold wallpaper like this one from raveinteriordesign or you're hunting for other ways to create the perfect guest room decor, we've rounded up our favorite tips and tricks. 

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No matter how chic the interior of a house or apartment is, if the design of the guest room leaves much to be desired, then a not very pleasant impression will form about the dwelling. That is why the arrangement of the living room should be given special attention. When choosing a finish, you should be guided by the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. The scale affects not only the stylistic design of the room, but also the choice of shades, furniture and other interior elements.

Furnishing a small guest room

In small rooms, every square meter should be used as rationally as possible. Modular cabinet furniture is ideal for this purpose. Proper placement of it will allow you to quickly turn a cozy home nest into a place for receiving guests. We recommend that you look at such frameless furniture as a pear chair or a bean bag chair. Such a chair will provide maximum comfort, and if guests come, it will become a wonderful “chair”. One way or another, frameless furniture, if necessary, can be quickly hidden. In the interior of the guest room, modern walls look very good, which are characterized by small dimensions and the presence of many open shelves. On the shelves you can place personal photos in frames, souvenirs, dishes or books. If you place some more furniture in the living room, the room will be cluttered and absolutely uncomfortable. The interior design of a small guest room involves a simple finish in a neutral color palette, as well as the use of a minimum number of decorative elements. Everything should be modest, but tasteful. Each item has its own place, only then all the elements will organically fit into the interior. To visually expand the space, openwork or transparent furniture, light shades for walls and floors, large windows, mirrors, and transparent tulle are often used.

Furnishing a spacious living room

Everyone dreams of a spacious guest room. If you are lucky enough to become its owner, we recommend that you take into account the following information. When there is plenty of space, you can decorate the room in a particular style. On the Internet, there are many photos of the interior of guest rooms, decorated in such stylistic concepts as classic, baroque and modern. In a classic living room, it is appropriate to place mirrors and lamps with gilding, massive wooden furniture and some antiques. Furniture is best placed in corners or along walls. This will significantly expand the space so that large companies can gather in the room. The Baroque style is characterized by the presence of sculptures, frescoes, ceiling moldings and massive intricately shaped furniture in the design. As for fabrics, it is best to choose brocade, velvet or satin. A guest room in Art Nouveau style necessarily contains such elements as a coffee table, a seating area, a fireplace, and a creative self-leveling floor. Lighting is provided by both a large central luminaire and LED spotlights. With such a scheme, not a single corner of the room will remain dark, which means that the atmosphere in the room will be especially homely and cozy. By the way, it is better to “eliminate” sharp corners by placing indoor plants near them.

Your imagination and a few guest room interior design photos are all it takes to develop an impressive living room design.

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furniture in the interior of the room, photos of design ideas

When designing the interior of a guest room, it is very important to take into account many nuances. It is necessary to proceed from the area and dimensions of the room, the possibility of allocating a separate space in an apartment or a private house for suddenly descending relatives.

A guest room is a separate room or an isolated area designed to accommodate guests

To create a truly homely cozy atmosphere, you need to choose functional, practical furniture, decide on a style, provide sufficient lighting and do not forget about decorative accessories.

Guest room design features

Contents

The guest room, in fact, should be designed according to the laws of a standard hotel room. It should be equipped with a place to sleep and rest, storage of personal belongings. The optimal quadrature of the room for a comfortable stay should not be less than 6 square meters. m. If the footage allows, you can additionally equip a working sector with a desk, a leisure area with a TV and other household appliances for a good pastime.

The room must have enough space to accommodate the necessary furniture

The location of the guest room does not matter much

However, in most cases a separate room for temporary guests is the prerogative of modern spacious apartments and cottages. Most often, the hall plays the role of a bedroom.

But regardless of whether or not it is possible to allocate an isolated room for guests, it is important to think over the interior of the housing correctly in order to welcome relatives or friends if necessary. At the same time, don't embarrass yourself too much.

Design of a guest room in a private house

Country mansions give more chances for the implementation of the most daring ideas. Therefore, in a private house, the design of a guest room involves the use of various stylistic trends.

In a private house, an attic or basement room can serve as a guest room. Sometimes they are immediately combined with a bathroom for the convenience of owners and guests.

Guest room in the attic of a country house made of wood

A small guest room, decorated in pastel colors

But the allocation of a separate room, on the one hand, is an indicator of luxury and the status of the owners. On the other hand, the premises are rarely used, so not the best places are allocated for it. Usually these are remote corners of the house where there are problems with lighting.

For example, a small closet with a small window next to the kitchen, dressing room, study or boudoir will be converted into a guest bedroom during the arrival of relatives. In this case, it will be possible to create a harmonious interior if the shortage of square meters is compensated by well-chosen furniture and additional light sources.

