At a Glance:
Start with the Basics: The Best Guest Room Mattress
Create Stylish Sleeping Quarters
Make Sure There’s Plenty of Storage
Don’t Forget the Finishing Touches
When it comes to creating the ideal guest room, take a minute to put yourself in your guest’s shoes. Last time you spent the weekend away, what did you enjoy most? What did you feel was missing? With some intentional planning, your guest room can be a place family and friends long to return to because it feels like a luxury retreat.
In this guide to guest room essentials, we’re covering what to put in a guest room, ranging from a comfortable mattress to a stylish bed frame and plenty of storage. Our design experts have put together the latest guest room bed ideas, including their favorite multifunctional furniture pieces, plus tips for putting on the perfect finishing touches in guest bedrooms. Check them out!
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Shop NowStart with the Basics: The Best Guest Room Mattress
A guest bedroom may be your spare bedroom, but that doesn’t mean it should be home to a second-rate mattress. One way to treat your guests is to invest in a quality mattress. The trick is knowing which type of mattress to buy.
Generally speaking, a medium mattress is a good firmness level for most sleepers, so aim for a medium mattress to accommodate overnight guests that sleep in any position. Likewise, hybrid construction combines the support of coils with the comfort of foam to deliver a sleeping experience that works well for most body types and sleeping positions. guest room furniture
Scott Living by Restonic Ellis Hybrid Medium Plush Tight Top Queen Mattress
Shop This Scott Living Mattress
This mattress strikes the perfect balance between comfort and support that pleases most sleepers. Your guests will appreciate the supportive, responsive coils as well as the comforting design that targets proper spinal alignment. And if your guests tend to overheat during the night, this mattress is designed to stay cool. The coiled design allows for airflow and lets heat escape.
Learn More: 8 Creative Bedroom Layout Ideas for Your Dream Space
Create Stylish Sleeping Quarters
When considering how to decorate a guest room, one of the best ways to start a design is by determining the color palette for the space. Does the rest of your home feature earth tones, light wood, dark wood, or neutrals? Carry those themes into your guest room for a cohesive look that also says, “this room is part of our home.”.
You’ll also want to consider the design style of your home. Does your decor lean more toward modern, farmhouse, coastal, or traditional? You’ll likely want to carry that look into your guest room too to create a cohesive look. Luckily, that can be as simple as matching your home’s décor with your guest room decor. That’s all to say that, when you’re first wondering how to decorate a guest room, the best place to start is with the rest of your home and work that theme into spare spaces. Still hesitant on where to start? Do what our experts do: Determine what size bed for a guest room is best and look for a stunning bedroom set to get the creative juices flowing.
Legacy Classic Modern Summer Camp 4-Piece Stone Path Gray Youth Full Bedroom Set
Shop This Legacy Classic Bedroom Set
In terms of helpful guest room bed ideas, choosing a bedroom set simplifies the decision-making process and saves you the time of shopping for each piece individually. The slightly distressed finish and paneled design from this set works great in a coastal, farmhouse, and transitional bedroom designs, but its neutral finish lets you decide how to style around it. Whatever the design choice, guests will love spending nights in a bedroom with their own dresser and nightstand to store clothes and travel essentials.
Make Sure There’s Plenty of Storage
Unless your guests are staying for an extended amount of time, they don’t necessarily need a large dresser. However, some storage is nice to have, and you may want to use some of the drawers for storing seasonal items. The key is to maximize storage without making the room feel cluttered.
One way to avoid making your guest room feel cluttered is to focus on the scale of your furniture pieces. For example, you could also choose a vertical guest bedroom dresser instead of a long, horizontal piece—think about designing up instead of designing out. A chest of drawers is a great example of this tip. Take a look at our top pick below.
Liberty Palmetto Heights Two-Tone Shell White/Driftwood Chest
Shop This Liberty Furniture Bedroom Chest
This five drawer storage chest provides ample storage space for guests’ items without asking for too much floor space. The two-tone finish is perfect for a farmhouse or coastal bedroom design, both of which are known for creating a cozy and inviting feel in your space.
Learn More: How to Style Small Bedroom Furniture (Minimalist Design Guide)
More Storage Options
Multifunctional furniture pieces are perfect in guest rooms. They offer versatile and space-saving solutions, especially if you’re looking for small guest room ideas to make a spare bedroom more practical when it’s not in use by company. For example, bedroom benches give your guests a place to sit, stow away their items, or have another surface to set items like luggage. You can also store extra linens and towels in or on a bedroom bench and let your guests know they’re there if they need them.
Other multifunctional furniture pieces include storage ottomans, nightstands, and headboards with built-in USB ports or built-in shelving. But if you like the idea of a guest bedroom presented as a regular spare room when guests aren’t over, then pieces like a sofa bed, daybed with storage, or a fold-out desk allows the guest room to adapt to various needs.
