7 guest bedroom ideas to help you bring your design dreams to life

Part of decorating your home is getting to show it off to your family and friends. Hosting loved ones in your guest bedroom is your chance to create an oasis that ensures a memorable stay. 

The best guest rooms are comfy and uncluttered. They feel a bit like home, but they also make your guest feel like they’re staying in an intentional, well-thought-out space. Whether you’re decorating your guest room from the ground up or you’re looking for design ideas to improve your existing spare bedroom, we’re here to help. 

You don’t have to be a professional interior designer to pull off a successful bedroom makeover. All you need are the right tips and tricks. In this article, we’ve highlighted our top seven tips for creating the perfect guest bedroom, regardless of your style preferences.

1. Pick a style or theme

The first step to decorating any interior space is picking a style. Whether it’s mid-century modern, rustic, glam, or farmhouse decor, the style you choose gives your room character. Without it, the spare bedroom can feel like a dead zone where you simply dump your guests.

Choosing a theme can make decorating even more fun. For example, you might decide on creating a coastal bedroom and decorate it with a beachy color palette and artwork to match. Picking a color palette is necessary for any style or theme, especially when selecting paint colors. A color palette can also be its own less literal theme or style where you base your decor ideas on the colors you’ve selected for the room. 

Even small spaces can accommodate guest room ideas with lots of character. For example, a small guest bedroom with a single bed and bedside table can come to life with a consistent color palette, DIY wall art, and fresh flowers.

2. Choose your bed or sofa

If your guest bedroom doesn’t already have a bed, choosing which type of bed or sofa you’d like is an excellent second step. Consider how you want the room to look, what you have right now, what you can afford, and how often you have house guests. For instance, if you have a spare bed frame, that’s one less piece of furniture you have to buy to bring your guest bedroom idea to life. 

You could use a sleeper sofa that you only pull out when guests are staying over. This approach works well if the guest bedroom shares a space with a home office or living room. Or you might opt for two twin beds if you commonly host multiple house guests or a daybed for a more casual feel. If you want the guest room to feel more like a master bedroom, consider a queen-size bed with a headboard. 

3. Keep lots of bedding on hand

Picking the duvet, throw pillows, cushions, and extra blankets for your guest room is where it gets fun. It’s also the best way to make the space feel welcoming. The more bedding, the better. If it’s too much, your guests can always stack extras to the side. But if it’s too little, your guests will be uncomfortable. 

Some people are hot sleepers, and others can feel cold in the middle of summer. Some like sleeping on a pile of pillows while others prefer just one. Include as many layers as you can and let your guests decide which ones they’d like to use and which ones they don’t need. 

You don’t have to spend a fortune to do this, either. Look for an affordable set of linens for the bed, buy pillows and throws on sale, and repurpose extras from throughout your home where possible. Bedroom design should be cozy and inviting, and layers of bedding can make even a small guest room feel like home. 

4. Don’t skip the nightstand

You can take or leave lots of bedroom decor, but every guest room — no matter how small — needs a nightstand. Two side tables for the bed are more traditional, but one will do if you’re limited on space. This gives you a spot for a table lamp for guests to read by and room for them to set their things down while making themselves at home. You might also put greenery on the nightstand to bring the bedroom to life. 

Even a small lightweight table that you don’t keep by the bed can be moved there for convenience. Anything is better than forcing your guests to put their phones, glasses, water bottle, and other belongings on the floor. 

A nightstand can also serve as a small bookshelf. Keep a few good reads inside or on a lower shelf, but leave room for your guests to put their books down too. Guest bedroom decorating ideas should always have room for your guests’ as well as your own additions. 

5. Include extra seating if you can

A chair or stool to sit on can make a guest room feel more accommodating. It’s somewhere to sit when getting dressed, unwinding, or talking on the phone, but it can be more than that in a guest room. Your guest might keep their suitcase on the chair or use a stool as a second bedside table for their things. 

Using a storage bench is a great way to make the furniture in your guest room multitask. You’re offering extra seating as well as additional storage space. Whatever you choose doesn’t have to be expensive or take up a lot of space. A folding stool can be tucked away under the bed, and an accent chair can stay out of the way in the corner. 

If you don’t have room for extra seating, you might offer to move a spare dining chair into the space while your guests stay. 

6. Add the little things

It’s the little things that make a guest genuinely feel at home when they stay with you. Interior design is all about anticipating needs through home decor. You don’t have to follow a list. Just think about the basics that are usually included in a nice hotel room. 

Lighting — such as sconces, a floor lamp, or a table lamp — is essential because not everyone wants to go to sleep as soon as they retire for the night. Extra storage space is thoughtful because it allows your guests to unpack and spread out a bit. A carafe for water or coffee gives your guests comfort without having to leave the room. And don’t forget spare toiletries and towels in case someone forgot something. 

Extras like scented candles, a mirror, a television, and a stack of reading material are great too. Make a list of the things you like in your bedroom and hotels stays, and then furnish your guest room accordingly. 

7. Have fun with it

Have fun with your design, and don’t hesitate to add things because they make you happy. If you want to add a glam accent chair (like this Frostine button-tufted seat) in the corner or a chandelier over the bed, go for it! Chances are good that your guests will notice and appreciate the upgraded design. 

Creating your guest bedroom doesn’t need to be stressful, and you shouldn’t worry about being judged. Your guests will be delighted that you’ve designed a guest room for them to stay in — even if you’re not a seasoned interior designer. 

Bring your favorite guest bedroom ideas to life

The sky’s the limit for interior design, and you can make your guest bedroom look however you’d like. Looking for decor ideas while you shop can help you create the guest bedroom you (and your loved ones) have always dreamed of. And we’re here to help. Check out Coaster Furniture’s full selection of bedroom furniture and use our store locator to find new pieces near you.

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