If you live away from friends and family or happen to live in a place that attracts lots of visitors, having a guest area is a real necessity. The struggle to create an inviting and private area for guests is often an issue. Here are my top four ways to create a guest room.
Spare Bedroom
If you're lucky enough to have a spare bedroom in your home for a designated guest suite, you've overcome one of the largest challenges when it comes to managing guests in our homes. Your efforts can be more focused on how to make the room feel welcoming.
Convert a basement or family room
A very practical and popular method for gaining extra beds is to simply add a pull-out sofa to a family space. The downside to this method is the lack of privacy that the guests have. A great way to add a little layer of privacy and make the area more welcoming is with a removable privacy screen where they can change or store their belongings.
Shared space office
I love this concept as it is quite easy to temporarily work remotely while guests are visiting, so they can really get their own space during their time in your home. Most home offices are not large enough to accommodate a sleeper sofa, so my top recommendation in this instance is a murphy bed. Murphy beds can be purchased more readily these days, but they can always be custom built too. If budget allows this, it is the most ideal way to make your murphy bed to really become a room feature and make sense in the space when not in use.
Shared space kids room
Admittedly, this is the current situation in my own home. With three kids entering their teenage years and only four bedrooms to work with, it limits the options a bit as giving our kids their own space is important to us. An easy way to handle this is to have one room become the designated guest room when you have visitors. Bump up the furniture quality a bit and invest in a queen size bed if possible. When visitors come to town, move that child into the sibling's room they fight with least. (Just keeping it real). I love a bunk bed or trundle bed option in these circumstances. It makes for an easy and still comfortable temporary sleeping arrangement.
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