Before & After: Tiny Guest Room

I’d like to give you a peek into my guest room.  It’s one of my favorite projects to date, even though it’s still a work in progress.

Here’s a shot of the blank slate I had to work with.  A tiny, boring white room, with an ugly HVAC unit installed in the wall.

 My inspiration came from a bolt of blue and brown fabric that I’d ordered – on a whim – for a past project.  One that never came to fruition, and for good reason.  I know the peak of the blue-and-brown craze has passed, but I still love the color palette.  Frankly, I just don’t give a hoot if my room adheres to the latest trends.  It’s cozy and calm and I love it.  That’s good enough for me.

The room is small, with the layout of walls and doors and closets eliminating the possiblity of equipping the room with even a full-size bed for guests.  To create the guest sleeping area without crowding the room, I found a nice iron daybed on Craigslist.

Small-space living tip:  If you have not yet discovered the fabulosity that is a daybed, read on! Underneath the twin-sized daybed hides a pop-up trundle with an additional twin-size mattress.  When a couple comes to stay in the room, you pop up the trundle at night to create a king-sized bed!  The bed will be a few inches shorter than a true king, but for a small space it’s a great solution.

I didn’t pay full price for anything, of course.  The pillows and coverlet on the daybed were all clearance rack finds, and I saved even more money by making my shelves and decorating them with items I already had in the house.

On the wall with the big windows, I have a dresser where I store my linens and some extra clothes.  I keep one drawer empty, though, for guests to use.  On top of the dresser I have a small silver tray (a $1 score at a thrift store) with a bottle of water, glasses, and a jar of mixed nuts for guests who might need a little snack.

Now for a little before-and-after:

Before: Third wall before, when the guest room doubled as my office:

After: That wall is now quite sad and lonely, with the remaining little office shelf floating randomly above the cedar chest.  I’d like to remove the unnecessary shelf and create a photo collage wall, but the project may have to wait until the holidays are over.

Of course there are other projects I’d like to complete, including sewing a skirted cushion that will turn the cedar chest into a bench seat.  I’d also like to sew an insulated roman blind for the large windows.  The old windows are drafty, and an insulated blind would really cut down the cost of heating the room – assuming I ever turn the heat on –  while providing a nice finishing touch on the windows.

I’m just happy to have a true guest room for my friends who come to visit.  Though the room may not be complete, it hasn’t stopped those guests from enjoying their stays so far!