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mary507

Guest Room Help on a Budget!

4 years ago

We are now empty nesters and I would like to change this room into a guest room. The only thing I have is the queen size mattress and I will get new bedding. I need furniture!! I would like it to be nice and comfortable but not spend a fortune on furniture. I was thinking of course a bed, dresser and mirror, nightstands or tables, and possibly a small accent chair. The room color is wheat bread by Behrs and the carpet stays as well. The room dimensions are about 9’ 5” wide by 16” long so it is long and narrow. I need some inspiration to see what direction to go. I appreciate all suggestions!




Comments (59)

  • 4 years ago

    Think about what you need when you visit. I need a bedside table for my glasses and the book I read. I need a lamp. So does Mr. Wonderful, only on his side. We need space in the closet for hanging clothes and a couple of drawers is helpful. I appreciate an extra blanket. I dislike too many fancy pillows as I feel guilty placing them on the floor before I turn down the bed. Mr. Wonderful appreciates a chair for donning his shoes because he had a hip replacement and sitting on the bed to put on his shoes is easier in a solid chair. I love local information in a binder- restaurants, local shops, visitor must-sees like the historic train, the art museum, the hiking trails. It doesn’t cost much to have colorful photos of local attractions framed on your wall to set a theme. In our guest room, I place bedtime reading materials specific for my guests-Mustangs for BIL, horses for sister, state park hikes for SIL, antique shop info for DDs. A little framed card with WiFi passwords is welcome as are two bottles of water and a box of Puffs.

    mary44 thanked remodeling1840
  • 4 years ago

    One more angle to discuss - do you like bit of blue dressy, or country garden green, or global/ or glam?

    27.5" Riveted Dark Blue Glass & Brushed Steel Metal Genie Bottle Table Lamp · More Info


    Porcelain Table Lamp, Green · More Info


    Nuloom Kylie Ceramic Linen Shade Table Lamp, 26" · More Info


  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    when planning a guest bedroom I always think of what makes a hotel room work. a queen bed works for most guests and room with a headboard but NOT a footboard (it will make the room feel smaller). generaly on the longest wall. I NEVER put it on the same wall as the entry door because of feng shui and safety. you want to SEE the door from bed. night stands on BOTH sides. my husband and I both wear glasses and it's a real pain not to have a place to put them for the night. they dont have to match. at least one bedside lamp. if you have space use a small desk or table on one side. a chair is helpful and a place to put an open suitcase. a dresser is not needed as most won't unpack for just a few days. I like to have a couple different pillows so they have a choice. I prefer down and a down comforter. some don't. I fold another blanket at the end of the bed so its there if needed without having to ask. a mirror is nice but not facing the bed. towels...I like to have a different color for each person. and a robe is also a nice thing to have. blackout drapes for me are a must especially if it has east windows. your wifi password can be framed and set on the night stand.check for deals at thrift stores, garage sales, craigs list or marketplace. but most everthing in my guest rooms come from another room in my house. update your master bedroom? move bedding or furniture to the guest room.

    .

    Old Town Remodel · More Info



    A place to sleep · More Info


  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    The pink isn't baby pink, and it seems 'in' right now. As I posted, there are charcoal art frames, etc.. that anchor it. A bedskirt in white nice?


    Diamond Square 18" Bed Skirt, Ivory, Queen · More Info


    WRAP AROUND EYELET LACE BED SKIRT DUST RUFFLE, 18" DROP, White, Queen/King · More Info


  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    W 32" / D 18" / H 32"

    white or black - W 34" / D 15" / H 30"


    Bowery Hill 2-Door Accent Chest in Blue · More Info



    Bowery Hill Contemporary 2-Door Wood/Glass Accent Chest in White · More Info


    Chest with 4 Drawers in Rich White finish · More Info


  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    In open center part, place commonly used items. Buy them new Ikea slippers.. :)



    Salinas Storage Cabinet With Doors, Antique White · More Info

    Madison Park Linen Botanicals Printed Linen Canvas, 3-Piece Set - Contemporary - Prints And Posters - by Olliix | Houzz

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you everyone for all the great suggestions! I'm going to start looking for furniture. I would say I like a transitional style or updated traditional and clean lines. All my bedroom furniture has always been matching pieces. I think I want to try not everything mitchy matchy. Deco I love your suggestion of possibly cornering the bed since the room is narrow. I prefer a wood or possibly iron headboard versus upholstered.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Good for you and I agree think about a really good hotel room and how it felt that is what I try to get in a guest room

    mary44 thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I'm rather liking the bedroom below. I have no problem with a rug on top of carpeting. I think your guestroom would benefit from having the bed anchored with a rug instead of floating on a sea of beige carpeting.


    mary44 thanked Norwood Architects
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Hi Mary
    Another fun project….No need to angle any furniture…center bed on long wall…if you are worried about the vent it is easy to get a vent cover that will direct the heat out from under furniture..very inexpensive fix. Can the pink bedding go?

