Guest Room Bedding and Decor Ideas
Being an excellent host means making your guests feel at home, whether they’re coming for holiday celebrations or staying for a weekend. To create a welcoming guest room, approach it like any other space in your house: Focus on high-quality bedding, furniture, and decor designed for style and comfort. Follow our experts’ bedding tips and decor ideas for creating a comfortable guest room, no matter the size of your space.
5 Tips for a Comfortable Guest Room
Start with a soothing, serene color palette—think soft grays, greens, blues, and tans—to create a calm, inviting space for guests to rest. Then, follow these steps to create a comfortable room for hosting overnight guests.
1. Layer the Bed with Lovely Linens
The bed is a major part of the bedroom, so top the mattress with a cozy layers that help guests customize their comfort throughout the night. Start with a waterproof pad that protects your bed against accidental spills; if your mattress is old or worn, add a featherbed or other topper to make it more comfortable.
Next, choose high-quality guest bedroom sheets that suit the season. Cotton percale and sateen are practical, versatile options that work for any sleeper, while cozy cotton flannel adds a festive touch for winter holidays and cold seasons.
In summer months, a lightweight quilt or coverlet may be plenty for the top bedding layer, but in winter, layer on a comforter or all-season duvet insert with a cover that matches your decor. For the finishing touch, fold a blanket at the foot of the bed so guests can add a warm layer if they wake up chilled in the middle of the night.
Hospitality Tip: Roll or fold a few guest bedroom blankets and leave them in a basket at the foot of the bed or in the corner of the room so overnight visitors can add an extra layer if needed.
2. Prioritize Top-Quality Bed Pillows
The importance of a good pillow can not be overstated. Because this bedding piece is central to overnight comfort, invest in high-quality bed pillows for the guest room to ensure your visitors are comfortable. The best pillows for the guest room are versatile: We recommend a medium firmness pillow in the fill you prefer. All our down and down alternative pillows are hypoallergenic, but you can add an allergy-blocking protector for even better comfort.
Hospitality Tip: To have enough pillows to suit guest preferences, layer the bed with multiple shams and bed pillows and stack extra pillows on a shelf in the guest bedroom closet.
3. Be Strategic with Furniture Choices
Your guest room should include more than a bed and a side table: Depending on the length of your visitors’ stay, they may want to retire to the guest room to read a book, work, or just relax alone for a few minutes—so make them feel at home.
Consider these guest room decorating ideas for using furniture to improve function and comfort:
- Extra seating is always a plus. For a stylish touch, create a cute reading nook with a small armchair, side table, and floor lamp.
- An upholstered bench with storage space at the foot of the bed provides a spot for guests to sit while they put on shoes—and can hold extra blankets or pillows.
- If space allows, stock the closet with spare hangers and add a dresser to the room so guests have somewhere to stow their belongings. If your guest room is too small, a classic luggage rack is a thoughtful touch.
4. Choose Seasonal Pillows and Throws to Add Cheer
Once your furniture and bedding are in place, add homey touches that help guests feel welcome and comfortable. Decorative pillow covers can bring in complementary or contrasting color and themed options lend festive flair to the space—but are easy to store as seasons change. A cotton, knit, or linen throw blanket draped across the corner of an armchair or folded on a bench softens the space, adds texture and dimension, and creates a cozy, homey feel your guests will appreciate.
5. Personalize the Space with Drapes, Artwork & Decor
Once you’ve layered a comfortable bed and added convenient furniture pieces, focus on practical, pretty details that encourage guests to settle in. Hang blackout or light-filtering curtains for privacy and comfort and artwork that complements your bedding color scheme and the overall aesthetic of your home. Then, add a few decorative touches—a few books on the dresser top, a tray with candles, remotes, and magazines, or seasonal accents that weave subtle festivity into your home.
Last-Minute To-Dos When Hosting Overnight Guests
Making guests comfortable during an overnight stay requires more than just a well-outfitted bed and the right furnishings and decor. Focusing on a few quick and easy touches before your visitors arrive can make all the difference in helping them feel at home. Here are some of our favorite ideas for highlighting your hospitality skills and upping the cozy factor in your guest room.
Nightstand Necessities
Prep your guest room side table with essentials for a comfortable stay. Then, just before they arrive, turn on any bedside lamps to cast a warm, welcoming glow over the space for day or night.
- Fill a carafe with fresh water, or place bottled water on either side of the bed.
- A small framed print with the WiFi password keeps guests connected during their stay.
- Provide a couple of snacks (or a piece or two of chocolate) on a small tray.
- Add a small vase of fresh flowers to bring color to the room.
- Keep new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other individually wrapped toiletries on hand in case your guests forget to pack something.
- Whether or not your guest bath is attached to the room, fold a few bath linens at the foot of the bed or on a bench or side chair.
Straighten the Space
It’s not uncommon for guest bedrooms to pull double duty as a home office, kids’ playroom, or extra storage, but it’s important to shift the focus of the space before the guests arrive: The last thing visitors want is to feel like they’re infringing on your space. Tidy up the desktop and tuck away any stray papers or cords, put any lingering belongings in the closet or under the bed (hide with a bed skirt for a clean, polished look), or clean up the kids’ toys and make sure they’re all corralled in baskets or bins. You may choose to wash the sheets and make the guest bed as part of this pre-company tidying or you may prefer to launder and re-make the bed after guests leave, but no matter your preference, always ensure bed linens are washed between visitors.
From bedding to furniture to decor, focus on comfort and hospitality when designing a guest room family and friends will be happy to return to. For more bedding and decor advice or inspiration, explore our other Guides.