61 spare room ideas for every kind of house
Is there anything more quietly luxurious than having a spare room? Whether you choose to keep the spare room ready to accommodate overnight guests or transform the space into a multi-functional at-home office or gym, there are plenty of ways to make your spare room sing. As designer Rita Konig says, ‘when decorating houses, I find guest bedrooms are the most liberating to design. On one hand, there is less pressure for them to be fabulous; on the other, they don’t have to be something you will not tire of, so you can be more adventurous.’
When designing your spare room, it is important to take into consideration your lifestyle and home habits, as well as the physicality of the room. Indeed, there are all sorts of ‘spare’ rooms: what is deemed an extra room in a city flat may simply be a small nook, for example, whereas larger houses may boast multiple well-appointed guest bedrooms, each complete with an en-suite bath. Should the spare room you’re decorating be on the diminutive side, see it as an opportunity to be bold with colour and pattern. For larger spare bedrooms, it is essential to make sure the space feels as much like a beautiful bedroom in which your overnight guests feel comfortable and at home.
When it comes to decorating a spare room, it is essential to treat it as your own, so that overnight guests can relax and feel at home – even if the room is multi-functional. What do you need in your own room, and how can you replicate that on a smaller scale for your guests? Are you bent on having black-out drapery? How about bookshelves? Do you like waking up to artwork or falling asleep in a room painted in calming colours? Should size be an issue in your spare room, consider installing beds with built-in storage, sectioning curtains for added privacy and open clothes storage such as hooks or hanging rails in lieu of bulky wardrobes.
We’ve put together a checklist for putting together a spare room, with each point sourced from our favourite designers and the House & Garden archive. Be inspired and remember to have fun with decorating your spare room.
‘Non-negotiables’ in a spare room
While all spare rooms are not created equal, there are a few key components to the ideal one…
First things first, make sure the bed is comfortable. ‘Very few people sleep in their guest bed and so they have no idea how comfortable it is,’ says designer Nina Campbell. ‘Everyone should spend one night in their own spare room.’
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Rivas Bed, double
Why we love it: For maximum impact, you can't go wrong with a fully upholstered bed frame. The ‘Rivas’ bed from Soho Home is a great choice, and would pair well with plain white walls, or really sing in front of a contrasting paint colour.. There are 14 fabric options to choose from, each one a signature Soho Home offering, so you're sure to find something you like. Handmade in the UK, the bed frame comes with the headboard, frame and slats. Keep the rest of the bed drama free with a plump down duvet and some crisp white bedding.
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Out for the Count Four Poster Bed, Ruby Red
Why we love it: The ‘Out for the Count Four Poster Bed’ by NiX is a subtly theatrical bed frame. You can add curtains for a more relaxed look, or lean into its clean-lined form. There are three options to choose from: marine blue, ruby red and sage green. Four poster beds tend to be fairly obtrusive in a bedroom, as they take up not just floor space, but ‘air space’ too. However, having seen this bed frame in real life, we can attest to the fact that it's more subtle than you might think and certainly strikes the right balance between interesting and imposing.
‘A good armchair for guests to curl up in is a lovely idea if you have the space,’ says ex-House & Garden decoration editor and designer Gabby Deeming.
Hanging space is more useful to friends staying with you than a chest of drawers. Make sure there are plenty of coat hooks and if you don't have room for a wardrobe, consider a clothes rail. A clothes rail with a shelf is ideal for folded items, shoes and bags. Alternatively, fill it with wicker baskets for a neater look.
‘Every guest room needs a work surface of some kind, be it to use as a dressing table or a desk,’ says Veere Grenney.
‘An attractive rubbish bin should be top of the list of practical accessories for a guest room,’ adds Veere. ‘We often get ours custom-made to match the decor.’ This wooden one can be painted to blend with the colour scheme.
The main ingredients for a successful guest room are echoed in the items that are required in your own bedroom. A good-size mirror is one of the fundamentals: choose one to match the style of the room.
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A good bedside lamp is very important. A slim, unobtrusive floor lamp, which also functions as a bookstand, is a witty addition where there is little space for a table or bookshelf.
Make sure that there is a supply of water for your guests a carafe or water bottle is a must-have accessory for any spare room.
Tom Griffiths1/60In the spare room-cum-office of this Lonika Chande-designed masterpiece, you'll find walls in ‘Lilac Pink’ from Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, with a blind in Franquemont’s ‘Floral Stripe’ linen and a chair covered in ‘Patola Paisley’ viscose/linen by GP & J Baker.
Christopher Horwood2/60Here, in the spare bedroom of Melissa Hemsley's Victorian townhouse, walls are painted in ‘Celestial Blue’ by Little Greene, and the bedside tables (from Chelsea Textiles) play host to antique bobbin lamps. The Victorian brass bed is by Maple and Co.
