15 Modern Guest Bedroom Ideas

Creating a modern, comfortable guest bedroom will give your friends and family somewhere fantastic to stay when they come to visit and help you make the most of every room in your home. At Swyft, we know a thing or two about sumptuous sofas and contemporary style. So, to help you create a space you can be proud of, we’ve put together 15 of our favourite guest bedroom decorating ideas.

How to design a guest bedroom

When designing a guest bedroom, you can either opt for a neutral, classic space or stamp your personality all over your interior décor. Whichever option you choose, it’s important to create a space that’s comfortable, practical and welcoming.

The more time and thought you put into your design, the more your guest room will feel like an integral part of your interior. This will ensure your friends and family feel truly welcome whenever they come to stay. 

Classic and elegant

Choosing a classic, timeless style will help you to create a guest room that appeals to most of your visitors. If you’ve decided on a cool, classic look, choose neutral colours for your walls, floor and bedding and keep your furnishings simple but beautiful.

Artsy & bold

Give your friends and family a glimpse into your personal style by opting for an artsy and bold guest bedroom. You can achieve this very easily by choosing a bright colour like blue, purple or red as your accent tone and threading it though your bedding, soft furnishings and wall art. Emphasise your artsy theme with a few carefully selected paintings and some bright, bold scatter cushions.

Bright & beautiful

If there’s one thing all your guests will love, it’s a bright, light filled bedroom. Use white curtains or blinds, white bedding and a light colour on your walls to maximise the available light and make the room feel airy and welcoming.  

Dark Sanctuary

Opting for a deep dark colour on your guest bedroom walls can make the space feel more relaxing. Dark blues, greens, greys and reds work especially well when matched with light-coloured bedding and metallic finishing touches.

Use mirrors to reflect light

If your guest room doesn’t get a lot of natural light, you can make the space feel brighter and bigger by introducing a few large wall mirrors. These will help to reflect ambient light and give the illusion of space.

Get more ideas for furnishing a bijou space by taking a look at our small space sofa buying guide.

Convert your loft space

If you don’t currently have a guest bedroom, you could create one by converting your loft space. Lofts work really well as guest rooms as they’re light, bright and airy, and give visiting friends and family a little privacy from the rest of the household.

Bed divider curtains for privacy

If you need to create a guest room but can’t go up into the loft, another option is to use bed divider curtains to section off an existing space. Divider curtains can be used to create cosy, private sleeping areas in large living rooms, big bedrooms and other multi-purpose areas.

Guest bedroom with hotel inspired amenities

Give your friends and family a little taste of hotel chic by installing a few hotel-inspired amenities in your guest room. Think telephones on the side tables, eye masks and rolled up towels on the bed. You could even install a flat screen TV on the wall so guests feel well and truly pampered.

Make it multifunctional

If you only have friends and family to stay occasionally, it can be well worth creating a  guestroom that’s flexible and multifunctional. Place a desk in the room so it can be used as a home office when you’re not hosting, or opt for a sofa bed and use the room as a snug for family movie nights. Take a look at our sofa bed buying guide to find out more.

Comfortable bedding

Never underestimate the value of comfortable bedding. Soft, sumptuous pillows and duvets will help your visiting friends and family to enjoy a fantastic night’s sleep and give the whole space a real feel of luxury.

Choosing fabrics that are soft and tactile will help to make your guest room truly irresistible.

Make it unique to the rest to the rest of your home

Turn your guest room into a feature by making it unique from the rest of your home. As this is a standalone space, it can be as bold, colourful and playful as you like, so don’t be afraid to let your creative flare flow when selecting your design.

Twin layouts

Opting for twin beds instead of a double can make your guest room more flexible. Ideally, you should leave enough room around each bed for guests to move easily through the space. If you’re short on square footage, you could install bunk beds to maximise the sleeping area.

Bring in the greenery

A little greenery goes a long way in any interior design scheme. Place a few  large house plants in the space or, if you don’t have any house plants to spare, simply cut a few fresh flowers next time a guest comes to stay.

Luxury seating to relax

Another good way to add a touch of luxury to your guest bedroom is to invest in some  sumptuous seating. Choose a sofa or chaise upholstered in beautiful velvet to give the room a wonderfully indulgent aesthetic.

Space saving furniture for small guest rooms

Get the most value from your guest room by furnishing it with clever space saving pieces.  For example, you could choose a bed that has storage space underneath it, a side table that doubles up as a coffee table or a sofa that can be used as a single bed or sofa bed. 

When buying furniture for a small room, it’s essential  to measure each piece to ensure it will fit. Take a look at our sofa measuring guide to find out more. 

Guest bedroom decorating ideas FAQs

How to design a guest bedroom

When designing a guest bedroom, try to make the space as warm and welcoming as possible. If the room doubles up as a home office or playroom, make sure it has plenty of storage so you can tidy away any files, folders or toys before friends and family come to stay.

Guest bedroom decor

Guest bedroom décor can either be neutral and classic or big and bold. If you want to stamp your  personality on the space, don’t be afraid to choose bright colours and furnishings. On the other hand, if you want something a little more classic, opt for light colours, like white and light grey, and timeless furnishings.

Modern guest bedroom ideas

Give your guest bedroom a modern touch by minimising clutter and adding a few carefully  selected accessories to the space. The Scandinavian style is often a great choice for a modern interior as it helps to maximise light and creates a calm, welcoming environment.

Sofa bed for spare room

If your spare room needs to be flexible and multi-functional, consider adding a sofa bed to  the space. This can either act as the main bed for friends and family or, if your room size allows, can provide extra sleeping space when big groups come to stay.