All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.If youve got a bonus room but are lacking the right guest room ideas, youre in good company; such a space can be notoriously difficult to design (especially in tight quarters!). For Sara Swabb, AD PRO Member and founder and creative director of Storie Collective in Washington, DC, designing a guest room is about creating a moment of hospitality that feels both personal and cohesive with the rest of the home. When conceiving bedroom ideas for guest room spaces, designers urge clients to think outside the box: Its also a space where you can experiment with things that bring in characterwhether thats with bold patterns, unique furnishings, or vintage finds, says Swabb. At its core, a well-designed guest room makes guests feel cared for, with thoughtful details like soft bedding, layered lighting, and touches that reflect the homeowners style.Read on for guest room decorating ideas we love.Photo: Gordon Gregory1/39Layer textures for instant warmthHere, Swabb and her colleagues created a welcoming atmosphere through white linens and a statement blanket. The upholstered bed and layered bedding (a linen duvet paired with a patterned vintage throw) invite relaxation and comfort, says Swabb. Another thing to note? The wall sconces, which free up space on the sleek black nightstands, leaving room for a stack of books and other personal touches. The trick to achieving this look is to mix materials: Combine soft linens, dark wood tones, and touches of brass for an inviting, layered effect, she says.Photo: Genevieve Garruppo2/39Make your guest room multifunctionalIf youre dreaming of guest room ideas but dont have an additional bedroom up for grabs, remember: Guest rooms can serve more than one purpose, like this home office that doubles as a guest room with a sleeper sofa by AD Pro Directory Member Paris Forino, founder and director of her namesake firm in New York City. With tighter space in NYC apartments, you must get creative and make the most out of each room in the home, says Forino of this Tribeca loft apartment. This way, the room can be used daily during the week, and reserved for guests when needed.Photo: Genevieve Garruppo3/39Pick a comfy couchIf youre going to add a pull-out couch to your guest room, make sure folks can really sink into it and relax, whether curling up with a book or zonking out after a long day. When selecting [a guest room sofa], be careful that it is both comfortable to sit on and to sleep on, Forino says. In a Greenwich Village town house project, I designed this room to function as an office and sitting room during the day, which can be transformed into a guest bedroom when needed. For this custom sleeper sofa, Forino chose a soft, velvet indigo upholstery and plush cushions plus a comfortable mattress.Photo: Gordon Beall4/39Go for blackout window treatmentsTo make sure your guests get a good nights sleep, blackout shades may be worth the splurgeespecially when your visitors are traveling in from afar and struggling with jet lag. Blackout drapes block daylight to aid in sleeping, while sufficient bedside lighting allows guests to read at night, says Tracy Morris, founder and president of Tracy Morris Design in McLean, Virginia. This insight ties into Morriss overall ethos of emphasizing practicality in guest bedrooms. One common mistake in creating a guest bedroom is prioritizing aesthetics over functionality, leading to a space that looks great but lacks comfort or practicality, Morris says. Neglecting essentials, like blackout drapes, sufficient lighting, accessible outlets, or storage, can leave guests feeling inconvenienced.Photo: Marc Mauldin5/39Dont shy away from patternsLeah Alexander, AD PRO member and principal interior designer of the Atlanta-based Beauty Is Abundant, believes the pattern-on-pattern approach utilized here makes for a refined yet whimsical guest space. Its interesting, but in a fairly subdued color palette, Alexander says of the project, which features a mural with customized Porter Teleo motif and nightstand chests from Moes Home Collection. Alexander also points out the dimmable decorative light sources: The brass flush mount light fixture casts a warm glow on the ceiling, she says. The solid onyx table lamps are substantial and stately but allow just enough light through the stone shades.Photo: Stacy Zarin Goldberg6/39Tell a tale with vintage rugsLayered bedding in vibrant hues, paired with a vintage rug, adds warmth and character, making the space feel both intriguing and storied, says Swabb. Another tip illustrated here? When looking for small guest bedroom ideas and inspiration, freeing up nightstand space by incorporating pendant lights on either side of the bed creates a cozy and functional atmosphere for reading or working in bed is a good idea, per Swabb.Photo: Marc Mauldin7/39Let monochrome be your museA monochromatic palette may not be the first thing you consider when it comes to guest room decorating ideas, but taking a calculated risk can be worth your while. This room is transportive because of the simplified architectural details and color drenching, says Alexander. The same Sherwin-Williams Alaea color continues from the walls to the ceiling uninterrupted, creating an enveloping space where the corners appear to recede beyond where they actually end. Plus, Alexander cant help but find the monochromatic dialogue between the headboard and the saturated wall effortlessly chic. To complete the project, she and her team selected a photograph by Fares Micue featuring electric blue for a splash of tension that breaks up the tone-on-tone motif.Photo: Greg Powers8/39Keep personal items to a minimumNeatness is a must for guest rooms, per Morris. Keep decor clean and neutral, but welcoming without personal items. This provides a restful space for guests, she says. She frequently sees the misstep of homeowners overloading a guest room with personal items or decor, and says this can make the quarters feel more like a storage area than a welcoming retreat. On the flip side, ignoring small touches, like fresh linens, extra pillows, or a bedside water carafe, can make the space feel impersonal. Consider adding one or two of these thoughtful elements to make guests feel at ease, but not overwhelmed.Photo: Tim Lenz9/39Add bookshelvesAny guest would be smitten with a bed niche like the one in this guest space in a MK Workshopdesigned