Weekend Warrior: Update Your Guest Room for Under $100
Give your guests the best without breaking the bank. (Psst! Some of these ideas are free!)
Design: Decorist
https://www.wayfair.com/Shop-The-Look/Photo/A-Light-Airy-Bedroom-Makeover-P107627
Whether your friends are coming in from out-of-town, or your mother-in-law is on her way to inspect enjoy your humble abode, it doesn't take a lot to revamp and refresh a stale or unused guest room. From totally free to under $100, we've got 12 ways to get big bang for your buck, and make impactful changes in nearly no time at all.
Free
Design: Chango & Co.
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/Photo/19-Westhampton-Beach-Playhouse-Master-Bedroom-by-Chango-Co-P213159
1. Clean out Your Junk
Guest rooms are notorious for becoming catch-alls. Whether you store a few odds and ends, or your room looks like an episode of "Hoarders," it's time for an edit. Move, toss, or donate as much as you can: emptied closets and bare drawers make the room more inviting.
2. Choose a Color Scheme
Your room needn't be ALL the same color, but having continuity between the pillows, sheets, drapes, and accessories creates a cohesive look, and can go a long way in making your room feel put-together.
3. Take Stock and Shop Your Home
Does your guest bed have all your reject sheets? Or maybe it's looking slightly more like a prison cell than the inviting oasis you envisioned. These problems, surprisingly, have easy fixes. Look around your home and gather items that can work together to complete the space: lamps, pillows, anything cozy.
Tip! Look at items in a new way. That stool or desk could be the perfect nightstand, while the trunk in the basement would make a lovely end-of-the-bed bench.
Design: Jessica Lagrange Interiors
https://www.wayfair.com/Shop-The-Look/Photo/Guest-Bedroom-P208540
4. Frame Your Wi-Fi Password
This small courtesy shows your guests that you've thought of them, while also saving you the time of having to write it down over and over.
5. Create a DIY Charging Station in Your Nightstands
With just an extension cord and a drill, you can turn the top drawer of your nightstand into an electronics hub sans messy cords. Read our super easy DIY and you might end up stealing this idea foryour bedroom!
6. Add Fresh or Faux Flowers
Plants are a quick and affordable way to beautify and invigorate a space. Use vessels you already own, whether it be a pitcher or an old canning jar, and add a few fresh blooms to your space, or combine faux flowers for an everlasting arrangement. For an easy step-by-step on crafting lifelike faux bouquets, read our quick tutorial.
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/12-crop--photo-id145975
7. Create a Welcome Basket
An easy to assemble welcome basket shows you're thoughtful and heads off potentially embarrassing asks. Stock with travel-size toiletries, tissues, and chocolate or candy. Throw in some of your favorite reading material and a candle so they feel right at home.
8. Add a Luggage Rack
Take your guest room one step closer to five-star hotel status. Older guests will appreciate being able to access their luggage without bending down, and storing their luggage off the floor.
9. Add or DIY Art
Walls look barren without décor or art, and a rarely used guest room is a great place to display your favorite works, turning it into your personal gallery. If you're not quite ready to open a mini-Louvre, add a single piece, or DIY one yourself! Whether it's a framed family photo or postcard from your travels, your art choices allow guests to learn a little more about you and your style.
Design: Benjamin Cruz Designs
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/master-bedroom--photo-id10355
10. Get New Nightstands
If your current ones don't match your décor (or each other), this small upgrade makes a big impact. Choose timeless pieces with lots of storage and you'll use them for years to come.
Tip! Convey your attention to detail by styling your nightstands! Both an art and a science, there aren't hard and fast rules, but looks turn out best if you vary objects' heights, ensure a good light source for late night reading, and add a beautiful or unexpected item.
11. Invest in Luxury Sheets
There's nothing like soft and supple high-thread-count sheets—they make bedtime one of the most welcomed moments of the day. Whether you're looking to upgrade or curious about bed sheet types in general, learn more with our Bed Sheet Buying Guide.
12. Add a New Headboard
A room can feel unfinished without a headboard. Not only does it anchor the bed in a room and provide a visual focal point, it also makes the bed more comfortable for guests who like to wind down with a book at the end of the day. If you've gone through the steps and something is still missing, chances are your headboard (or lack thereof) is to blame.
Tip! If you're not currently in the market for a headboard but want to create the look of one, check out 5 Ways to Fake a Headboard for more DIY ideas.
