5 Cost-Effective Ways to Use Your Office as a Guest Room

Unless you live in a very large house with lots of rooms, having a dedicated guest room is a luxury that many people don’t have. But what happens if you have frequent houseguests, such as grown children with their families and want to make them as comfortable as possible when they are at your home? There are ways to give your guests a more hospitable room to stay in with enough space to unpack, usable seating areas, and clean linens and towels. Ideally, you want your guests to feel at home when visiting without losing the functionality of your office when they are not. How can you get this dual-functionality in one room?

Get Organized

Before you try to use one room for two purposes, you need to clean up and get organized. You want to make sure to rid the room of clutter and too many accessories. Baskets and storage containers can be purchased relatively inexpensively and can hold your office items like paper clips, stacks of paper, and bills. If you have things in the room that are not used for an office or as a guest room, throw them out or move them into the room where they belong. This will also allow you to determine if you need to buy anything to complete your office or guest room.

Sleeping Space

It can be quite challenging to set up a room that not only serves two purposes but also does it well. When it comes to where your guests will sleep, this can make it even more difficult as beds take up a lot of space. You will need to be strategic and creative in looking for ways to make the best use of your space such as some of the following options:

• A modern daybed performs double duty by acting as a sofa during the day and transforming into a bed by night.
• Murphy beds are ideal for multi-use spaces because they literally fold down from the wall. When closed, they look like a cabinet or bookcase. When open, they become a full-sized bed.
• Sofa beds provide comfortable sitting areas during the day and are opened up to serve as a bed at night.

Once you decide where your guests will sleep when visiting, you can now put on your decorating hat and make the area aesthetically-pleasing with the bedding, linens, and accessories you choose. You can purchase bed sheets, duvet covers sets, and throw pillows to make your sleeping area cozy, inviting and attractive.

Include a Television Set

Although you wouldn’t normally want to have a television in your office because it will be a distraction from your work, remember that this room is also going to be used by your guests. You will have to use discipline to not turn it on when you are working. But you will also be providing your guests with a private room where they can relax and feel at home.

Furniture Size

The size of your furniture is important to consider when trying to make one room act like two. For instance, a king-size bed would probably take up too much space in your office/guest room. Consider the options above for space-reducing bedding alternatives. Also keep in mind that as most computer or laptop monitors are flat screen, you don’t need to have as deep a desk as you might have years ago. Purchasing an 18″ deep desk will save you a lot of space.

The Closet

If you have one closet in your office/guest room, how can you make it work for both uses? You can purchase baskets, bins, and racks to store your office supplies and accessories. When your guests arrive, you can remove them from the closet and put them elsewhere. An armoire or dresser in the closet can be used to store office supplies with drawers left for your guests to use for their clothes. In addition, you should also have hanging space for your guests to hang their clothes. You can also put up vertical shelves in your closet that can be used by guests to store their clothes and other personal items. When you don’t have guests, you can store your office supplies and accessories on the shelves.

Combining office space and guest space is often necessary for homeowners who have space constraints as a way to maximize square footage. Rather than stuffing two rooms into one, carefully plan and select furniture and accessories that are both efficient and useful. Your goal is to make it easy to transform your office into a guest room and your guest room into an office.

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