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20 Guest Rooms with Hospitable Style

With summer in full swing, out-of-town company may be headed your way. Is your guest room ready? Today we’ve rounded up a collection of accommodating, stylish spaces that welcome guests with an array of details. Yet these rooms are anything but fussy. What are the essentials? What are the small touches that can make a big difference? Check out the 20 guest rooms that follow (including a few guest bathrooms), and discover a range of easy-to-execute design ideas…

Sleeping Solutions

Let’s start with one undeniable necessity: a place for guests to sleep! Comfy bedding is key, and small yet important touches such as a couple of extra pillows can make down time before bed all the more relaxing. [photo from CB2]

Comfy bedding makes a big difference

Sugar & Cloth blogger Ashley Rose created a welcoming guest room with the help of a DIY Mid-century daybed project that provided an affordable sleeping solution. Retro-modern style is alive and well in this space. [photos by Jared Smith]

Guest room makeover from Sugar & Cloth

For a guest room that can house a couple (or a couple of friends), twin beds might be the perfect option. A crisp, tailored look is created by matching beds, as shown below. [from Helen Green]

Guest room with twin beds

If you want your guest room to sleep multiple people, consider getting creative with bunk beds or loft sleeping solutions, as shown in the beachy guest room that follows. [photo by John Dimaio for Beach Dwellings Design]

Guest room with loft sleeping

Wouldn’t it be nice if every guest room featured a privacy wall? While a construction project might not be in your immediate future, consider a solution such as a privacy screen to separate beds when personal space is preferred. [from Sullivan Building & Design Group]

Guest room with a privacy wall

A Murphy bed can make a big difference in a space that is short on square footage. This solution also works well for guest rooms that double as other functional spaces, such as home offices. [from Hufft Projects]

Guest room with a Murphy bed

Guest Room Essentials

Don’t forget about essentials such as nightstands and lighting! When it gets dark outside, your guests will need to be able to find their way around the room, especially if it is new to them. Not only is a bedside table the perfect place for extra lighting, it comes in handy for holding a cell phone, reading materials and more. [photo from Lonny]

Tropical guest room

Your guests will appreciate a place to stash their luggage. Offering a solution that keeps suitcases off the floor takes the hospitality factor up a notch!  A luggage rack or ottoman will do the trick, but doesn’t a chic bench add a stylish touch?! [guest room makeover from Emily Henderson]

Guest room with a bench

Anchor your guest room with a floor rug, like the affordable Target selection below, featured in a guest room makeover by Emily Henderson:

Guest room makeover from Emily Henderson

Some say you should spend the night in your guest room to get the full experience. And of course, to see if it truly IS comfortable. For example, you might realize that essentials such as curtains are necessary when the morning sun wakes you up all too early! [photo from The Couture Rooms]

Guest room style in neutral tones

Special Touches

When it comes to adding special touches to your guest room, think about the impact of details such as wallpaper, hanging planters and interesting pillows. This guest room from A Beautiful Mess is inviting and fun:

Wallpapered guest room from A Beautiful Mess

Let your favorite hotel be your guide! Yes, you can get a LOT of design inspiration from guest rooms at hotels, and this welcoming space at Austin, Texas’ Hotel San Jose features details such as robes, a bedside chair, and an extra blanket for chilly evenings:

Guest room from Hotel San Jose

Bottled water (or a caraffe and glass placed on the nightstand before bedtime) can elevate guest accommodations from basic to extra special. [photo from West Elm]

Caraffe of water next to the bed

Bonus points for details such as fresh flowers, reading materials, and bedtime snacks! [photo from Lonny]

Special touches in the guest room

Personal touches in the guest room DO matter, and fun accents like this DIY matches tray by Ashley Rose for Design Love Fest serve as fun focal points and interesting conversation pieces. [photos by Jared Smith]

DIY vanity tray from Sugar & Cloth

Don’t forget about accommodating little ones! This kid-friendly guest room from A Beautiful Mess is filled with clever accents, from the painted bunk beds to the large plush swan. Palm Springs style is alive and well in this comfy space!

Child-friendly guest room from A Beautiful Mess

And of course, if your guest room is naturally stunning with a view, do what you can to call attention to it! In other words, accentuate the room’s strengths. Flowing curtains that can be moved as needed get the job done in the relaxing space below. [photo by Eric Roth for Andra Birkerts Design]

Guest room with a view

Guest Bath Style

Don’t forget the guest bath! Once again, hotel powder rooms can be a big source of inspiration. Having grooming products on hand can be helpful for guests who forget essentials such as shampoo, body wash or an extra toothbrush. [photo from Hotel San Jose]

Bath products for the guest room

A Beautiful Mess blogger Laura gave her guest bath a bright makeover that included a fixture upgrade, a paint job and a fun new pattern for the walls. Special DIY touches such as Lucite towel holders add personality and style:

Guest bathroom from A Beautiful Mess

This budget-friendly guest bath makeover from Paper & Stitch illustrates the power of vivid accents. Note details such as red-orange towels, colorful ceramics and a neon washi tape border for the large triangle mirror! No major renovations took place, yet the result is fresh and bold:

Guest bath makeover from Paper & Stitch

Are you preparing to welcome guests this summer? Wishing you and yours a relaxing yet festive season…

Kate Simmons

Kate Simmons is a freelance writer and design blogger with a love of all things decor. She spent her childhood writing stories and working on interior design-themed DIY projects. Kate’s published writing reflects her special interest in how design has changed through the decades. Her blog Mirror80 ( http://mirror80.com/) explores the fashion and [...]

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