Michael Sinclair3/60Take a note from this gorgeous West Londn home designed by Anna Haines and share your best art in the spare room. Here, the owners have chosen a photograph by Erwin Olaf (© Erwin Olaf Foundation, Courtesy of Hamiltons Gallery).
- this gorgeous Chelsea house</a>, upholstered in ‘Marci Sumac’ from Yarn Collective, and feature a taupe cord piping by Samuel & Sons. The walls are finished in ‘Mallory’ wallpaper in Autumn from Claret & Key.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Helen Cathcart","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":213,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_320,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"},{"height":427,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_640,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":427,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_640,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"},{"height":853,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_1280,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":683,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_1024,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"},{"height":1365,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_2048,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":853,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_1280,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":853,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/69fa4e5680c097f49ce6388f/master/w_1280,c_limit/29.Nomad,%20Cheyne%20Gardens,%20Helen%20Cathcart,%20Press%20Edit.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Helen Cathcart4/60Bespoke headboards by Ateliers London are the focal point of a guest bedrooms in this gorgeous Chelsea house, upholstered in ‘Marci Sumac’ from Yarn Collective, and feature a taupe cord piping by Samuel & Sons. The walls are finished in ‘Mallory’ wallpaper in Autumn from Claret & Key.
Christopher Horwood5/60In the spare room of this marvellous house in Hampshire decorated by Max Rollitt, walls in Papers and Paints’ ‘Handel House Grey’ showcase the canopy of the Louis XVI bed in de Le Cuona’s ‘Verona’ linen/silk with a bespoke Claremont trim, and its upholstery in Pierre Frey’s embroidered ‘Au Jardin’ linen mix.
Dean Hearne6/60A spare room in designer Serena Williams Ellis' house in Notting Hill offers a quiet place for guests. The fabric on the headboard is one of Serena's favourites from Jasper Fabrics: ‘Eastlake’ in ‘Forest Blue’. The curtain has been made up from a vintage textile, which picks up on the green of the Natasha Hulse lampshade.
Tom Griffiths7/60In the spare room of this 17th-century house in Suffolk by Retrouvius, a vintage Welsh blanket on the bed picks up on curtains featuring 1940s striped silk panels on a new silk background.
Chris Snook8/60This bedroom in a Sussex house by Vaughan Design and Decoration is a wonderful example of how to infuse character into a room with a tasteful restraint that lets the 16th century spirit of the room shine. The curtains made by Chloe Jonason were constructed from Pierre Frey’s ‘La Bussiere’. The vintage bed frame sourced from The Old Cinema also provides a point of visual interest with its carved acorn bedposts; the bench in front of it is also a vintage find from Soap and Salvation.
The walls are painted simply in ‘White Truffle’ from Francesca’s Paints. The table lamp is from Samarkand and its lampshade is the scallop cotton scrunchie style from Alice Palmer. The ceiling light is vintage, sourced from Retrouvius and the delightful pink pillows are Heidi cushions from online homeware store Huddle Collection.
Dean Hearne9/60This spare room is a lesson in mixing bold colour and pattern with neutral elements. The headboard is upholstered in Le Manach’s ‘Balmoral Bleu’, and the rug is from Tate & Darby.
Dean Hearne10/60‘The orange spare bedroom is bright and warm – a space our clients imagined for their grandchildren or younger guests,’ says Laura Hanbury of this spare room in south London. The antique lamp and shade were sourced by Vanrenen Hanbury, and the rug is from Tate & Darby.
Dean Hearne11/60Another spare room in the same house features Edward Bulmer’s ‘Azurite’ on the walls, which brings a cool touch to this bedroom. The headboard is covered in Penny Morrison’s ‘Sketched Gold Stripe’.
- London house</a>, Brandon Schubert designed the four poster with curtains in plain contrasting fabrics sourced from Merchant & Mills and Claremont for an 'unfussy but tailored effect'. A cushion in 'Mansour' from Nicole Fabre Designs and a Sabine Van der Sande quilt enhance the look.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Paul Massey","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":419,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_320,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"},{"height":838,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_640,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":838,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_640,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"},{"height":1675,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_1280,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1340,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_1024,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"},{"height":2681,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_2048,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1675,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_1280,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1675,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67585b9fd547f5e2785fe480/master/w_1280,c_limit/Massey_HG_SchubertNW5_148-production_digital.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Paul Massey12/60In the first floor spare room of this London house, Brandon Schubert designed the four poster with curtains in plain contrasting fabrics sourced from Merchant & Mills and Claremont for an 'unfussy but tailored effect'. A cushion in 'Mansour' from Nicole Fabre Designs and a Sabine Van der Sande quilt enhance the look.
