I love having family members and close friends stay over at our home. It feels good to host overnight guests – especially now that I have a spare room and they don’t have to sleep on the couch or on a blowup bed. I want them to feel welcomed, relaxed, and comfortable in my guest bedroom. I want their stay to be memorable.
So, when preparing the guest bedroom, I try to add little thoughtful touches to make it feel cozy and leave a lasting impression so they will come back year after year. I want them to feel like they are at a warm and inviting retreat or a five-star bed and breakfast hotel. So, check out how I make a guest room cozy while adding and prioritizing style, comfort, and some luxuries.
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Warm cozy bed
A comfortable bed is one of the most important ingredients to a cozy bedroom and a good night’s sleep. A comfortable bed can make or break a guest’s stay. This ranges from the mattress quality to the linen that wraps the bed.
So make the bed feel like a sanctuary by ensuring your bed is topped with a quality mattress, soft linens and maybe even a plush tuft headboard. Go for these crisp white sheets when styling the bed. Layer the guest linens on the bed with this budget-friendly duvet insert and duvet cover, pillows, and a cozy blanket.
Add throw pillows
Throw pillows are a great decorative piece that can add a little bit of luxury to your room. Mix and match your throw pillows or DIY your own pillow. When using throw pillows, try to keep a basket nearby so that the guests have a place to put them when not in use. Also, this helps keep the room neat and tidy.
Try to keep the pillows to a minimum so that they don’t overpower the bed and the guests aren’t spending precious time removing them to make space for themselves.
Extra blankets, please.
Your guests may have a different sleeping temperature than you do—some like it cool, while others like it hot. Leave out extra blankets in reach for your guests to easily access. Alternatively, you can layer the bed with blankets so your guests can choose how many layers they want to sleep with, especially on cooler nights. The more layers, the better.
I keep a few of these affordable super soft plush blankets in the guest bedroom. This will make the guest room feel extra cozy while creating a more inviting, eye-catching, and alluring bed.
Paint the walls dark.
Many homes are trending darker, further away from the classic “paint everything white.” Deep hues and colored walls create an ultra-moody and soothing guest room. Darker wall colors add a bit of dramatic coziness. So consider painting your walls or an accent wall a darker color, like deep gray or green.  Just be sure to balance it with plenty of natural and artificial light. The dark colors will provide a sense of calm and bring in another element of comfort – creating an instantly cozy feel.
If painting the walls dark seems a bit too permanent, then try out removable wallpaper. The right wallpaper can completely transform a room. Pick out a wallpaper that compliments the space and adds depth to the room.
Window treatments
Having natural light enter a room can provide the best start to a day. However, if your guest is not a morning person or they had a late night out on the town, then depending on how much light filters into your space, it may be necessary to control the amount of light that comes into the room.
Incorporating these blackout curtains or blinds can help filter the brightness level for your guest, making for the ideal cozy atmosphere. And when going for cozy, window treatments are the best investments. Blinds and blackout curtains are great for privacy, napping, and sleeping in. The better your guests sleep, the happier they will be at breakfast.
Mirror mirror on the wall
A full length mirror in the room is a very practical and functional decor piece that your guests will love. A full-length mirror like this is great for when guests are getting dressed to head out. I love this frame floor full-length mirror because it allows people to view what they are wearing from head to toe and helps open up the space and reflect the natural lights that beam through the room.
A cute nightstand
A nightstand on both sides of a bed is a classic and must-have look for any room, especially a cozy guest room. One small bedside table will suffice if it is a small guest bedroom. Try a DIY vintage suitcase side table to give the room a more lived-in look and vibe.
Bedside lamps
Having a side table lamp is great for reading, journaling, and cozying up in bed before turning the lights out. And if the guest has to get up in the middle of the night, the bedside lights help them navigate the room and get around easier. Nothing is worse than a harsh ceiling light shining down on you in the middle of the night. Beside lamp is great for adding softer ambient lighting to a room.
And if you want to take it to the next level, remember to add a small charging station or an extra charger for them to plug in their phone chargers. Sometimes side lamps have built-in USB ports like this one, but a charging station is a great option if it doesn’t. The last thing you want is for your guest to move the bed to plug in their phone chargers or computer.
Seating area
I really dislike sitting on beds with my outside clothes. Because of this, I applied the same concept to my guest bedroom by creating a designated seating area. Assigning a designated area in the room (if your space allows it) is a great way to help your guest relax and feel most comfortable.
A cute upholstered armchair with a throw and a small table will do. This can also double as a cute little reading nook or mini work space, or home office. Position the chair next to a window for an intimate feel. Leave your guests a good book or two or an assortment of magazines to use during their downtime or quiet time in the room.
