Spare room; we owe you an apology. For too long you’ve been a dumping ground for stuff, a hastily assembled, half arsed home office, and a place where only our most drunk friends crash. We’re sorry.
From now on, we pledge to make more effort. But how do you transform this unloved space into somewhere that any guest would be pleased to stay in – and one that your friends or family will be desperate to come back to? Here’s how; our 4 spare bedroom decor ideas for the ideal guest room.
COMFORT IS KEY
If you are hoping for someone to stay in this room, emerge refreshed and want to come back, then you’ll want to ensure that they have a great rest. As such, comfort is key.
Begin with the most important item – the bed. If splashing out on a new mattress isn’t an option, consider investing in a mattress topper to replicate a similar effect but for much less investment. Indeed, a topper can transform a lumpy, bumpy and uncomfortable mattress into one which will have you ‘oohing and ahhing’ every time you slip into your bed.
To maximise the potential of the room, consider opting for twin beds for guests who may not want to share a bed. Go further in the comfort stakes and add an armchair – somewhere guests can relax in peace and quiet when they’ve gotten bored of you.
AMPLE STORAGE
Your visitors and guests will likely bring bags and their belongings into the room so making sure that there is enough space to store their items will be essential. A guest can really feel ‘at home’ when their stuff is packed away neatly and out of sight. The opposite is true when you’re dressing out of a messy, open suitcase each morning. Crucial, then, to empty out a section of your closet for your guests and make storage options ample and varied. If you don’t want guests to access your wardrobe, then think of some smart alternatives.
For instance, you can put hooks on the back of doors, provide a laundry bag, install open shelves and place a clothing rail with hangers. Under-bed storage containers or drawers are always useful for putting away larger items or bags. Such storage is ideal space is particularly tight; the experts at Divan Beds Centre suggest that ”this is particularly worthwhile when space in the home is at a premium as the large, spacious drawers can really make a difference in providing additional storage”. We couldn’t agree more.
COLOUR
Try to avoid garish colours and patterns that don’t always encourage relaxation. Every guest will have divergent tastes, and you’re never going to satisfy everyone if you opt for a divisive hue in your guest room. Instead, go for something neutral, such as off white, beige, or a subtle, understated yellow.
For pops of colour, add splashes of vibrancy via the bedding, curtains and cushions – we just love the cushion designs from Voyage Outlet – that you choose for the room. That juxtaposition between sophisticated, subtle paintwork and an ebullience in the finishings works well, we think.
ADDED EXTRAS
It’s the finer details and small touches which give your guest a proper, welcoming experience. Give your visitors a selection of books to read or board games to play when they want a bit of free time to themselves. Fold towels neatly and place at the end of the bed, hotel room style, and perhaps even gift your guests some travel shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles. Have a radio or, better yet, Amazon Alexa set up and they may never want to leave!