If you have a spare bedroom or a free corner in your home office space, you already have a great foundation for a guest bedroom. Small guest bedrooms can exude comfort and will have your guests coming back to visit more often. Check out these small guest bedroom ideas to figure out how to transform your spare room or unused space into the ultimate spot for friends and family to sleep while they're in town.

1. Choose a Space-Saving Bed

Place a small bed up against a wall to accommodate family or friends on their overnight stay.

• Cover a daybed with throw pillows in between visits to create a lounge space where you can enjoy your lunch break.
• Sleeper sofas are another great option for a home office/guest room combo. Just fold down the back and add sheets, bedding, and pillows.
• Choose a daybed or twin bed for your small guest room to maximize space for other furniture items like a small side table or dresser.
• Consider sizing up to a full bed if your spare room comes with a built-in closet.

Pro Tip:

Want to separate your home office from a guest sleeping nook? Add a room divider to visually distinguish one space from the other and give your guests the privacy they need. Simply fold out the room divider during the workday for a nice backdrop for zoom calls and give guests the space they need for resting at night.

2. Give Your Guests Plenty of Storage Space

Whether your guests are staying for a week or a weekend, they will need space to hang their clothes, store their toiletries, and tuck away their travel gear. Ensure they have the storage they need by including functional storage options in your guest bedroom design with our favorite storage pieces.

• Choose a narrow dresser that you can easily tuck into a corner or store in the closet.
• Install wall shelves directly above the dresser where guests can lay out their hair care products, prescription medications, and other items they need to have close by.
• Provide even more storage options by including a shoe rack you can easily tuck under a writing desk or on a closet floor.
• Place decorative baskets under the bed where guests can put their shoes, umbrellas, or clothing that needs washing.

Pro Tip:

Make sure your guests have a place to store their trash too. Having some form of trash disposal is a guest bedroom essential. Opt for a small trash can made to fit under a bathroom vanity or nightstand.

3. Go With Multifunctional Pieces

Ensure the small size of the room doesn’t affect your guests by adding multifunctional pieces into your guest bedroom design. In a tiny guest room, multifunctional furniture is everything, because it maximizes floor and wall space.

• Opt for a mirror/coat-rack combo so your guests can hang their coats and bags while adjusting their hair or makeup.
• Place a storage bench at the end of a full bed for guests to use as seating when putting on their shoes for a day of sightseeing, or for storing and retrieving towels when they want to shower off after a long day.
• Rest a bedroom storage bench up against a wall by the window to create a makeshift window seat in small guest bedrooms with twin or daybed configurations.

4. Center Your Guest Room Around the Bed

Create symmetry by trying out guest room design ideas that focus on the bed as the central design element.

• Place a full bed up against the center of one wall to anchor your small guest room.
• Add a small side table or end table on both sides of the bed.
• Opt for identical pendant lighting to keep tabletops clear for water glasses or chargers.

5. Fill Your Small Guest Room With All the Comforts

Amplify the cozy vibes in a tiny guest room with these comfy small guest bedroom ideas. It’s tough to get to sleep when you aren’t in your own bed, but you can help your guests feel at home with the right guest room bedding. Start by focusing on your guests’ sleeping experience with quality sheets, bedding, and pillows.

• Make the bed with comforting cotton or cotton percale sheets during colder months so your guests stay warm.
• Opt for linen sheets during warmer months so guests stay cool and refreshed throughout their stay.

Then frame your tiny guest room with a comfy area rug that has a medium or high pile for enhanced comfort.

• Arrange the rug so that it frames the bed on all sides.
• Place the area rug in the center of the room if your guest room has a twin bed set against the wall.

6. Focus on Bedside Amenities

Provide your guests with the bedside amenities they need to make their stay more comfortable.

• Opt for a compact nightstand with drawer storage.
• Give guests a source of light – either with a table lamp or a wall sconce.
• Add a few guest room accessories like a decorative vase with a dried floral arrangement or a sprig of eucalyptus.
• Consider filling the nightstand drawer with a few bottles of water, some snacks, and a box of tissues to ensure guests are comfortable.
• Throw in a couple of books or magazines to enhance your guest's experience.

7. Hang Wall Mirrors

Create the illusion of more space by hanging wall mirrors in your small guest room. This is a great simple guest room idea as it adds to guest room decor, reflects natural light, and opens the space.

• Hang a round wall mirror above the bed instead of artwork to reflect natural light from bedroom windows.
• Create an accent wall using multiple small-size mirrors with unique shapes and frames (this also provides a more affordable alternative to one or two large mirrors).

Ready to browse ideas for your small guest room?