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Updated: Apr 12, 2022 by Kris Jarrett

10 Guest Room Ideas for a Cozy, Welcoming Retreat!

These 10 guest room ideas will help turn your boring guest room into a cozy, welcoming retreat your guests won’t want to leave!

Living far from our parents and siblings means that our guest room gets a LOT of use! Over time our guest room has evolved into a cozy, welcoming retreat that’s super functional too. Today I’m sharing my ten favorite guest room ideas for creating a special retreat for your home’s visitors. Let’s get to it… (post includes affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})

Guest room ideas for creating a warm, welcoming retreat!
Guest room sources: Mirror over Bed |  Upholstered Wingback Bed (fabric is Zuma White)  |  Quilt (color is flax)  |   White and beige check duvet  | 24″ Embroidered Medallion Pillow covers | 20″ White Tassel End Pillow Cover  |  White Bedside USB Lamps |  Round Wood Beaded Tray  |  Clock

1. A Simple Luggage Rack

A lot of guests actually prefer to live out of their suitcases while visiting rather than putting their clothes away in drawers. It’s helpful to have a luggage rack or two handy such as {this luggage rack} in our guest room so they don’t have to be keep their suitcases on the floor and constantly be crouching down to get things:

Guest bedroom in neutrals with luggage rack - a guest room must have!

{This white luggage rack} with different strap color options is also a beauty. Another option that we have in our own bedroom and I use for packing suitcases for travel is a pair of {these camp stools}:

Instead of a bench at the end of the bed, I love the look of two stools like this!

2. Plenty of Hangers

Guests always appreciate having a bit of hanging space in a closet or armoire and leaving them several extra hangers is key! If you’re short on hanging space, I love slim velvet hangers for maximizing it. Or you could personalize inexpensive wood hangers (the simple tutorial is {here}) for a special touch:

Easy to Make Personalized Hangers

3. Bedside Lamps (Bonus Points if They Have USB Outlets!)

It you have the room, it’s so nice to have lamps on both sides of the bed for your guests. We have {these USB lamps} in our guest room which help keep guest from trying to scout out outlets behind the bed since all they have to do is plug their USB cord into the base of the lamp:

Super cute white nightstand - details are linked in the post!

If you’re super tight on space, you can consider wall-mounted fixtures like {these plug-in swing arm lamps}.

 

4. Books & Magazines

I like to keep some magazines and favorite books in our guest room because I swear, it never fails that when I’m someone else’s guest, I forget my book (which I hate because I read every night). I keep our extra books in one of our nightstands:

Bedroom nightstand with wood lamp and brass alarm clock in neutrals-filled guest room

And even though most people rely on their cell phones for the time, every guest room should also have a clock. We have {this brass one} in our guest room.

 

5. Tissues & TP

Now we’re getting to the really important stuff! Tissues and TP – it doesn’t get more essential than that! Seriously, you don’t want your poor guests to run out of tissues and TP and not know where to find more so I make sure our guest room is stocked up. And I kinda hate the look of tissue boxes so I either use a tissue box cover (this monogrammed linen one is from {here}) or store tissues in a decorative box.

Bedside tissue box and ring holder

 

6. The Wifi Code

Put the wifi code in an easy to find spot for your guests! In our guest room in CT, I kept it on a little tag in bowl with an extra USB cord:

Such a cute and clever way of leaving your wifi password for guests!

And in our NC guest room, I have the wifi code framed on the nightstand:

Put your wifi code in a small bedside frame for guests!

 

7. Extra Blankets & Throws

Everyone has a different comfort zone when it comes to temperature so extra blankets and throws are a must. I store ours in the base of our clothes armoire but if you don’t have any kind of enclosed space to store yours, you can just throw them in a large basket like {this one} we’ve used in our master bedroom:

A woven basket at the end of the bed holds extra blankets for chilly nights

8. Toiletries & New Soap

It’s nice to keep a little bin or basket of toiletries somewhere in your guest room in case your visitors forget to pack theirs. And this might be my own little personal oddity but I think there should be either liquid soap or fresh bars of soap for the shower. Am I the only one who gets kinda grossed out by showering with a used bar of soap when you don’t know who was using it before you?? Yep, I know soap’s kinda inherently clean but still… just leave some new bars out for weirdos like me, okay?!

Keep extra toiletries on hand for visiting guests

9. A Spot to Sit

It’s great to have a chair or even a loveseat in your guest room for your guests to sit and relax on and also as a place to throw the decorative pillows on the bed when they go to sleep. Our guest room has this little nook that was the perfect size for the love seat we had in the living room of our old house that we couldn’t find any other home for in our new one. If you don’t have the space for a loveseat or chair, a small pouf or a camp stool can do the trick too!

