Spare bedroom decorating ideas

A spare bedroom is an absolute luxury that should not go to waste! So if yours is currently adorned with unopened boxes and clutter, listen up! Read our guest bedroom ideas as it's time to turn that glorified dumping ground, into a multi-functional, hotel worthy oasis that even your mother-in-law will approve of.

Is your spare bedroom doubling up as a home office? Keep scrolling as we've got you covered too.

Need help designing your spare bedroom? Book your room design today from just £395:

How to decorate a spare bedroom

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

You might be thinking that your guest bedroom needs to be simple and neutral to please any taste.....well you would be wrong! 

Your spare bedroom is the perfect place to experiment and stamp your personality. After all, your guests are staying in your home so give them the full, immersive experience!

If you lean more towards the neutral hues, then that's great too, but don't hold back on account of your guests if you're a lover of bold pattern and colour.

Colour

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At My Bespoke Room, we're big fans of green bedrooms. Not just because we love it but because according to colour psychology, it’s the most restful colour on your eyes, contributing to a restful nights sleep.

Pink is also a wonderful colour for bedrooms and deemed 'the colour of cuddles' by Lick's colour expert Tash Bradley who we interviewed (check out her house tour and colour tips).

Blue is also a feel-good, steadying colour, perfect for the most relaxing room under your roof.

Looking for help choosing the perfect colour? Learn how we can help, book a free call today!

Bedding

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

To create and element of luxury when choosing your guest bed, consider a 4 poster bed or a bed with a large, statement headboard. Not only are large headboards extremely functional as they insulate the room, add comfort and stop drafts, but they can act as a real statement piece. The more ornate, the more likely it will be the centre of attention. 

No surprises that bedding is key to a beautifully designed guest bedroom. As the bed will be made 90% of the year, you can also afford to go all out, as you won't be taking cushions and throws on and off every day!

To give your guests the 5-star hotel experience, we recommend keeping the bedding white and bright. Hotel bedrooms rarely have coloured bedding so your bed will definitely look the part with some crisp white sheets. They're super versatile in terms of style and you can jazz them up with cushions, bedspreads and throws.

When it comes to cushions, they really are a home's best friend. They pull a scheme together, add colour, texture and comfort, complement the design and finish the room. So don't be scared to capitalise on cushions and pillows to make the bed look super cosy and completely sumptuous! 

Less fun, but no less important for a great night sleep is thread count on your bedding! The general rule is the higher the thread count, the better the quality. However, this isn't always the case. Extra threads called 'picks' can be woven into the weft threads which increases the thread count but doesn't necessarily increase the quality, so be wary of cheap sheets with an extremely high thread count. Aiming for a thread count between 300 - 800 should ensure a good nights sleep.

If you already have a mattress for your spare bed, but you want it to be extra plush, a mattress topper will be your best friend. They're as versatile as your favourite pair of jeans; a mattress topper can make your bed warmer, cooler, softer or firmer and they can protect your bed, increasing the longevity of the mattress.

Have guests coming over? Why not check out our blog on how to create an entertaining home.

Lighting

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Lighting is so key to any room as it creates the right mood and can transform the feel of a space the second you enter. 

In a bedroom you need a combination of ambient and task lighting. Ambient lighting, such as low table and floor lamps, draw you down into a space and calm you before sleeping. Brighter task lighting is also crucial for areas in the room your guests need to get dressed and ready in the morning.

We love to go BIG on lighting to create an extraordinarily grand finish. When it comes to bedside table lamps, don't be afraid to go as big as you can. Just remember to bear in mind the overall size of the room as you don't want them to look out of proportion.

Looking for some small guest bedroom ideas? If your spare bedroom is a little on the small side why not install hanging pendants on either side of the bed, eliminating the need for large bedside tables? You don't always need an electrician for this as there are now plenty of 'plug and play' options at an affordable price point.

Struggling with your spare room layout? Book your room design today from just £395:

Focal point

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Every room design needs a focal point to direct your eye when you enter, and your spare bedroom is no exception.

