Guest Room Decor Ideas

Dave Kushner • Apr 26, 2021

Traveling can be a stressful experience, but being a guest in someone else’s home can make it even more challenging. Fortunately, you can help your visitors feel more at home by offering them a pleasant place to stay, and that begins in the guest room.

Instead of allowing your spare bedroom to become an afterthought, invest some time and effort into incorporating some practical guest room decor ideas to improve their stay:

Prioritize home organization to keep down clutter
Offer plenty of storage space
Consider a couch or comfy chairs
Add a desk
Stick to a cohesive design theme
Remember that two beds may be better than one

You may not be able to control traffic, flight delays, or the weather, but you can certainly ensure your guests’ stay in your home is as enjoyable as possible. Keep reading to get all the details on how to best furnish and decorate your guest room.

Prioritize Home Organization by Reducing Clutter

When your guests are living out of a suitcase, they’re automatically going to be a little less organized than usual. The Spruce notes that’s why it’s so important that you help them settle in comfortably by prioritizing your home organization and keeping their space uncluttered.

Instead of lots of interesting decor, opt for clean spaces with lots of flat surfaces for them to set out items and get organized. This will allow them plenty of room to unpack and access everything they packed away. If you do feel some decor is necessary, keep it to a minimum and ensure that it matches the overall aesthetic you’re going for in that space. And whatever you do, resist the urge to use your guest bedroom as a storage unit when visitors aren’t in town.

Provide Ample Storage Space

Even if your room doesn’t feature a sprawling walk-in closet with tons of storage space, you can still make sure your guests are comfortable by giving them enough space to hang or put away their clothes. At a minimum, this includes empty clothing rods with plenty of hangers for their outfits that were stuffed into suitcases or an empty dresser. A full-length mirror and a hamper bin are also nice touches that go the extra mile in helping your visitors feel welcome.

If possible, resist the urge to take up your guest’s closet space with your off-season wardrobe items. Remember, this room should be reserved for your visitors, and that includes the closet. Any of your items that they have to work around sends the subtle signal that they’re encroaching on a space you value. If you do have trouble removing extra wardrobe items from a guest closet, take a look at your master closet’s situation to identify opportunities to get more organized or install space-saving storage features.

Consider a Couch to Create Private Retreat

Country Living recommends adding a couch to your guest room to help give the space a “homey” feel. Although it will eat up space, it may be a worthy trade-off. This private seating option will provide your guests with a valuable place to read, browse the internet, and relax in private.

When you’re a visitor at someone else’s home, privacy can be in short supply. A well-placed couch creates a retreat for guests who may want to get away from the common areas of your home. If your guest room can accommodate it, a couch, or even two comfy sofa chairs, can go a long way in making your guests feel more comfortable, particularly during extended stays.

Add a Desk for Remote Work

While on the topic of creating a multi-use area for visitors, HGTV explains that you may also consider adding a small desk to your guest room. Depending on the visitors who are staying with you, they may still need to work remotely during their trip. A small workstation that can accommodate a laptop and is stocked with some handy office items, like pens and paper, can be a godsend for busier visitors. Sure, a desk may take up a bit more room, but you can always consider cutting out other less important furniture pieces to make up for the lack of space.

With the way the modern work-life balance has shifted, a private workspace can be the difference between a relaxing vacation and a stressful one for everyone. When you give your guests a place of their own to work, you won’t have to rope off other areas of your home for them to take over. Furthermore, your visitors will be more productive, allowing them to knock out tasks quicker so they can rejoin you and enjoy their stay.

Pick a Design Theme and Stick to It

Don’t subject your guests to a room that looks like it was decorated exclusively with furniture from your local rummage sale. Nothing looks worse than a mismatched space with furniture, colors, and decor styles that clash. If you don’t attempt to create a cohesive decor theme, it will make your guest room look like an afterthought and significantly undermine the sense of welcome you’re trying to create.

On the other hand, a well-conceived space with matching items offers a sense of balance and organization that will make your guests feel welcome. They’ll immediately recognize the thought and effort you put in to creating this space for them. And yes, this includes ensuring the guest room still matches the rest of your home decor. Want some bonus points? Coordinate your guest towels with the bedding, curtains, and other fabric elements to tie together the entire space.

Opt for Two Twin Beds Instead of a Single Large One

If your room can accommodate them, two twin beds offer more flexibility and comfort for your guests. This allows fellow travelers who are not married to comfortably stay together, maximizing your home’s guest space.

The Wall Street Journal explains that beyond the practical reasons, two twin beds also offer some aesthetic benefits over a single bed. Two beds allow you to arrange your space with a greater sense of symmetry, which is very desirable in guest rooms. It also opens up other interesting decor ideas, such as hanging artwork, baskets, or ceramic pieces on the walls above the beds, which helps draw the eye upwards and expands the vertical space.

Conclusion

You don’t necessarily have to give your guest’s a luxury bed and breakfast experience to help them feel at home. Simply incorporating a few of the ideas above will do wonders for your space, and their stay, by helping to keep them more organized, relaxed, and comfortable.

One of the worst feelings as a guest in someone else’s home is the belief that you’re being an inconvenience. When your visitors see that you put in a little effort to create a welcoming room just for them, it shows that you appreciate their company and do not consider their presence an imposition.