- Devon house by HÀM Interiors</a> has a calming backdrop of Veere Grenney's ‘<a href=https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/"https://schumacher.com/catalog/products/5008000/" rel=\"nofollow\">Folly</a>’ wallpaper for Schumacher. The bespoke headboard is covered in ‘<a href=https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/"https://www.paolomoschino.com/shop/fabrics-wallpaper/patterned-fabrics/florals/aurora-green//" rel=\"nofollow\">Aurora on Nivelles Oyster</a>' by Paolo Moschino.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Christopher Horwood","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":213,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_320,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"},{"height":426,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_640,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":426,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_640,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"},{"height":852,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_1280,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":682,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_1024,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"},{"height":1363,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_2048,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":852,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_1280,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":852,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3de0f534beaeefd423393/master/w_1280,c_limit/Shot-10-299_RT.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Christopher Horwood13/60A guest bedroom on the top floor of this Devon house by HÀM Interiors has a calming backdrop of Veere Grenney's ‘Folly’ wallpaper for Schumacher. The bespoke headboard is covered in ‘Aurora on Nivelles Oyster' by Paolo Moschino.
- a Somerset barn by Polly Ashman</a> is painted ‘<a href=https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/"https://cna.st/affiliate-link/2HJc3Q4E4T5trVGHyteCQ6AccgqrQqB7xEhjaRfQEC5FraaomGeSwAbp8dEd1e9FV95ZE5qZmHAf7rxVcL5iRQZ1oKkjwW386Rec4dA7hQcTPqqQ5DziSQvQ29VkxrbQEjuxcQXFK9XrRkdTnxwPjz9nxLrQijdojJMvNX4SJtnmnq5ZMrJ7nCoEFrv7KUcZkFhD4UgF4eLgexkEMdmNcdd5ubgn31rovZP5zNHLZ7uaxv8XKrckRUBWWi6MW5y8h4fGEHtydRtNizGAXboHihXCJQCzrRYUbrDxYsEVQ4K2fJQyapaE9MxNF9e4?xid=fr1745590292222ehi\%22 rel=\"sponsored\">Selvedge Blue</a>’ from Farrow & Ball. Behind the bed is an antique tablecloth. The headboard is upholstered in a maroon velvet by Yarn Collective. The bedspread is in Robert Kime’s ‘Indian Pear’ print. Curtains are made from George Spencer fabric. The chest of drawers, bedside table and artwork are antiques.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Sarah Griggs","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":415,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_320,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"},{"height":829,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_640,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":829,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_640,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"},{"height":1658,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_1280,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1326,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_1024,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"},{"height":2653,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_2048,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1658,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_1280,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1658,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67b5c7d4dd0533f59bc3e54e/master/w_1280,c_limit/Polly%20Ashman_24.10.14_The%20Bowery_Bedroom4%202.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Sarah Griggs14/60This downstairs guest bedroom in a Somerset barn by Polly Ashman is painted ‘Selvedge Blue’ from Farrow & Ball. Behind the bed is an antique tablecloth. The headboard is upholstered in a maroon velvet by Yarn Collective. The bedspread is in Robert Kime’s ‘Indian Pear’ print. Curtains are made from George Spencer fabric. The chest of drawers, bedside table and artwork are antiques.
- Georgie Hodsoll's Fulham townhouse</a>.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Boz Gagovski","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":448,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_320,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"},{"height":896,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_640,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":896,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_640,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"},{"height":1792,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_1280,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1434,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_1024,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"},{"height":2868,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_2048,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1792,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_1280,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1792,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67e3d7537f185dfaee91b088/master/w_1280,c_limit/18.hr.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Boz Gagovski15/60Artwork in rich colours, a hemp wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries and a headboard upholstered in a tartan fabric from Kathyrn Ireland make the spare room snug and luxurious in Georgie Hodsoll's Fulham townhouse.
- a handsome Grade II-listed house in north London</a>, the headboard in a Hodsoll McKenzie fabric from Zimmer + Rode is framed by a J Randall Powers 'Brooks' table lamp and a 'Rousseau' pendant by Kelly Wearstler, both from Visual Comfort & Co.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Michael Sinclair","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":417,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_320,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"},{"height":834,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_640,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":834,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_640,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"},{"height":1669,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_1280,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1335,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_1024,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"},{"height":2670,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_2048,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1669,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_1280,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1669,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67d16463546cce6cfcce4560/master/w_1280,c_limit/231011HGElicyon021Tiff8BitsRGB-production_digital.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Michael Sinclair16/60In the spare room of a handsome Grade II-listed house in north London, the headboard in a Hodsoll McKenzie fabric from Zimmer + Rode is framed by a J Randall Powers 'Brooks' table lamp and a 'Rousseau' pendant by Kelly Wearstler, both from Visual Comfort & Co.
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