It’s interesting to see how the same “category” of room can differ wildly depending on the context and location of where it’s based. So, for example, the main kitchen in your household is likely to be decked out with all the major appliances and trimmings you wish for. But let’s say you try to make part of the household more independent, perhaps for an elderly relative or as a means to rent out.
Then, perhaps a kitchenette, inspired by the limited space studio flats tend to have, could inspire you to install hot plates, singular surface spaces, and extractor fans to keep such a space functional.
The same principle can apply to bedrooms. Of course, we have the main master bedroom we assume to be the largest and boasting a double bed. Children’s bedrooms may feature bunk beds or singles, with fantastical and heartwarming designs. But what about spare bedrooms? Well, to most people, the design may be considered fairly neutral, thanks to never assuming which guest will occupy it at one time.
Yet it’s also true that certain trimmings and design decisions can differ given the context of the room. In this post, we hope to explore what those are, and perhaps give you inspiration as you design your own:
Clothes & Hanging Racks
Spare bedrooms often find themselves hosting a range of different guests throughout the year. That means closets filled to the brim with household overflow or completely empty wardrobes might not be as helpful as you think, given you don’t want a huge task to sort the space whenever someone comes to dysu. Most people just need somewhere to hang a few outfits or jackets for the length of their stay, not a full wardrobe system with sliding doors and deep drawers.
As such, wall-mounted hooks can work well for quick access, especially when placed near the door or by a full-length mirror. A collapsible clothes rail could also do well here, particularly if the room isn’t used all year round and you want to keep it flexible.
That said, if you are including a built-in closet, consider leaving it mostly empty with a few hangers ready to go as you might see in a hotel. It helps the room feel tidy and intentional without giving off the impression that someone else already lives there. Even if it’s just your child visiting for a week, it’s nice for them to have dominion over their own space (and it makes up for turning their childhood bedroom into a gym!)
Ambient Lighting
In general, a spare bedroom will be smaller than other rooms in the house. As such, lighting matters, because harsh white light from a single overhead bulb can make any room feel like a waiting area at best and a storage cupboard at worst. You don’t want any Harry Potter analogies here.
Warm lamps, or a warm lamp, can be a nice place to start, as a warm tone can be enough for reading without lighting up the whole space. If you want to go the extra mile, a floor lamp in a quiet corner can provide a wider glow. The best approach is layering, combining ceiling light, table lamp, and perhaps one more accent source will be best. That way, guests can adjust things how they like.
Privacy & Security
While spare bedrooms rarely need reinforced locks, there’s still something to be said for giving guests a bit of privacy and a sense of security while they’re staying with you, especially if they’re a friend of your child or someone you know less well. It’s what the experts at acreage home designs would always recommend; a spare room needs to feel like your guest’s own room. For instance, solid curtains or blinds they can close at night helps give them personal space, especially if the spare bedroom is on the ground floor.
It’s also helpful to make sure any interior doors actually latch properly and don’t swing open with the slightest draft while someone is getting changed. A small detail, but one that affects how secure a space feels. If you’re hosting someone you don’t know well, like a short-term tenant or family acquaintance, it’s reasonable to add a simple interior lock to the door, just enough to make someone feel like they can fully relax.
Storage Options
Nobody expects a walk-in wardrobe in a spare bedroom of course, but a lack of sensible storage can make guests feel like they’re living out of a suitcase the whole time. A chest of drawers, even a small one, gives them somewhere to settle in, and you can have them as singular side units so they don’t need to be huge. Even an empty shelf or a side table drawer can be enough if there’s no room for that. The point is to give them a space that’s not just the floor or the edge of the bed.
Under-bed storage can also be a good use of space, especially in smaller rooms, which is why ottoman beds are so popular. They’re very useful for storing extra linens or off-season items too, and it leaves the rest of the room uncluttered. Just keep it tidy and make sure nothing looks like it’s stashed away in panic.
Versatility
Now, it’s okay if you want to use this room when it’s not a spare bedroom; it’s not as if you’re “doing it wrong” for using a room in the household you own. If you reorient a spare room depending on size, it might serve as a home office, storage convenience, or a hobby space the rest of the year, even if that’s just where you do your yoga. If so, design it in a way that feels easy to reset. So, if you’re using it as a workspace during the week, everything should be simple to pack away or cover up when someone’s coming to stay.
A desk that folds down or doubles as a vanity can be a good starting place, for instance, as is storage that looks good closed, like baskets or cabinets rather than open shelving. It also helps to avoid anything too personal in terms of decor.. Art is good of course, but maybe framed photos of your honeymoon are less so, especially when those could be in your main bedroom. Less is more, and it makes it easier to clean, of course.
Welcome Comforts
It’s nice to have little comforts and welcome tokens for anyone who comes, even if that person is deeply known to you. For example, a fresh towel laid out on the end of the bed can be welcoming, and sort them for a few days. A few books on the nightstand may not be read in a day, but it’s nice to give them the option. A bottle of water, or a small dish with mints or chocolates,is a nice trick of the hotel trade. You don’t have to go overboard, of course, it’s just nice to do.
But for more practical uses, spare phone chargers, a quiet fan, or a note with the Wi-Fi password written down can be lovely and show them that they’re supposed to be here, not that you’re just doing them a favor. It’s a nice perspective shift that makes someone feel like your home is welcoming and you can be approached.
It’s not as if you’ll be renting out this space to multiple tenants a year of course, but perhaps you may welcome a family friend, a friend of one of your kids, or perhaps even a colleague who may have traveled with you on a business trip for your small startup. Either way, it’s a nice blend of professional and personal, so the spare bedroom can serve multiple purposes.
With this advice, we hope you can design a spare bedroom with confidence.
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