Interior Design Book:
Creating Great Guest Rooms
By Carol Donayre Bugg, DDCD, ASID, Vice President & Director
of Design, INTERIORS by Decorating Den 
Creating a Comfortable
Retreat for Overnight Guests Calls for Smart Planning
The 78 million post-World War II baby boomers who are planning for the
future have a much different view of what to do with their “empty
nest” than their parents did. Boomers want their homes to be special
places for their friends and families to visit. They want to use their
homes to reunite the family once or twice a year. And they want a place
for overnight guests to stay that is warm and welcoming.
“When it comes to preparing for house guests, every home has its
unique challenges,” says Carol Donayre Bugg, author of the new
book Creating Great Guest Rooms and Vice President and Director of Design
of INTERIORS by Decorating Den. “But with some smart planning
and creative decorating you can transform any space into a comfortable
retreat for your guests.”
While some boomers are expected to downsize, there are many more who
are aspiring to upgrade their home. In fact, according to a recent poll
among baby boomers, 27 percent said they would be doing some major remodeling
over the next 10-15 years, 21 percent said they would be moving to a
larger home, and only 15 percent said they would be downsizing
In the design book, Creating Great Guest Rooms, Carol offers helpful advice and features
more than 150 photographs of actual guest rooms designed by the professionals
from INTERIORS by Decorating Den.
So how do you make sure your guests feel welcome and comfortable? Here
are her top five tips:
- Provide a good bed. Whether you offer a traditional bed, daybed, sleeper sofa or futon, make sure it is comfortable and in good condition and supply options for pillows and blankets. Today, many people opt to use air mattresses as beds so guests can adjust the firmness to their liking. Air mattresses are also a good choice if you have limited space since they can be stored in a closet.
- Supply sufficient lighting. Lighting is critical in a guest room, since people with different nighttime routines may share it. So it’s important to provide individual light sources that can be turned on and off from each side of the bed. Swing-arm lamps mounted next to, rather than directly over the bed, are a good choice as they minimize brightness for the early-to-bed sleeper and provide enough light for the night owl who likes to stay up and read.
- Don’t overlook window coverings. Even if your guest room has a beautiful view, it still needs window coverings. Blinds or draperies enable your guest to get some privacy and control the amount of light that comes into the room. Window coverings can also help to control room temperature.
- Offer a comfortable seat. Placing a chair in the guest room invites guests to rest, read or write. An overstuffed armchair with an ottoman is a good choice, especially if the ottoman opens to provide additional storage for pillows and blankets.
- Use traditional color pairings. The colors you choose to use in a guest room can make a big difference in how a room feels. Reds are powerful…so less is best and use them in combination with white or a soft neutral. Blues are relaxing and may be used in a variety of tones and hues without overtaking a room. Rather than jarring the senses with experimental color combinations, use traditional color pairings that are comfortable and welcoming.
The goal of the book, Creating Great Guest Rooms, was to share creative interior design ideas to help people visualize what's possible. These rooms are
in the homes of real people who were faced with typical challenges and
constraints when decorating a guest room.
Whether you do your decorating yourself or work with a design professional,
ultimately, it is being in your company that will leave your guests
with good memories.