apartment. A bookcase allows a little more personality into the design of your guest room, even in a small space. Plus, when placed alongside the bed like in this bedroom, it offers a convenient space for guests to put their watch, phone, or a cup of water before bedtime.Photo: Madeline Tolle; Art: Augustine Kofie10/39Use it as a home officeIf you dont anticipate having guests too often, using your guest room as a full-on home office is a wise choice. At this LA home, AD100 designer Mandy Cheng differentiated the bedroom section from the office space by lining the area surrounding the bed with tongue-and-groove paneling and solidifying the office space by installing a built-in desk.Photo: Douglas Friedman; Styling: Adam Fortner11/39Add wallpaperSomething you might notice in a lot of our favorite guest rooms? Gorgeous wallpaper. When youre looking to create a space for visitors thatll make them feel more like theyre on an exciting getaway, and less like theyre on a bed not as comfortable as their own back home, a transportive wallpaper is the perfect solution. In this space designed by Ashby Collective, a park-like Schumacher mural offers a unique and dignified setting for a week or two away from home. If youre concerned about wallpapering an entire room, an accent wall can also have a major impact.Photo: Simon Brown12/39Keep it roomyRather than trying to stuff your guest room with as many fun furnishings as possible, keep it roomy, like Emma Sims Hilditch did at this English estate. Extra empty space will be much appreciated when it comes time for your guests to open up those extra large suitcases, so considering this is especially important if youre decorating a small guest bedroom.Photo: Ambroise Tzenas; Styling: Carolina Irving13/39Go monochromaticSettling on a defined color scheme is always a good idea, but why not make your color scheme simply one color? We love the very blue guest bedroom decor in this Pierre Sauvagedesigned French chateaux for its maximalist prints, but monochrome works just as well for making a room feel calm if you forgo the patterns.Photo: Pieter Estersohn14/39Make it feel lived inA circa-1840 New England bed anchors the Charleston, South Carolinainspired guest room in Andrea Ansons New York town house. Vintage furnishings and unique pieces can create a comfortable feeling in a guest room.Photo: Douglas Friedman15/39Channel a modern beach retreatSandy tones and natural textiles can help create a modern beachy vibe with your guest room decor, whether or not youre anywhere near an ocean. Vanessa Alexander and architect Johannes Zingerle created this guest bedroom at a St. Barts retreat, complete with a ceiling fan to keep things extra cool after a day by the pool.Photo: Read McKendree; Styling: Frances Bailey16/39Center on a fireplaceOkay, you might not be in the position to add a fireplace to your guest room, but if you do have one, be sure to make it the focal point. Adding a sitting area around the fireplace, if you have the space, or simply decorating the mantel, like decorator Chauncey Boothby did in this Connecticut estate, is a wonderful way to ensure your guests are thoroughly charmed by their temporary living space.Photo: Kensington Leverne17/39Use a calming color paletteThis Studio Ashbydesigned London home is far from minimal, but its warm color palette is ultracalming.Photo: Durston Saylor18/39Add a TVEspecially if youre going for the comfort of a hotel room, adding a television to your guest room is a surefire way to please your guests, especially if you expect to have kids staying with you. The placement of the TV in this guest room designed by Cathy Purple Cherry allows it to be watched comfortably without having the TV dominate the rooms design.Photo: Franois Halard19/39Make it dramaticAt photographer and antiques dealer Matthias Vriens-McGraths Los Angeles house, a guest room features a Directoire wrought-iron bed draped in antique toile; an angora tulu rug covers the bench.Photo: Bjrn Wallander20/39Add two bedsA guest room in a Sao Paulo residence designed by Sig Bergamin features walls decorated by Nathalie Morhange, Victoria Mill bed linens, and Arraiolos carpets; the armchair is upholstered in a Romo cotton-linen.Photo: Pieter Estersohn21/39Add a reading nookIn architect Steve Menschs house above the Hudson River, near Rhinebeck, New York, an Adesso lamp keep watch over a guest rooms Modloft bed, which is dressed in a Room & Board wool blanket. The Mies van der Rohe chair is vintage, the side table is by B&B Italia, and the rug is by Calvin Klein Home.Photo: Tim Beddow22/39Pile on the pillowsA plush duvet and plenty of pillows will ensure that even the lightest of sleepers are comfortable in your guest bedroom. American-oak beams crisscross the ceiling in a top-floor guest room of designer Anouska Hempels manor home in Wiltshire, England.Photo: Roger Davies23/39Prints on prints on printsInside Sig Bergamins So Paulo home, a brilliant ikat envelops the guest room, where the headboard upholstery and curtain fabric are both by Kravet; the luggage is vintage Louis Vuitton.Photo: Eric Piasecki24/39Make it feel grandPeter Rogers employed a pair of Regency beds in the guest room of his New Orleans home, along with an antique Swedish gilded stool.Photo: Oberto Gili25/39Use welcoming colorsThis guest room in a Marthas Vineyard home is outfitted with twin beds designed by Mark Cunningham; the curtains are of a Robert Kime fabric from John Rosselli & Assoc. and were made by Anthony Lawrence-Belfair.Photo: Scott Frances26/39Include a work spaceA Hamptons guest room designed by Foley & Cox is appointed with a Blu Dot bed and a glass-top trestle table by Richard Wrightman Design; the floor lamp is by Isamu Noguchi.Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna27/39Make it immersiveGive your guest a proper escape by going fully immersive with your design. A plethora of patterns enlivens a guest room in a Connecticut home designed by Miles Redd, from a Farrow & Ball wallpaper to a vintage fabric on the Louis XVI settee and chair.Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna28/39Choose a theme to guide your decor decisionsIn a bamboo-themed Florida guest room by John Stefanidis, a Regency bed has curtains of white linen trimmed with grosgrain ribbon; the walls are stenciled with a motif taken from a Stefanidis-designed fabric used in an adjacent sitting room, and a kilim covers the floor.