How to create the perfect guest room

Guest rooms are typically the afterthought in any home makeover, especially if they only get a quick dusting when friends and family come to stay.

Here’s how to make yours inviting and ensure it has a use beyond those visits.

Whether you’re an empty nester faced with doing something useful with your children’s old bedrooms, or you just have a large house with several rooms to spare, creating beautiful, stylish guest quarters is a great choice for the space. It’s also easy to create dual spaces for guest rooms, too – which means you’re not leaving these rooms to gather dust in between visits from friends and family.

Here are some tips on creating a guest bedroom space that’s comfortable, functional – and will go a long way towards making your guests feel welcome.

A clean and polish

Creating a space for guests should always start with a spring clean and a fresh paint job. You could have some fun with the hue you choose and the decorations or stick to a warm white and add colourwith your bedding, furniture and accessories. If this is a room that your children may come back to and stay in, it might be nice to leave a couple of their belongings in the room or an artwork you’ve framed from their childhood. Fresh flowers are always great, too.

Layer, layer and layer some more

We’re talking textiles here. A great rug doesn’t have to cost a fortune and is an excellent foundation for your room. High pile rugs that feel great underfoot and are easy to place half under a bed and half around it. This anchors the bed into the space and gives guests a soft place to stand when they get out of bed in the morning. Similarly, make the bed with nice linens, plump pillows and a throw at the end for cold nights.

Odd props can work well

If you’ve stashed odd furniture pieces like a vintage bamboo ladder or Chinese stool in your attic or storage unit because it didn’t work or fit with the rest of your house, now’s the time to revisit. These pieces can work wonders in a guest room. The ladder can be good for hanging a couple of bathroom towels on for guests to use, or give them a place to hang a bag or hat. Same with a lovely stool popped into a corner, and with an easy chair next to it, a stool can also double as a teeny coffee table.

Think about comfort and function

A ceiling fan can be a great way to ensure your guests are comfortable in summer and they don’t cost much to run (compared to air conditioning). You also want to ensure there’s space in a wardrobe for them to hang clothes or drawers free in a dresser – avoid the temptation to use your guest room as a dumping ground for ‘stuff’. Extra towels, blankets and pillows will always come in handy (everyone has different needs). You might also like to leave a bottle of water on the bedside table along with tissues, mini shampoos, maybe some snacks and a print-out with your home’s WIFI password so your guest can log on.

If you want it to be dual purpose

A guest room that you want to double as a home office is easy to do. Think about how you want to use it and plan the room so it’s not cluttered but fulfils both purposes. A lovely desk, bookshelves and a beautiful couch that converts easily to a bed (or a fold-down wall bed) could be a simple way to create a dual purpose room that you’re comfortable working in and that your guests feel comfortable in, too.