Guest room seating area with loveseat and twin drum tables

10. Area Info

It’s really nice to have some info in your guest room about things available to do in your area (especially if you live near a touristy city). When we lived near NYC I kept had a clipboard with info on plays, restaurants, and other area recommendations.

That wraps up my list of guest room essentials! Is there anything else that you guys think should be added to the list? I hope that you all enjoy your weekend!!

KJ Signature

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Categories: Bedrooms

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa | Shine Your Light says

    October 01, 2016 at 8:16 am

    Kris I just love your clipboard idea for a guest room! That is such a fun and unique touch that I bet your guests love! The armoire with the hanging bar is fantastic too – a great use of the big TV armoires that no one needs anymore! I love this room – so pretty!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:53 pm

      Thank you Lisa! When are you going to come visit already?!

      Reply
  2. Teresa says

    October 01, 2016 at 9:38 am

    I too have this soap issue and provide liquid soap and new bars too for guest. We recently visited some friends and she had decorated the soap box just for us. I kept the box to recreate for future guests we host. I wish I could post a picture for you. My cousin brought us the Kleenex box monogrammed when she visited and I love it but it hasn’t left our great room yet.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:54 pm

      What a cute idea – love that!!

      Reply
  3. Zara says

    October 01, 2016 at 9:58 am

    I absolutley have liquid soap for guests, because yes, a partially used bar is pretty gross!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:54 pm

      Thank you for making me feel less crazy 🙂

      Reply
  4. Dianne says

    October 01, 2016 at 10:08 am

    Such a lovely room! When can I come and stay! Love your soap idea!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:55 pm

      Thank you so much Dianne! Hope you enjoy your weekend!

      Reply
  5. Bridget says

    October 01, 2016 at 10:13 am

    I would never leave a used bar of soap for a guest! You have created a lovely guest room, I love the idea about a charging station for the electronics, I am a guest at the moment and I am crawling on the floor to find places to plug in.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:56 pm

      Ha! That’s too funny! Well like I said in my post, I’ve put one in our guest room but still need to add one to our own room because I’m always having to scour our house for a charger!

      Reply
  6. cindy hattersley says

    October 01, 2016 at 10:22 am

    These are all such great suggestions! I am going to share these on my facebook page!!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:57 pm

      Thank you Cindy! Enjoy your weekend!! XOXO

      Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    October 01, 2016 at 10:23 am

    Such a great post Kris! I love your outlet/port combination! xoxo

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      Thank you so much Jen!! They’re great to have – I have one that has four USB ports in the kitchen where we charge all of our electronics overnight and love that one too!

      Reply
  8. Paula Moreshead says

    October 01, 2016 at 10:25 am

    Wonderful ideas and a lovely and inviting room!

    Paula

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 12:59 pm

      Thank you Paula!

      Reply
  9. [email protected] says

    October 01, 2016 at 10:30 am

    What a lovely welcoming guest room. You’ve thought of everything! I especially love the cilpboard wall.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      Thank you Lauren!!

      Reply
  10. Brenda Mayes says

    October 01, 2016 at 11:07 am

    Great ideas and a beautiful room. I’m on my way ????

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 01, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      Thank you! I’ll be waiting! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Roseann says

    October 01, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    Kris,
    Great ideas! May I offer a thoughtful yet practical addition? Place a pair of inexpensive “readers” on a desk or nightstand for your guests. People are always forgetting or losing their readers! I always have extra on hand. Lifesavers! Wonderful blog!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:23 pm

      Such a great idea!! Thank you!

      Reply
  12. Noél Emswiler says

    October 01, 2016 at 3:24 pm

    Kris,

    All great ideas! As an alternative for charging devices, we use a attractive surge protected charging strip inconspicuously placed on the wall between the bed and the table. We hang it on the wall vertically with Command velcro strips which makes it easy to remove and adjust. For those guests with mobility issues, not having to get behind something to find the outlet is really helpful. Plus so many of us travel with multiple devices, the outlets can fill up fast. For me it this the one thing that regularly gets a comment the next morning!

    Love your blog!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:23 pm

      Very smart! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    • Sheila DelCharco says

      January 04, 2017 at 9:48 am

      I need to do this! Great idea!

      Reply
  13. Rene Fayne says

    October 01, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    I totally agree with you about the soap issue. My family used to kid me about my big hang up…I do not like anyone to put their luggage on the bed because I do not know what hotel, carpet or airport
    that luggage has been exposed to bedbugs or not. Thank you for showing us where you purchased your luggage rack. When we return home from trips, I steam all our luggage and keep it out a week in the utility room before returning it to the closet. It may seem weird to some people, but I know of
    several colleges that have problems with bedbugs.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:24 pm

      I hear you Rene – we are two peas in a pod! I am one of those crazies who does a thorough check of our hotel room before I let anyone in my family bring their stuff into the room!