Spacious guest room with large windows in the bay window

Cozy room with natural wood finishes

An ideal option when the owners thought over the design in advance and equipped real studio rooms, sometimes with their own kitchenette and bathroom for future guests. In this situation, every corner of the space will be used for its intended purpose, providing the maximum with useful elements and household items.

In the apartment

Owners of standard apartments hardly have to brag about the area. The design of the guest room in a limited quadrature is not distinguished by sophistication and variety.

Visitors are most often accommodated in the hall. Of course, it is impossible to predict the number of people in advance. But still, it is possible to accommodate a family of three if you install a folding sofa or armchair in the living room.

Folding sofa - a practical option, tested by more than one generation of people

An excellent solution would be to purchase transforming furniture, for example, walls with a folding bed

If guests come often enough, it is appropriate to divide the hall into functional areas. This is done with the help of plasterboard partitions, translucent curtains, folding screens, mobile shelving, whatnots on wheels, which can be easily dismantled.

The easiest way to separate the guest area is to hang a curtain on the ceiling cornice

This method will allow you to fence off the space for relaxation of temporary guests, leaving room for watching TV together, morning tea drinking or evening gatherings on the occasion of a gala meeting. And also organize a place to store their things, temporarily freeing up for these purposes, for example, a chest of drawers or highlighting a couple of shelves in the furniture wall.

Choice of style and color for guests

The style of the interior should correspond to the overall design concept of the living space. For the guest bedroom, a universal design is chosen, characterized by restraint and rigor for maximum comfort for new residents. After all, the main purpose of the room is rest after the completion of important matters.

The color palette of the interior depends on the size of the room. The smaller the room, the more light shades should be used.

To help guests relax, choose shades of neutral colors. You can experiment only in cases of designing isolated rooms. Here it is appropriate to use bright accents, which can be a carpet, an unusually shaped lamp.

If the goal is to save money, then modern style solutions are chosen for the design of the living room

From a wide variety of styles for decorating guest rooms, designers highlight several of the most successful:

Interesting options for lighting in the guest room

lighting fixtures in the hall or nursery. There are rules here, based primarily on the specifics of the premises.

The lack of natural light is compensated by artificial light

To make the guest feel comfortable at any time of the day, you need to carefully consider the details. A person who comes from an area where the time zone differs by 5 or more hours from local time will need 1-2 days to acclimatize. Sleep and wake patterns will be disturbed.

Lighting should be functional - in addition to the central chandelier, install additional lights in each zone of the room

Blackout curtains can be hung for convenience. But in situations where the option is unacceptable, it is recommended to find alternative methods. A good solution is to buy a special mask-goggles for sleeping in advance. It would not be superfluous to install local appliances in the room (floor lamps, sconces, table lamps) in addition to the central chandelier.

Particular attention is paid to the illumination of the workplace, if such is provided in the interior of the room.

Decorative spotlights mounted in a suspended or suspended ceiling around the perimeter of the room look original, with the ability to adjust the light intensity using the remote control. This method is especially relevant if it is not possible to allocate a separate room for a temporary guest.

The choice of furniture for the guest room

The standard set of furniture for the guest room includes a sofa, a folding chair or a single bed, and preferably two (if necessary, they can be moved), cabinet or built-in wardrobe.

Dimensions and number of pieces of furniture are selected based on the dimensions of the room

If there is enough space, they additionally purchase a bedside table, chest of drawers or a dressing table with a mirror, a rack for various small things, a couch, a desk with a chair, a TV niche and an acoustic system.

The bed will be the center of the guest room, which embodies the main purpose of this room

If the hall in the apartment is a temporary shelter for guests, the owners need to take care of purchasing functional sets even at the stage of repair. The best solution is to buy sliding and folding upholstered furniture with an additional storage section under the seat, transforming headsets, folding and mobile structures.

Beds should be simple and comfortable. Do not choose experimental options in the form of round or "water" beds

The design of a guest room looks unusual and bold if you install a multifunctional wardrobe up to the ceiling in the entire wall, combining several modules at once: a bed with a lifting mechanism, a dressing room, a work area, a library.

Options for decorating a room

A variety of decorative accessories must be present in the interior of any living space. Without them, the design will be incomplete and boring. This rule also applies to guest rooms.

It is easier to use a universal decor that can be matched to any style. For example, paintings with neutral subjects

However, there is one important nuance here. The territory in a house or apartment intended for temporary residence is empty most of the time. Therefore, you should not overdo it with the details. The more various small decorative elements, the longer the time will be spent on cleaning.

It is important that the decor is not associated with the owners of the house. Therefore, family photos and personal items are excluded

Optimum use of pillows, carpet, paintings, floor vases, designer lamp. And it is better to refuse small figurines, family photos, personal items, children's crafts, caskets, candlesticks. Temporary hosts may feel that they are violating the personal space of the true homeowners.

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