House Tour: Guest Bedroom 1 Reveal and Design Ideas

Welcome — I’m going to show you one of our guest rooms. My partner Pookie and I are empty nesters, but the guest room still gets regular use: between our four children, their spouses, and grandchildren, it’s often occupied when family visits.

The bed is the first thing you notice when you enter. To the left of the bed is the closet door, and there’s a second door (not shown in the photos) that leads into the bathroom.

Please excuse the bright sunlight streaming through the window in several photos; I haven’t learned how to tone it down in images yet.

The decorative pillows come from a comforter set I bought many years ago. I like mixing and layering different bed linens rather than using a matching set, so the original coordinating comforter is no longer on the bed. Mixing textures and patterns creates a relaxed, lived-in look that guest rooms benefit from — comfortable and welcoming without feeling too formal.

The lamps on the bedside tables started life as tall buffet lamps in a previous dining room. I shortened them and changed the shades from round to rectangular to fit the scale of the nightstands and the room. The shades originally had beaded trim, which I kept, and I used drapery tiebacks as playful tassel accents — a small, inexpensive update that adds character and ties into the overall palette.

Across from the foot of the bed sits a dresser that anchors the opposite wall.

I placed a small TV on the dresser so it can be easily viewed from the bed — a practical choice for a guest room. To soften the visual of the TV and introduce a touch of greenery, I set a simple container of eucalyptus beside it. The foliage helps the dresser surface look intentional and styled rather than just a functional TV stand.

Here’s a little design puzzle for you: can you spot what’s missing in this room? Think about the window.

If you know my style at all, you probably guessed it — this room still needs a window treatment. Curtains, blinds, or a tailored roman shade would finish the space and add privacy and softness. I haven’t decided on the perfect solution yet, so for now I’m leaving it open. I’ll probably get around to installing something sooner or later — when I find the right fabric and look to complement the rest of the décor.

This guest room is all about comfort and simple, practical choices: layered bedding for a cozy feel, repurposed lamps with a custom touch, a dresser that doubles as media storage, and a few thoughtfully placed accents like eucalyptus to add warmth. It’s designed to be welcoming for overnight guests and flexible enough to adapt as our needs change when family comes to stay.