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • 4 years ago

    Hi Julie :)

    Yes I plan to get new bedding. That was my daughters and she decided to get new when she moved.


  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I would consider a platform bed with headboard than you don’t need any dust ruffle…I have one in mind..around $300?

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • 4 years ago

    Would I be able to use my existing mattress and box spring? $300 is fine..Can you please post it?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Yes you can I had it in my guest room in a king…for some reason I can’t post a photo?? Let me try again…

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • 4 years ago

    Following

  • 4 years ago

    Following

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    What about this arrangement? Bed moved closer to the closet, nightstands with drawers on either side (then perhaps a dresser is not needed?), desk and comfortable chair with ottoman on the window wall, large mirror on the wall opposite the bed to expand the room visually. (I'm not suggesting these particular items, just placement.) The bed would probably cover that heat vent, though; is that the only one in the room?




    mary44 thanked simplynatural
  • 4 years ago

    That's a nice option simplynatural. I like the window with curtains too. I would like a dresser though for some storage. One nightsand would probably be okay. There is another vent in the room next to the window. Thanks for the mock up. :)

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    simplynaturals mockup is perfect.. you really DO need night tables both sides of the bed, you have the room. people sleep on different sides of the bed and if you will have couples staying there you want to give them both a place to set reading glasses and material and drinks. if both wear glasses it IS a pain to give the other your glasses and reach across them if you need to get up at night. convieneance = comfort. if you need a dresser for storage I would put it between the closet and bed, easy for you to use close to the door. or put it IN the closet as a guest really won't need much if any of the closet

    mary44 thanked Cheryl Smith
  • 4 years ago

    Headboard nice bedding 2 end tables small dresser artwork not too many pillows!!

    mary44 thanked Kathy Furt
  • 4 years ago

    New curtains

    mary44 thanked Kathy Furt
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Here you go…

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • 4 years ago

    Mary do you have enough room for bachelor chests on either side of the bed? Maybe you would not need a dresser.

    mary44 thanked Molly
  • 4 years ago

    The mocha is nice too.


    100% Solid Wood Double Dresser, White · More Info


    mary44 thanked everdebz
  • 4 years ago

    Nothing wrong with matching the door. Maybe could store your things here too.


    6 Drawer Mid Century Modern Wood Dresser - Walnut · More Info


    mary44 thanked everdebz
  • 4 years ago

    Following…

  • 4 years ago

    Thanks everyone for more options :)


    Julie...do you have the sources for the beds and end table? I am looking into the vent situation.


    Molly...great option if not wanting to do a dresser. My only concern would be that all that the furniture would be on one side of the room.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Here you go…Mary we have guest stay from out of state all the time a dresser is never used..they hang clothing up in the closet and I have a couple baskets on a shelf in the closet for other items of clothing…nightstands and a small chair is all you need.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Here is the bedding from Bed bath & Beyond

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • 4 years ago

    @Home Interiors with Ease


    Love those guest room items. That bed looks beautiful and the price! Wow!

  • 4 years ago

    Hi Julie :)


    Did you say you have that bed? Is the fabric linen a really light yellowish color...looks so in the picture.

    If so I don't think I want something that light. Maybe I would be better off with a wood headboard easier when cleaning.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    It is a performance type linen in neutral…it still looks brand new and it has been in our guest room for 7 years…and used a lot…so many visitors…we just sold it but let me try to find some of my photos.

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    This is the only image I have left..this was the bed photo from my marketplace listing..just before we sold it…I think it was actually a type of polyester that looked like linen.

    mary44 thanked Home Interiors with Ease
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Mary how many guests do you have in a year?

  • 4 years ago

    My son recently moved out of the area and comes home once a month for a couple days. A couple other guests maybe twice a year.

  • 4 years ago

    If you put a dresser opposite the bed, how much space is there between them?

    mary44 thanked Molly
  • 4 years ago

    I agree with Julie, we have guests constantly here in Arizona and in Wisconsin. They use the closets but never the dressers! If I had to redo I would not get any dressers!

    mary44 thanked Linda
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    There isn't enough space to put a dresser directly opposite the bed, @Molly. Mary said the room is about 9 1/2 feet (114 inches) wide. A queen mattress is 80 inches, plus, say, 4 inches for a headboard. That leaves only 30 inches for walk space at the foot of the bed, which is narrower than a standard hallway.

