How to Style a Guest Bedroom

There’s no need to let a spare room go to waste, filled with storage. If you love to host, a guest room is a perfect opportunity to decorate and create a restful sanctuary in your home. Guest rooms should feel like a home away from home–comfortable and relaxing. It’s best to keep your guest room uncluttered to ensure it’s a relaxing space, but this doesn’t mean you can’t add personal touches.

If you’re looking for guest room decorating ideas, keep reading. We’ll go through our ideas you can use for your own guest bedroom.

Work With the Room

Hosting guests means you need to anticipate their every need, so your guest room set up should be both practical and decorative. First things first, you want your guest bedroom to be peaceful, cozy and restful. No matter how big or small your guest room is, you can make it the perfect getaway for your guests. If you’re working with a small guest bedroom, make sure you keep things minimal to avoid it from becoming cluttered. The best way to do this is to invest in smart storage solutions, whether it’s a good set of drawers or shelves.

Follow a Theme or Style

Whether it’s minimalist, contemporary, Scandinavian, eclectic, mid-century modern, or rustic, following an interior style can really tie your guest bedroom together. Take inspiration from the location of your home–for instance, if you’re by the sea, go for a coastal guest bedroom design or if you’re surrounded by nature or bushland, go for a rustic style. A city home would suit contemporary, industrial or minimalist interior design. Ultimately, the decision is yours. 

MINIMALIST

Keeping things simple and uncluttered is easy with a minimalist guest bedroom. Go for white or earthy, neutral tones, simple, timeless furniture and add some fresh flowers or a little greenery for a pop of colour.

CONTEMPORARY

Shoot for the stars with a luxe, contemporary guest room. No matter the location of your home, contemporary interior style is timeless. Have a look through some of our contemporary guest bedroom ideas here.

RUSTIC

If you’re going for that cabin in the woods feel, a rustic, cozy guest bedroom will do the trick. For a rustic, country style guest bedroom, go for natural materials like wood and keep things neat and tidy yet unpolished. Read through our rustic interior design tips here.

ECLECTIC

Mix it up and have a little fun with your guest room by giving it an eclectic theme. For eclectic interior design tips, have a read here.

Create a Seating Area  

Give your guests a private, cozy reading nook or sitting area to unwind and relax without getting in bed. Having a couple of armchairs in your guest room makes the perfect spot for your guests to get some quiet time and can double up as extra space to store their things.

Keep It Simple

A warm and welcoming guest room is tidy and uncluttered. If you’re unsure about which colours or patterns to incorporate into your guest room, go for a neutral palette. Less is more.

Our simple guest bedroom ideas are to keep furniture to the essentials–a solid, sturdy and comfortable bed, a couple of bedside tables, lamps, and drawers. Simple furniture is timeless. Make sure there’s plenty of space for your guests to keep their suitcases, clothes and personal belongings. 

Decent Storage 

No matter the size of your guest bedroom, it’s integral you have some decent storage space. Your guests need space to keep their luggage and belongings. Invest in a quality dresser or wardrobe so your guests can put their clothes and belongings away. Consider buying a blanket box or storage ottoman for some extra storage space. Not only are they great for storage, but ottomans double as a piece that will add a luxurious and cozy charm to the room.

Invest in Quality Bedding

The key to a great guest room is great bedding. Make sure to buy a quality quilt or duvet suitable for all seasons and beautiful quilt covers and sheets. Go for soft or bright colours, patterns, or textures, depending on the interior style of your guest room.  

Layer Up

Cozy up your guest room with layers and textures, from extra throws and blankets to cushions. Make sure to keep plenty of cushions and pillows on the bed. Not only will your guests feel cozy, but they’ll have plenty of pillows to choose from when they rest their heads to sleep, and can find one to suit them.

Don’t Forget the Flowers (or Plants)

Fresh flowers signify to your guests you’re happy to have them stay with you. Not only do fresh flowers smell beautiful and add a pop of colour, but they’re a small touch that will make your guest room warm and welcoming. For some more greenery, keep well-maintained house plants in your guest bedroom.

Ambient Lighting & Candles

Lamps, candles, and dimmed lights are essential for creating a warm, relaxing, and cozy guest room. It’s a budget-friendly way to make your guests feel warmly welcomed into your home. Go for bedside lampsfloor lamps, and scented or unscented candles. 

Go for Curtains 

Let the sunshine in during the day and keep out the night-time streetlights with some decent sheer curtains. Your guests will appreciate the natural daylight and privacy. If you can, go for curtains over blinds for an airy, relaxed feel.

Make It Versatile

If hosting guests is something you do few and far between, keep your guest room versatile. Your guest room can double up as home gym or office, meditation room, or reading nook. Keep a clean and tidy desk in your guest room, and a couple of meditation cushions or a yoga mat so you can make use of the space all year round.  

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