Designer Guest Room Must-Haves

Having houseguests? You’ll want to ensure a memorable visit by creating a space that is both soothing and welcoming.

A bit like checking into a boutique hotel, where comfort and luxury meet, but it’s also a place where you can have a little fun and add your own personal touch!

We reached out to some of our favorite designers for their must-haves when designing a guest room.

Image credit: J&L Interiors

Arlene Critzos

Purposely furnished, this guest room possesses all the appropriate elements. We begin with a warm rich color scheme and layer on luxurious and textural fabrics. Reflective art elements add energy and interest to this beautiful guest room.

JD Ireland

Guest bedrooms, no matter what style, need to have character and neutrality all at the same time. Your guests want a space that is memorable that they will want to return to, so I always steer clear of going overboard with color.

It obviously depends on the client, but I prefer to use blackout window treatments that are sometimes a design detail, like drapery, or sometimes hidden away and tucked into the architecture of the room. However, I never forget to have a spare eye mask in the bedside drawer.

I also layer a variety of bed covers. Everyone sleeps differently, so I make sure there is something lightweight and something heavy. I also tend towards bedding that is easy to keep neat and not too complicated. A guest should have the option to throw the bed back together in the morning.

Pamela Harvey Interiors

A great guest room must have a comfortable mattress. My favorite go-to mattress is Saatva’s Luxury Firm mattress. Top the bed with hotel-like sheets, I prefer a crisp cotton percale.

Tracy Morris Design

A bench at the end of the bed in a guest room is a must. It’s the perfect spot to put a suitcase or sit to put your shoes on. Go with a solution dyed acrylic fabric like Perennials so it will hold up to people throwing luggage on it and guests don’t have to worry. Another essential for guest rooms is a comfortable chair to sit in. When you have guests, they often want to be able to relax and take a moment to themselves. Providing a comfortable chair in their room is perfect if they want to have a cup of coffee by themselves in the morning, or read a book in the evening. When designing a guest room, I like to think of it like I am designing a luxury hotel to make guests’ stay feel extra comfortable.

Suzanne Manlove

Cozy, comfortable and convenient is what we think of when designing a guest room. It should feel like a well-appointed boutique hotel suite. There are several simple, thoughtful items you can add to an existing guest room to help your guests settle-in and enjoy their stay: extra blankets, pillow options (firm and soft), a spare phone charger, a luggage rack (or bench), a full-length mirror, a dish for jewelry, local guide books and a nice final touch is a tray with snacks and bottled water.

Huntley & Co

My new favorite item for a guest room is an Eiderdown. It’s a bedcover that’s a cross between a duvet and a quilt. You get all the warmth without the sloppiness – making it easier on guests to keep their room tidy. Eiderdowns are popular in the UK, so we have ours made by a woman in England.

Sally Steponkus Roche

In a guest bedroom, it is important to make the space as welcoming and thoughtful as the master suite. Often people use castoffs and jumble old pieces together, which is understandable, but this can lead to a disjointed, uncomfortable feeling where guests don’t feel at home. It’s always a good idea to spend the night in your own guest bedroom once a year to make sure the mattress, bedding, window treatments are in tip top shape and ready for company. Think of little things your guests might need and not necessarily want to ask for: wifi passcode info, bottles of water on the night table, and soft (not tired) towels in the bathroom.

Marika Meyer

Creating a welcoming guest bedroom is all about providing lots of options for your friends or family to create the experience that suits them. Layers of bedding are key so your guests can easily adjust for their own temperature preferences. I also like to provide hypo-allergenic pillows because you never know if your guest might have allergies. A small chair for reading or changing in the morning so they have some place to sit other than the bed. A stack of books and the latest issues of your favorite magazines are always a nice touch. And fresh flowers are an absolute must have! Not only do they provide a bit of beauty, but they let your guest know that you refreshed the room just for them.

Image credit: Angie Seckinger

Amy Peltier

I like my guest rooms to be fresh and cozy all at the same time. Keep the palette light and airy and add in lots of texture and classic patterns so it oozes comfort. Don’t forget the special touches like charging cords, bottles of water and even a throw at the end of the bed for the colder months of the year.