Designing a comfortable and classic guest room should be a priority if you sometimes have overnight guests staying over. When you design a guest room, try looking at things from your guests’ perspective. Does the room have everything you would need in order to be comfortable, and does it seem cheerful and welcoming? If you feel that your guest room could benefit from design makeover, here are some decorating tips that can help.

A Fresh Start

In some cases, your guest room might serve other purposes in between overnight guests. If this is the case, it’s important to thoroughly de-clutter the room. Although you might use the room between visits as a hobby or craft room, you should do everything possible to make it look as though the room is dedicated to guests. For example, you can use a cabinet or hobby armoire to hide sewing or craft materials. To give the room a fresh new look, paint the walls in an off-white, neutral or pastel shade. You’ll also want to polish the floor or clean the carpet once the room has been painted. Once you’ve accomplished these basic tasks, you can focus on designing and decorating your guest room.

Furniture Choices for the Guest Room

If you think you’ll have to spend a lot of money on furniture for the guest room, think again. You can frequently find classically beautiful and sturdy furniture pieces at second-hand shops, garage sales, or flea markets. You can paint mismatched pieces the same color to help visually unify them. Start with the basics, which should be a queen sized bed, bedside tables, and a chest of drawers, armoire or dresser. Then, if there’s enough room left over, try adding a table and chair, small desk, comfortable loveseat or chair

Lighting the Guest Room

Your guests will appreciate the fact that you took the time and effort to consider proper room lighting. Curtains combined with blinds or shades can be a great window treatment, providing your guests with the ability to block outside light if desired. Although your guest room might already have an overhead light, you should still add a floor lamp or a table lamp. A reading lamp placed on the bedside table or beside the loveseat, reading chair or desk can also be quite useful. By providing your guests with multiple lighting options, they will have the freedom to choose the style and quantity of light they prefer.

Focus on the Bed

The bed is usually considered to be the guest room “centerpiece,” and rightfully so. You should always try to purchase a good box spring and mattress set, since these items can be very important to your guests’ comfort while they sleep. You can also enhance the comfort of the bed by including luxurious bed linens. The bed should have a minimum of three pillows, along with spare bed linens and blankets. Place a lamp on the bedside table, along with an alarm clock and a stack of good books, and then add the final finishing touch with simple Southwestern wall sculptures or the wall decor of your choice.

If you are expecting guests to visit, you’ll want to have a comfortable and welcoming guest room prepared in advance. If you’re not sure how to go about designing your guest room, it can help to think about the room features provided by most fine hotels. Even though you might not be able to add every single luxurious detail, you’ll still be able to create a comfortable and even luxurious space for your guests to enjoy. If you’d like to create a small oasis that your guests will be truly comfortable in, here are some guest room layouts that can help.

Focus on the Basics

Focusing on the basics is usually the best idea when you design a guest room. Although you might enjoy adding decorative little details, your guests will be primarily concerned with the room’s basic amenities. A comfortable bed is one of the room’s most important features. You can save money by purchasing a queen bed frame at a second-hand shop, flea market or garage sale, as long as it is sturdy. However, to ensure the comfort of your guests, you should purchase a really great mattress and box spring. A queen sized bed is usually the most versatile option for a guest room, since its large enough to comfortably accommodate a couple. However, if your room is small, you could also use a full size or even a twin size bed. Bedside tables, a dresser or chest of drawers and a table and chair or small desk are also basic furniture pieces to include in your layout. If your guest room is large enough, you might also want to create a comfortable sitting area by adding a comfortable chair, side table and reading lamp. A small table, bench or luggage rack can also be a nice touch, providing your guests with a place to store suitcases.

Guest Room Layouts that Work

Although the room’s size and architectural features will probably influence some of your guest room layout decisions, there are also a few basic layout tips that you can keep in mind. By placing the loveseat, chair, desk or table on the opposing side of the room from the bed and dresser, you’ll be able to create separate spaces for sleeping and living. This arrangement can also help to create a nice overall flow in the room. If possible, add features such as a telephone, television, Internet connection and a stereo to the room. By thinking about how the furniture pieces and accessories would be arranged in a luxurious hotel, you’ll be able to create a functional living space for your guests.

Simple Accessories and Clean Lines

After you’ve taken care of the room’s basic layout, you can turn your attention towards adding a few accessories and decorating details. These little added touches can really make a guest room more homey and appealing. However, a simple decorating approach is usually preferable. In order to provide plenty of room for your guests’ belongings, try to keep horizontal surfaces clear of clutter and too many accessories. However, you can definitely add an attractive finishing touch by including a vase of flowers, a scented candle or a piece of wall art like a striking Southwestern metal art decor or a wrought iron door topper.