Fluffy bathrobe
Nothing screams cozy than a nice fluffy bathrobe to wrap yourself up in after a long hot shower or early morning snuggle when your guest wakes up. I am obsessed with this particular cozy bathrobe from Target, and I keep one for my guests and one for myself. It’s a small gesture, but your guest may greatly appreciate a clean bathrobe they can use while staying in your guest room. Just hang the bathrobe in the closet or on a command hook on the wall.
And if you are feeling even more generous, throw in these house slippers or thick fluffy house socks to add that extra layer of coziness for your guest. This is especially important in my home because we don’t wear outside shoes in the home for cultural and sanitary reasons. Overall, these small gestures will make your guests feel warm and pampered. Sometimes it’s the simple things and the small details that make a guest feel at home while inspiring a cozy guest bedroom.
Lush bath towels
I am a huge fan of clean, crisp, fluffy towels. It just helps to complete my bath or shower experience. Help your guests feel comfortable in your home by leaving out fresh towels on the bed and extra towels in the closet. Include a matching hand towel and washcloths. There’s just something about these small touches that can make or break the guest’s stay.
Forget something? Take what you need.
I like to keep extra toiletries stocked that my guests might need when they visit. If they are traveling from afar there are essentials they may forget. If my guests are anything like me, it’s likely that they forgot something while packing.
I like to leave a small basket or container with earbuds, eye masks, face masks, toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion, bar soap or body wash, tampons, makeup wipes, razors, chapstick or vaseline, and shower caps, all of which I grab from Walmart and Target. I like to leave it on top of the chest of drawers, dresser or side table to make them feel super special.
Fresh flowers or greenery
Who doesn’t love a fresh bouquet of flowers or greenery? I’m pretty sure your guests do. I love adding fresh flowers to the guest bedroom as it instantly adds charm, calm and soothing fragrance to the comfortable space. It also helps the guest space feel cozier and homey. So go foraging in your backyard to make your own arrangements, or stop at Trader Joe’s for some cheap flowers to display. If you don’t want to deal with fresh greenery, then faux greenery that looks real may be the way to go.
Ambient scent
Adding candles to your guest bedroom can create the ultimate cozy feel. A lit candle can help to your guest feel more relaxed, relieve stress, and provide a sense of calmness. Incorporate a variety of scented and unscented candles for your guest to choose from. Keep the scented candles soft and subtle just in case your guest is sensitive to certain smells.
Ample closet space
I want my guests to have somewhere to lay out their clothes and position their suitcases. Whether it’s a closet, dresser, or mobile clothing rack, you must designate a space for guests to unpack their clothes. I try to remove any items that I store in the guest room closet while they are visiting so it doesn’t appear cluttered. I include a few hangers and a luggage rack in the closet so that they can unpack and organize their outfits as soon as they arrive.
Snack basket for a cozy guest room.
Your guest is unlikely to sneak down to the kitchen in the middle of the night and rummage through your refrigerator or snack pantry to find a quick snack – unless they are your siblings or a parent (siblings have no shame in their game). So make your house guests feel comfortable by providing a small snack basket with nuts, fresh fruit, cookies, candy, chips, and a bottle of water.
A snack basket doesn’t take much to accomplish and can be a small surprise for your house guests to find thoughtful snacks after a long day of travel. It is a small yet simple lovely gesture that your guests may not expect, but it will elevate the experience of the guest room.
Fake fireplace
I saved this one for last because it might a bit far-fetched for some. But a fireplace in a bedroom can create the ultimate cozy space. It simply adds instant warmth, especially during those winter months. While it may be a bit over the top or pricy to do the real thing, a faux mantel with interesting details may be worth exploring. You can display some of your art on the mantel, travel photos, or line it with a greenery garland.
I hope you found these guest bedroom ideas useful. There are just so many ways to make your guest room feel cozy. While the ultimate goal is to make the room cozy, you may want to add functionality to the space by leaving a small notepad on the side of the bed with wifi information and extra house keys or smart lock code for their convenience. The overall goal is to make the guest feel as welcomed and as comfortable as possible in your cozy space.
For more decorating tips, check out 15 Easy Home Makeover Ideas You Can Do on A Tight Budget and 7 Best Small Apartment Decorating Ideas on a Budget.
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Tamara White is the creator and founder of The Thrifty Apartment, a home decor and DIY blog that focuses on affordable and budget-friendly home decorating ideas and projects. Tamara documents her home improvement journey, love of thrifting, tips for space optimization, and creating beautiful spaces.
