Tips & Tricks for Choosing Guest Bed Sheets
The secret to creating a stylish, put-together guest bedroom is the bedding pieces you choose—including the bed sheets. While decor accents and furniture can add to the overall aesthetic, the bedding you choose goes a long way in creating a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere. Explore this guide for bedding tips and decor inspiration for your spare room.
How to Style a Guest Bedroom
When decorating your guest space, consider whether the area is used solely as a spare bedroom, or if it will be intended as a multi-use room—think office, crafting area, or playroom. Then, plan your guest room style and select the sheets and bedding to suit.
Choose a Theme for Your Guest Room
Use your imagination when planning your guest bedroom theme. An ambitious decorator may wish to update the sheets seasonally, with pretty florals in springtime, bold stripes and solid hues for summer, autumnal vibes for fall, and plaids, snowflakes, and holiday prints for winter. If you’d prefer a scheme that works year-round, choose all solid colors, solid hues paired with patterns, or mix and match coordinating prints and patterns for a bright, fun design.
When designing your spare room, you may wish to decorate based on who your most-frequent guests are: If young children visit often, kids’ bedding will help create a playful space that suits them. Tweens and teens may appreciate a space with fewer animal and character designs in favor of sophisticated prints and colors that grow with them. While some adults may appreciate whimsical sheets, solid colors and subtle prints may be better suited for the space.
In terms of how to decorate a small guest bedroom, you may find that a statement bedding piece and a few carefully chosen decor items are all you need to create a comfortable space. Let a gorgeous quilt or floral print duvet cover draw the eye, and work in complementing colors and prints via wall hangings, an accent chair, or other functional bedroom furniture pieces.
For a multi-use room, choose bedding in neutral hues or subtle prints for an understated space that won’t be distracting. All-white sheets and bedding offer an elegant, hotel-like feel.
What Material Is Best for Guest Sheets?
When considering how to make your guest bedroom cozy in winter or in summer, choose the best material for the season. In winter, your guests may appreciate snuggling beneath fuzzy flannel sheets, while lightweight, breathable cotton or linen sheets make perfect options for warm summer nights. No matter the weave or knit you choose, natural materials are best; they’re breathable and moisture-wicking, contributing to a more restful night’s sleep.
How to Make a Guest Bed
To make the guest bed, set it up with all of the comforts you crave: Start with a cushioned mattress pad, then layer both a fitted and flat sheet made of the softest natural materials, a lofty comforter or duvet insert with a cover, and a spare blanket or quilt for extra warmth. Don’t forget to use a mattress protector and pillow cover to block allergens and spills and make your bedding last longer.
What Size Sheets Do I Need for a Guest Bedroom?
Choose your sheet size to fit the mattress in your guest bedroom. This means, if your guest bed is a twin, choose twin-size sheets; if you have a king-size bed, choose king sheets. If your guest space has a sleeper sofa rather than a bed, check the dimensions; most often, fold-out mattresses are twin or double, so you’ll want to choose the corresponding sheet size.
How Many Sets of Guest Sheets Do I Need?
The general recommendation is to have three sets of sheets per bed in the house: One on the bed, one in the linen closet, and one in the laundry. This applies to your guest bedroom as well. However, if your spare bedroom isn’t used often, one or two sets of sheets may be plenty.
How Do You Keep Guest Room Sheets Fresh?
For the freshest bedding, wash your guest sheets after each use and make the bed again right away, or store the sheets properly between uses. Ensure the sheets are completely dry before folding, and leave room to breathe in the linen closet—adequate air circulation helps prevent musty smells from settling into your sheets. You may also find that tucking fragrant dryer sheets between stored bedding items adds a light, fresh scent.
Should I Leave Sheets on the Guest Bed?
For a guest space that’s not used often, you may decide to leave only a bedspread or quilt on the bed and put fresh sheets on when you’re expecting company. However, if you often host visitors, you may choose to always keep the bed prepared by making it with clean sheets, pillows, and blankets.
Bedding choices can create a comfortable atmosphere for guests staying in your spare room. Choose sheets crafted of natural materials, including cotton or linen, pick pillows that offer support, and top the bed with a quilt, comforter, or duvet insert and cover to complete the look. For more decor tips and inspiration, explore our other Guides.