Top tips for decorating your spare room
- Sanne Huston-Eagles
- Consultant
In short
A guest room should be somewhere you would happily stay yourself. Make it multi-purpose so it earns its keep, layer the bedding and pillows so guests can adjust their comfort, and cover the practical furniture: a bedside table with a socket, somewhere to unpack, and a spot for a suitcase. Keep decor soothing and uncluttered with room for guests' things, and prioritise light-blocking curtains or blinds, with a sheer layer if the room doubles up.
Kiwis love to travel and to welcome guests, so a good spare room earns its keep. Left unloved it becomes a forgotten room, but decorated well and used smartly it can be a genuinely lovely space. Here is how to get it right.
Table of contents
Make it multi-purpose
Your guest bedroom will not be in use all the time, so making it multi-purpose is a great use of space; double it as a home office or sewing room, for example, so it stays useful between visitors.
Bedding and furniture essentials
Bedding: layers are key so guests can add or remove blankets to suit their temperature, and offer a few pillow options too.
A bedside table, ideally with a double socket nearby for a lamp and overnight charging.
Somewhere to hang clothes, a wardrobe or a row of hooks if the wardrobe tends to fill with your own gear.
A luggage rack or a flat surface big enough for a suitcase, plus drawers so guests can unpack rather than live out of a bag.
A comfy chair or sitting area to retreat to, or plenty of pillows and cushions so guests can sit up on the bed.
Decor and window furnishings
Soothing tones suit a guest bedroom, and it pays not to go too heavy on ornaments and photo frames so guests have space for their own things. Because sleeping is the main activity, make light-blocking curtains or blockout blinds a priority. If the room doubles as a workspace, add a sheer layer for daytime privacy and glare. Our guide on choosing the perfect bedroom blinds has more.
The extras that impress
To go the extra mile, add thoughtful touches like a rubbish bin, hair dryer, a few books or magazines, tissues, a snack box or welcome pack, a full-length mirror, a water jug and glass, toiletries, spare coat hangers, a diffuser, a nightlight and a clock. A genuinely lovely guest room could even earn you a little extra through homestays or short-stay listings.
For window furnishings that help guests sleep and suit a multi-use room, request a free in-home consultation and one of our consultants will help you choose.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you decorate a guest bedroom?
Aim for a room nice enough that you would want to stay in it. Make it multi-purpose, layer the bedding so guests can adjust their warmth, cover the practical furniture (bedside table, somewhere to unpack, a luggage spot), keep decor soothing and uncluttered, and fit light-blocking window furnishings.
What window coverings suit a spare room?
Since sleeping is the main activity, prioritise light-blocking curtains or blinds, such as a blockout. If the room doubles as an office or craft space, add a sheer layer too for daytime privacy and glare control.
What should every guest room have?
The essentials are layered bedding and pillows, a bedside table with a power socket, somewhere to hang and unpack clothes (a wardrobe, hooks, or drawers), a spot for a suitcase, and a comfy chair or plenty of cushions to sit up against.
Can a spare room be multi-purpose?
Yes, and it is a smart use of space since a guest room is not in use all the time. Doubling it as a home office or sewing room keeps it earning its keep between visitors.
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