Having a spare bedroom is a luxury, and for many, this is a space that will need to serve a variety of purposes. Whether your spare bedroom doubles as an office, a craft room, or an extra living room for when you just can’t agree on what to watch on TV, taking the time to design the space can make a big difference to how you feel when you use the room.
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite spare bedroom/office ideas to help you create a space that will make guests feel welcome as well as being a space that you can use for other purposes depending on your needs.
Invest in a Squishy Sofa Bed
The Bromley Loveseat from Darlings of Chelsea
Choosing a sofa bed over a normal bed can be a great option if your spare bedroom needs to double up as a home office. It gives you the option to host guests occasionally, whilst still being able to fold it away to create more space. The other benefit of this is that you can obviously use it as a sofa during the daytime, which gives you another place to work from, read, or watch TV at your leisure.
If your spare room is on the smaller side, you might want to check out these sofa bed alternatives. These single sofa beds give you the option of hosting a guest occasionally whilst taking up much less space than a full-sized sofa bed.
Choose a Stylish Desk
If you don’t want your guest bedroom to feel too ‘officey’ then your choice of desk is important. If you choose a stylish desk, it can always double as a dressing table for when you have guests to stay.
The beautiful desk pictured above is perfect for a spare bedroom office, providing lots of storage in the spacious drawers, and plenty of surface space for when you need to work from home. The design is also stylish and will work well with a variety of decor styles, depending on the look you’re going for. When you have a guest to stay you can simply put the ‘work’ paraphernalia away in the drawers and pop a dressing table mirror on the desk for your guests to use.
Choose a Large Mirror
Having a good-sized mirror is essential for a few reasons. Firstly, if you do have guests staying in your spare room they will appreciate a large mirror so that they can get ready in the mornings without having to search for a mirror in another room of your home. A large mirror will also help bounce the natural light around the space making your room feel lighter and brighter. This is particularly beneficial for smaller spare room/offices, ensuring the space doesn’t feel too claustrophobic. Finally, a beautiful mirror will help add to the interior design of your space, creating interest and adding depth to the room.
Layer Your Lighting
If you want to make your spare bedroom feel comfortable for your guests, lighting is key. No one wants to read their book at bedtime with the big light on! Remember to include a bedside table and a table lamp. You might also want to include a desk lamp for while you are working to give you another light source other than the ceiling light.
Add Some Beautiful Art
Studies have shown that looking at art helps your mind to relax, so it’s just as important from an office point of view as it is for a guest bedroom. As for what type of art to choose, Landscape art and abstract art are both great options that will work just as well in bedrooms as in an office.
Make it Cosy
Add some textured throws and cushions to make your spare room/home office feel nice and cosy. If you have hard floors you might also want to consider adding a soft rug. You can also achieve a cosy feeling by choosing a warm and inviting colour scheme.
Choose Your Window Treatments Wisely
Getting the curtains and blinds right in this space is essential—you will need plenty of light during the daytime, and the option of complete darkness at night time if guests are sleeping in the room. I always recommend choosing curtains or blinds with a built-in blackout lining for this purpose.
When hanging your curtains or blinds be sure to hang them high enough and wide enough that they won’t block out any natural light when they are open. Hanging them like this has the added benefit of making your windows appear larger!
Gorgeous Spare Bedroom Office Ideas
Spare Bedroom Office Design by Curated Nest
This beautifully designed home office by Curated Nest also doubles as a spare bedroom for guests. Instead of having a full sized bed, the room features a sofa bed which converts to a double bed for guests.The subtle gold and grey colour scheme make the space feel relaxing and inviting, but also looks professional enough to make an excellent backdrop for zoom calls!
A Flexible Bedroom and Home Office Space
Image via Redrow
The flexible spare bedroom has a good-sized desk area with plenty of shelving and storage, and a daybed that can be used as a bed for guests, or to lounge on during the day thanks to its uphostered side against the wall. The colours scheme feels cosy thanks to the warm neutral walls and yellow accents, however, it’s a fairly masculine design overall.
This stunning guest bedroom/home office designed by Micheala Diane Designs is a perfect example of a space with multiple uses that doesn’t feel overcrowded. This space includes a custom L-shaped desk area in the corner of the room complete with shelving, as well as a large comfortable sofa that converts into a full-sized bed for when guests come to stay. The room is also used as a workout space, which is one of the reasons having a sofa bed instead of a regular bed is so beneficial—when it’s folded away into a sofa there is plenty of floor space left for exercise. See more images of this project and find out more about the design process here.
A Home Office With a Murphy Bed
Home office with a Murphy Bed designed by Eye4Detail
Murphy Beds are ideal for home offices where the room’s primary use is an office, but you still want a bed available for occasional guests. This room looks stylish and professional, but a bed can be folded down in seconds for houseguests if required. Looking at the storage wall you would never know there is a bed inside!
Another option similar to this is to keep a folding bed inside a built-in cupboard or wardrobe, giving you the same flexibility without taking up any floor space.
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