London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

The Fastest (and Cheapest!) Ways to Update Your Guest Bedroom

The Fastest (and Cheapest!) Ways to Update Your Guest Bedroom

Company's coming! These mini makeovers will update any bedroom before company arrives.

Roll out the red carpet (or really, the patterned rug) with these spare bedroom decorating ideas. There's no need for a complete overhaul - small touches like a potted plant, fresh throw pillow, or cozy throw can refresh your guest room before company arrives.

Give a dated space a budget-friendly design update by painting the walls, ceiling, or floor (really!), or hang removable wallpaper for instant pep. These makeover ideas will get the job done quickly - and maybe inspire a bedroom makeover of your own.

Before the doorbell rings, clear out any clutter from the guest bedroom and lay out towels, extra blankets, and pillows. Move any fragile knick knacks from the bedside table and swap in some new magazines, plus a carafe of water and drinking glasses. Earn some bonus points by leaving out a list of handy deets, like your home's wifi network and password.

Quickly testing the lights for burnt bulbs or the TV remote for spent batteries wouldn't hurt either. The finishing touch: bringing in a bouquet of fresh flowers, either from the store or snipped from the backyard. With bedrooms like these, expect to see a lot more RSVPs coming your way. Your guests will want to visit again and again - and give you a five-star rating if they could.

1. Little Ledge


Dealing with cramped quarters? Affix a small shelf next to the bed in lieu of a table. It's all the space you need for a reading light, book, and small bud vase.

2. Lush Plants


Breathe life into a little-used room with fresh greenery. Potted plants, like this trendy fiddle leaf fig, can relocate to the guest bedroom for the weekend as a part of a five-minute makeover.

3. Trendy Pillows


A fresh throw pillow (such as this shibori lumbar cushion) adds instant pizzazz to an otherwise neutral room, like this one designed by Mel Bean, without the commitment of a new piece of furniture or a total makeover.

4. DIY Headboard


Here's a quick way to add texture to any bedroom: Use a sturdy dowel, curtain rod, or (as seen here) bamboo pole to hang a colorful rug as a headboard. Then mix in rustic wood elements like a bench and bedside table.

5. Layered Rugs


Layering matching pink rugs on top of wall-to-wall carpeting defines the space around the bed while adding another layer of color and pattern to the room, explains designer Bria Hammel.

6. Painted Headboard


A smidge of leftover paint or a sample-sized can can make an outsized statement on the wall. Use a ruler, level, and painter's tape to mark off a headboard-like section, then put your artistic talents to work.

7. Stocked Bedside Table


What better way to roll in all of the hosting essentials than with a bar cart? Tiered shelves can hold extra blankets, water glasses, reading material, and fresh flowers.

8. Plush Seating


A padded bench at the foot of bed doubles as seating and a spot (that's not the bed or the floor) to place bags. Some ottomans even offer storage for extra bedding.

9. Painted Floors


Use your paint rollers on the ground for a change. White walls set off a rich emerald hue in this attic bedroom.

10. Repurposed Headboard


A recycled barn door adds texture to this rustic retreat. Use reclaimed wood panels as a starting point, and then add bedside sconces if you really want a custom piece.

11. Hidden Clutter


If your guest bedroom doubles as storage space, stash odds and ends in lidded baskets before last-minute company arrives. They'll be none the wiser.

12. Nautical Flair


We're loving the freewheeling spirit of these pennants for a beachy guest bedroom. A perfectly placed sconce below facilitates nighttime reading.

13. Two-Tone Accent Wall


Make a dramatic change with a few paint cans and some painter’s tape. Roll a darker color on the bottom half of the wall and save a lighter hue for the top portion to draw the eye upward. Pro tip: Use two shades on the same swatch card for a no-fail pairing.

14. Cozy Lagom


Sure, you've heard of hygge, but have you tried lagom? The Swedish principle of having just enough translates to cozy decor with warm textures, pink-tinted neutrals, and huggable pillows.

15. Painted Ceiling


The room feels chicer when covered from top to bottom in the same warm shade of gray. With a dark color like this, leave bedding light and bright to keep the space from seeming cave-like.

16. Scenic Mural


Forget commissioning an artist for the job. You can now browse through dozens of peel-and-stick styles, whether you gravitate towards floral or geometric designs.

17. Bright Linens


Cheery yellow sheets bring all the color you need to a neutral-filled room. (And they're the easiest to find in the linen closet, too!)

18. Dividing Screen


Divvy up cozy sleeping quarters with a folding screen. A natural texture like rattan also sets off bright accents and accessories.

19. Many Mirrors


This design secret is an oldie but a goodie. Bringing in more reflective surfaces will bounce light around the room, making it appear bigger and brighter.

20. Bold Wallpaper


It's not your everyday space ... so what better opportunity is there to go big on a pattern or hue you love? A cheery botanical print on the walls can help any visitor feel at home.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×