Creating The Perfect Guest Bedroom
/I’m excited to share my own guest bedroom refresh that’s filled with simple budget friendly decorating tips as well as how to make your guests feel welcomed in your space. Let me show you that creating the perfect guest bedroom is very doable by applying some of these practices to make any guest feel right at home.
A carefully designed guest bedroom is the perfect way to host family for the holidays, welcome out-of-town guests, or to just make things ready for occasional overnight guests.
A few intentional choices, and repurposing items you already own is the best way to transform your spare room into a space that will make your room into a home away from home.
Here are my best guest room decorating tips for creating an inviting room that feels warm and inviting without a major renovation or a big budget.
Start With Comfort First
Your guests might not remember the artwork on the wall, but they certainly will remember if they got a good nights rest. Always put your guests comfort ahead of the decorating.
Focus on the basics:
Invest in Quality Bedding
Always change the bedding and have those fresh, clean, 100% cotton sheets on the bed. It’s the simplest way to elevate your guest bedroom. Layer on a nice duvet or coverlet and have an extra blanket somewhere close at hand. That’s a great way to let your guests find their personal comfort level.
And don’t forget to have good quality pillows - 2 per guest is recommended for maximum comfort. This is not the place to have those old, worn, pancake thin pillows. Is it time to go shopping? A little investment of new pillows doesn’t take a big budget at all. I recently purchased a set of two Beauty Rest pillows at Costco for under $40.
Temperature Control
Our guest room is in the lower level so it tends to feel a little on the cool side. We installed a small wall insert electric fireplace with a remote control that allows guests to find their comfort spot. If your guest room leans to the warm side, you might consider having a fan in the room.
Shop Your Home Before Shopping the Stores
One of my favourite decorating tips is to look around your own home first. I almost always do this when I’m on a client consultation call. Before you buy your accessories, furniture or artwork, be sure to take an inventory of what you already have.
Like me, you might find some frames in your art stash, or decide to repaint your existing bedroom furniture to go with your new palette. Look around for books, baskets, mirrors, and other decorative pieces you already have in your home. Carefully styled, these can add warmth and personality. Remember to be intentional with your choices: we always want to create a cohesive and well balanced design.
You Can Create a Hotel-Inspired Experience
You really don’t need to offer a luxury accommodation to give a great guest experience. Try some of these special touches:
a luggage rack, bench, or chair for suitcases
space to set a phone, jewellery, or a bedside book
USB port or simple charging station
How’s The Guest Room Lighting?
Include bedside lamps or wall sconces if the bedside table in small, overhead lighting, and if you can, ambiance lighting that’s as easy as having your overhead light on a dimmer.
I have a small motion light in the hallway at the baseboard level for way-finding to the bathroom at night. You can buy inexpensive ones on Amazon that take AA batteries. Easy - peasy!
And on this topic, be sure to show your guests where all the lighting switches are and how they operate. Remember they’re new to your space.
Welcome Thoughtful Touches To Add
The smallest of gestures can really make your guests feel cared for. Try some of these tips:
Create a Welcome Basket
Water and glass(es)
Night time snacks of granola bars, chocolate or nuts
Hand lotion
Wi-Fi password - in a pretty little frame if you have one
Local information
Toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, shampoo, floss, cotton balls, Q tips
Flowers or Greenery
A tiny arrangement from your garden will do the trick. I’ve put some faux flowers and a faux tree in my guest bedroom. It’s always a nice touch.
something to read
A few magazines, maybe some local guides, or books with short stories or trivia books to help unwind before bed.
Create Some Guest Storage
There’s nothing worse than living out of a suitcase. If your guests are staying for more than a night or two, be sure to offer them some designated storage space.
My guest room has it’s own dresser. Having said that, I had it crammed full of gifts for upcoming birthdays and Christmas, odds and ends of things that I thought I should keep. You know the deal. Doing a thorough purge when I started the sanding and repainting was very freeing.
What about clearing some space? Push back some clothes in the closet, leave a few empty hangers, designate a shelf or top drawer of the dresser. Functional storage can be as easy as a decorative bin or pretty basket.
by julia
Consider Accessibility and Convenience
As an Aging-in-Place specialist, I always encourage homeowners to think beyond aesthetics.
Quick Check List:
Is there adequate lighting at night?
Are pathways clear and easy to navigate?
Is there a sturdy chair available?
Is there easy access to a nearby bathroom?
For older guests, these small considerations can make a significant difference.
Budget-Friendly Guest Room Upgrades
As I’ve said, creating a beautiful guest room doesn't have to be expensive. I purchased some new things like the $5.00 a metre fabric for the window treatment and bed bolster pillow that I made myself.
I used existing bedroom furniture that came to life with some fresh paint/stain, existing art and frames in my stash, existing window blind, existing accessories.
Adding the new wall fireplace was a little more of an investment, but not really all that costly. That might not be a normal bedroom upgrade, but it certainly fixes the temperature issue while bringing so much ambiance to the space.
Affordable upgrades include:
New bedding
Fresh paint
Updated lamps
Decorative pillow
Area rug
New curtain panels
Framed free printable artwork
Decorative baskets for storage
Often, fresh paint and thoughtful styling create the biggest impact for the least amount of money.
What Creating The Perfect Guest Bedroom Looks Like In My House
Final Thoughts
The perfect guest bedroom is about making your guests feel welcomed, comfortable and cared for. It’s not about a renovation to put together a luxury hotel suite.
Put your focus on creating comfort, incorporating intentional, thoughtful details, and most certainly making use of items you already own, you can create a beautiful guest retreat that’s well within your budget.
I think it can be the most simple touches - a comfortable bed, a glass of water and a warm welcome - that can make any guest feel most at home.