As the bed is likely to be the most dominant piece of furniture in the room you might as well turn it into the focal point too. Create a feature wall behind with colourful wallpaper or for something truly unique, opt for a wall mural to transform it into a piece of art.

As previously mentioned, statement headboards are also something to consider. Not only are they extremely functional, but they can act as a real statement piece. The more ornate, the more likely it will be the centre of attention.

If your bed's headboard lacks the wow factor, you can always paint one against the wall behind to draw your eye in that direction. A subtle arch like the one below draws your eye to the bed but you could also go bold with a large orange sunset to create something truly memorable.

What do you need in a spare bedroom?

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Wondering what your guests actually need for their stay to be comfortable besides a bed to sleep in? To make sure you're seen as the host with the most, here are some other things to include in your spare bedroom:

Guests will need somewhere to put their clothes. You don't need to go overboard and give them a full wardrobe, but a simple open clothes rail with a couple of drawers like the one above takes up very little space. It's also clear to anyone staying that it's for them to use.

For small guest bedrooms, you could even just install a simple rail underneath a shelf with a few hangers to take up even less space.

It's a nice touch, if you have the space, to add in a comfy armchair. Particularly for longer stays, it's nice for your guests to have somewhere to escape and recharge in their own private sanctuary. Add a little side table with a lamp for them read a book or a floor lamp behind if space is tight. Not only does an extra seat give you another place to park your bottom and relax, it gives you that all-important spot to leave clothes that are too clean for the wash but not quite clean enough to hang back up in the wardrobe - or is it only us that has a clothes chair?

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

Have you ever seen a beautiful hotel room without a dedicated area to make yourself look beautiful too? Didn't think so. If you can fit one in, a dressing table really finishes off a deluxe hotel look.

If you're using your spare bedroom as an office you'll already have this covered, but a dressing table can be very useful for guests. It gives them somewhere to pop their washbag and other bits and bobs. 

A mirror is also a must-have, preferably a full length one as well as one above the dressing table.  Think about lighting near the mirror as well so your guests can see what they're looking at when they get ready!

Wondering what not to put in your spare bedroom? Family photos! It's great to put a personal touch on your guest bedroom but save the family portrait for your lounge instead!

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

End-of-the-bed ottomans can provide you with extra seating and storage (for all those beautiful white sheets). They're also a great piece of furniture for adding style and completing a scheme.

Need help creating a luxury guest suite in your home? Book a free call to learn how can help!

Guest bedroom and office combo ideas

Image credit: My Bespoke Room 

Working from home is not out of the norm anymore, and your spare bedroom can be the ideal place to set up camp. But when guests come to visit, you'll be wanting o quickly turn your home office back into a luxury guest suite to accommodate your family and friends.

A clever and careful design can turn a spare bedroom from a room that is a clumsy compromise to one that works seamlessly for both functions.  Here are some of our top tips for a truly multifunctional spare bedroom come home office:

Desks that can also function as dressing tables

Avoid clunky overbearing desks that will scream 'office' in favour of a slimmer, stylish profile. Utilise shelving to give you extra space so you can opt for the smallest desk possible. Built-in desks within storage work well too and can quickly look like a built-in dressing table once the laptop is stored away.

Stylish office chairs

It used to be that when choosing a desk chair you had a choice between ugly and uglier. Thankfully, retailers have answered the call for desk chairs that give you the back support you need without taking up half the room and they come in a range of styles and fabrics to suit any design.

Foldaway beds

A no-brainer if you're lacking space. A sofa bed can also function as seating for any colleagues or clients that stop by for a meeting. If you do have a full-sized bed in there, try to position your webcam so the bed isn't in the shot to maintain the illusion!

Plenty of storage

You want plenty of storage space to hide monitors and stationary when it needs to be a bedroom or bedding when it's an office. Having a pile of duvets in your zoom background doesn't come across as super professional, let's be frank!

Tidy shelves

A home office can very quickly look and feel cluttered with bits of stationery and paperwork floating around. Shelves can be a great and affordable way to give that clutter a home without having to buy more clunky furniture. Use opaque boxes like rattan boxes which look great and hide the clutter from view.

Create the perfect blend between home office and guest bedroom. Book your room design today from just £395: