One of the benefits of owning a home is having extra space to expand into or to entertain guests. Sometimes that means brunch on the patio and sometimes that means overnight guests.
If you’re lucky enough to have a guest room for those out-of-town friends and family to stay in, take a good, hard look at it. What does the room say to the people that use it? Is it warm and inviting, or does it convey a “final resting place for the things we aren’t quite ready to get rid of” vibe? If it’s more like the latter with mismatched furnishings and worn-out linens, the tips below can help you turn it into a guest room your overnighters can’t wait to sleep in.
An Attic Bunk Room
If you have an attic that’s able to be used as a living space, turn that into your guest room rather than dedicating a ground or second-floor room as such. The gentle ceiling slope found in most attics makes them perfect for such a role as the guest room is usually only used for sleeping, which means you can keep it simple.
Start with adding as many twin size beds as the room will hold. They don’t have to be matching, but they should all be the same type: wrought iron or wood, for example. Paint them all white or black and then accent each with coordinating/matching colors.
Paint the walls and ceiling the same color as this will make the room appear larger. If you choose a bold color, be sure to use neutral colors for the bedding and bring in the wall color with throw pillows and other accents. Finish the room off by mounting small lights above each bed and plenty of hooks for guests to hang their clothing, since most attics don’t have closets. Add a trunk or ottoman at the end of each bed for storage and you’ve got a guest room fit for several overnight guests at once or just one or two at a time.
These ideas work well in small spare bedrooms, too.
Give Guests A Powder Room
If it’s possible, renovate the closet in your guest room into a powder room complete with a sink and toilet for your guests. This will require some plumbing work, but the return is worth it when your guests feel like they’re staying in a five-star hotel rather than your spare room.
Hang a shelving unit above the sink for extra towels and washcloths so your guests can brush their teeth and splash water on their faces before heading down to the breakfast table in the mornings. If there’s room, put a small coffee pot in their room, too, so they can be wide-eyed and bushy-tailed when they meet your first thing in the morning.