      Reply
  14. Hailey says

    October 02, 2016 at 3:22 pm

    Great tips! Lovely clipboard design! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:25 pm

      Thank you Hailey!

      Reply
  15. Laurie Orlando says

    October 02, 2016 at 4:46 pm

    YES on the soap issue! The only thing worse is a dirty shower (at my FIL’s house- yuck!) LOVE the clipboard and charging outlet idea!!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:26 pm

      LOL! Yes, a dirty shower with someone else’s hair grosses me out like nothing else!

      Reply
  16. Bernadette says

    October 03, 2016 at 5:16 am

    Absolutely fabulous!

    The room is stunning!!!

    Love the colors of the room, peaceful and relaxed…

    Love the clipboards, the couch, oh the whole bangshoot just waiting for my arrival…haaa…haa….

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:26 pm

      Bernadette, thank you so much for your sweet comment! I so appreciate it!

      Reply
  17. Garden, Home and Party says

    October 03, 2016 at 1:10 pm

    Your guest room is lovely and inviting. I especially appreciate the printout for the wifi and password. We mostly host our oldest son and family when they visit from Austin, but invariably I forget the password and Mr. B. is out buying something for lunch! 🙂
    Karen

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:28 pm

      Ha! The same thing happens to me – my husband knows it but I don’t 🙂 Hope you had a great weekend Karen!

      Reply
  18. lauren says

    October 06, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    love all your tips! I really need to clean out our guest room closet and then make those adorable hangers of yours.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 09, 2016 at 10:28 pm

      Thank you Lauren! Hope you’ve enjoyed your weekend!!

      Reply
  19. Mandy says

    October 25, 2016 at 10:24 am

    Great ideas.

    Offering information on the wifi password and place to sit ‘out the way’ is great.

    These are things I always like but never ask for because it seem rude. I always feel I’m saying “Thanks for having me, I’ll be on the Internet in a different room from you if you need me” 🙂

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 26, 2016 at 10:34 pm

      LOL – so true!!

      Reply
  20. Shiela DelCharco says

    December 20, 2016 at 4:50 am

    These are excellent tips! I love the luggage rack idea and the wooden hangers are lovely!! One more essential: bottles of water! I always leave two in the guest room!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 03, 2017 at 10:35 pm

      Yes – great idea!!!

      Reply
  21. Victoria Fuller says

    July 28, 2018 at 10:25 pm

    Love your list and I agree those are essential for guest comfort. To raise the bar a little, I would add:
    flowers
    small tin of nibbles i.e. biscuits, chocolate
    covered jug of water and a glass
    hair dryer
    small felt balls saturated with essential oils for drawers and closet
    pretty dish or box to store jewellry overnight
    small basket with sleep aids – eye mask, essential oils, etc

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      September 09, 2018 at 11:12 pm

      You are the best hostess! Love those ideas!

      Reply
  22. Elaine Murray says

    January 01, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    Just discovered your site this morning. I love it! I have a question: I’m a grandmother with 8 grands. What is proper way or style to hang family pictures? I have a blank wall upstairs outside guest bedrooms. I’ve read on Pinterest to change to black and white; also I’ve read all frames need to be alike. Advice please.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 02, 2019 at 12:00 pm

      Hi Elaine – thank you so much for your sweet words! I honestly think that anything goes when it comes to hanging a group of family photos! One really simple way to do it is to use identically sized frames of the same time and hang them in a grid with a certain number down and a certain number across. But if you have different sized photos, it’s totally ok to mix it up and use an assortment of sizes and colors! I did that with my kids artwork in this post and love the look of it: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/bonus-craft-room-landing-decorating-ideas/

      Reply
  23. Leslie says

    January 28, 2019 at 6:37 am

    I would add small disposable cups in the bathroom, for when your guests brush their teeth (to rinse their mouth out).
    Also, I have a small coffee maker in the guest bedroom, so my guest can make their coffee without disturbing anyone else in the house.
    A robe & slippers are nice to have hanging up behind the bedroom door.
    Question regarding the soap issue… Is the liquid soap for the guests to use when they take a shower?

    Reply
  24. Kay says

    June 27, 2020 at 9:56 pm

    I put a coffee bar in our guest suite. We painted and moved an oval table from our tv room up there It has a Keurig, tray with coffee pods, sample creamers, two mugs, napkins. They can brew and enjoy their first cup if they are early risers without waking the rest of the household.

    Reply

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