Signature Design by Ashley Chetfield Beige/Brown Storage Bench
Shop This Signature Design by Ashley Storage Bench
This storage bench would fit perfectly at the end of the bed, providing guests with a place to take off their shoes at the end of the day or set up their luggage. The wood finish and tapered legs are quintessentially mid century modern design, but the color palette and simplicity of this piece allow it to easily adapt to your favorite design style and accent colors.
★ Featured Signature Design by Ashley Chetfiled Review:
“Purchased last year along with matching wicker sofa set. Great purchase with plenty of storage and extra seating when needed. Received many compliments.”
Take Advantage of Extra Space
If there’s extra space in your bedroom, adding seating is a huge bonus for guests. When a guest wants to retreat to their room for a little alone time, it’s nice to have a place to sit other than the bed. For reading, winding down at night, or getting ready in the morning, a chair is one of our top guest room ideas that’s easily overlooked.
Powell Jeno Natural Woven Rocking Chair
Shop This Powell Home Fashions Chair
This guest bedroom chair is a unique woven piece that adds to the retreat-like feel of your guest room. Its gentle, soothing rocking motion is perfect for helping your guests feel at home and at peace. The light wood would work well in a boho, eclectic, coastal, transitional, Scandi, or even farmhouse design. This is a beautiful piece to round out a larger guest bedroom, especially if you’re wondering what to do with an awkward corner.
Think Outside of the Box
Many homeowners use guest rooms for multiple purposes. During the day, the room might function for office guest room ideas or reading space. At night, it transforms into a comfortable sleeping area if you plan it out intentionally. Adding a sofa sleeper is the simplest way to facilitate a multipurpose guest room that doubles as an office, playroom, or den. This flexibility maximizes the utility of the room, making it a practical and welcoming space for both guests and day-to-day activities.
Hughes Furniture Queen Sofa Sleeper
Shop This Hughes Furniture Sofa Sleeper
This tailored navy sofa with rolled arms would be at home in a transitional or traditional office and guest bedroom combo room. During regular use, you can use it as an extra place to sit, but when your guests arrive, you can pull out the bed frame and queen size mattress that’s perfect for guests to sleep on.
Don’t Forget the Finishing Touches
Once you’ve decided on the furniture pieces you want in your room, don’t stop there! Here are some finishing touches that will make your guest bedroom the nicest place your guests have ever stayed.
- Invest in high-quality bed linens and plush towels. Also, leave extra linens and towels neatly folded in the guest room or bathroom so that your guests have everything they need and more.
- Leave vacant drawers. If you put a dresser in your guest room, make sure to leave some of the drawers empty for your guests. Real Simple recommends leaving at least two free drawers (left ajar so they know they’re available), ample hanging space in the closet, and six or so hangers at their disposal.
- Accessorize and warm up your space with art and textiles. Don’t forget a soft rug, pretty curtains, and art on the walls.
- Don’t forget that your guests will need a trash can. It isn’t the most glamorous piece to shop for, but it is an essential.
- Hang up a mirror so your guests can get ready in their room, especially if they’re sharing a hall bath with other members of the household.
- Use a mix of overhead and task lighting, like a bedside lamp.
Creating a comfortable and thoughtfully designed guest room is a way to honor your guests and make them want to come back again and again. Whether you have a multipurpose guest room that functions as an office or playroom at other times or a dedicated guest room with a full bedroom set, you can create a calm and beautifully designed space with our top guest room ideas. With a wide selection of stylish and affordable pieces, Colder’s is the best place to shop for bedroom furniture in the Milwaukee area.
Why Trust Colder’s?
Since 1942, we at Colder's pride ourselves on offering value, selection, and service. Serving Southeastern Wisconsin with four showrooms that stock quality name-brand furniture, appliances, and mattresses, Colder’s is sure to house exactly what you are looking for. And if you can't find it on our floors, chances are, we can order it for you. As a local, family-owned company, we are always doing our best to provide the highest value at the lowest cost to everyone who walks through our doors.
Colder’s is committed not only to continuously offering can’t-miss sales but also to working with each customer, making sure that you take advantage of every possible markdown — that’s our best price guarantee. Still need help? We offer zero percent appliance and furniture financing for your home needs!
Shop Guest Bedroom Furniture at Colder’s
Don’t put off happiness — and shop bedroom furniture online for unbeatable prices at Colder’s. Our friendly experts are always happy to help you explore even more guest bedroom ideas, whether you call us at 414-476-1574 or use our online chat feature. Better yet, stop by one of our Colder’s locations in West Allis, Oak Creek, Delafield, and Grafton, Wisconsin to touch, see, feel, and experience home products that fulfill your dreams. Visit us today!
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