    I think it's okay to have no furniture on the doorway wall, @mary44, as long as there is something substantial on that wall to balance the space. A room's "furnishings" include objects on walls as well as floor. Both have visual weight, and as long as that weight is balanced, the room will feel right.

    mary44 thanked simplynatural
  • 4 years ago

    Molly, simply natural is correct. There is not enough room to put a dresser directly opposite the bed. There is room to put one a little further down going toward the door. Even though this is a guest room....another reason for me wanting a dresser or even a tall chest which would be narrower is so I can store a few things as well.

  • 4 years ago

    Mary, I think that bed of Julie’s has a great look ! I don’t think it would be harder to clean/ get dirtier than any other upholstered furniture in one’s house. That bed has a very light feel while still offering a lot of classic style with the low foot posts.

    mary44 thanked niccidhg
  • 4 years ago

    Julie, isn’t that the room where you asked for help in looking for a lamp for your gray cabriole chest. Where did you get that chest on sale, again ? I recall it was so pretty at a really good price . Something like that could serve as ( would only need one ) a bedside table and also provide storage. Do you still have it, a pic. or info on it ?

    mary44 thanked niccidhg
  • 4 years ago

    …. this one -

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Nicci yes I used it for storage…not budget friendly from Grandin Road around $500…a small chest could be used next to the window…or on both sides of the bed with lamps….I am sure we could find something to fit in your budget….but I would prefer a small accent chair left of the window…..drapes on window….Mary could you do a small chest inside the closet for extra storage?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    A lot of great solutions. I am not sure what you purchased or not. However if you are using the room to store items a storage bed drawers or lift up works well. Ikea has these options at good prices and the construction surprised me 
    The shoppe local Home Decor has all the puffy fill the bed that you need. 2 tables, open close suitcase holders work great. And when guest unpacked I like to lay the towels bathrobe toothbrush extra stuff that might be needed in this location. Hanging shelves in closet work for guests
     The ones that fold up and down
     I sometimes pack with them and when I get to my hotel hang it up and done.A chair with 
    Footstool is nice if you all need a night's break 
    Depends how often you have guests 
    Great stuff here for you 
    Enjoy







     footstool is nice if they want to let you have 
    A

    mary44 thanked COCo
  • 4 years ago

    Personally, I basically never use dressers in hotels or when I stay at someone’s home; not short term stays. And I would have to be staying very long term to even think about using a hotel or guest room dresser. I hang clothes, and what I don’t hang I leave in the luggage. If you have the space and want to include a dresser, maybe someone will use it, and it can be nice. But with limited space, I would not bring it in, unless it can be put in the closet.




    mary44 thanked freedomplace1
  • 4 years ago

    I recently redid a very small bedroom and started by choosing bedding that I liked and used it as inspitation for the rest of the room. I chose youth furniture (but not kiddie looking) because it was smaller and less expensive. I opted for one nightstand and built and upholstered a cornice so the window treatments would not overwhelm the room. Wall decals to match the wildflower motif of the bedding and a small accent chair completed the look. Good




    luck!

    mary44 thanked Connie Stackhouse
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    More great suggestions! Thanks everyone:)

    Connie your room looks awesome....thanks for sharing pics...great idea about the youth furniture.

  • 4 years ago

    Will a chest/dresser fit in the closet? I think that's a great option (even a taller narrower one so that there's still plenty of hanging space available). Then a bachelor's chest on one side of bed and a desk/chair on the other side (away from window where there's more wall space). More comfy chair by the window. Window treatment with blackout shade. Basket with extra blankets in a corner, maybe a standing mirror on the long wall. Art on walls


  • 4 years ago

    Jumping in, not sure if I read to quickly....... forgive me if it was mentioned.


    If you moved the bed closer to the vent....Could you use a leggy nightstand over it with a deflector? and a chest on the other side of the bed to give you the draws you need in the room? This will give you a place for two lamps in the room and a place for eye glasses, etc. to be placed.


    I am not a fan of a chest in the closet. It takes up the length I would need as a guest, because I wear lots of dresses in the summer and hang them up when I unpack. All dresses, tops and jackets get hung when I visit anyone and everything else pretty much stays in my suitcase.


    Consider a Luggage holder in the closet. One that can be folded and put away, kept in the closet, or moved to another spot in the room for the guest to use as they please.


    Consider a narrow console on the wall near the doorway, with a mirror over it and a chair. As a guest, I personally like doing my makeup in my room and also going on my laptop. This gives me a place to do both. I would add a chair there, but there may not be room for that, so maybe a pretty stool tucked underneath may do the trick.


    If there is room I definitely would add a chair with arms in the room. Maybe between the door and the nightstand, if there is room.


    *Overall, if something needs to go......It would be the chest of draws. I agree with those that mentioned, it is almost never used. At least when I travel. I would prefer two nightstands in the room.


    Extra pillows and blanket at the top of the closet :-) and hangers.


    mary44 thanked njmomma