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It’s time for a guest bedroom design update! Today I’m sharing the changes we’ve made so far and what we still have left to do.
If you missed it, this is one of the projects on our list for 2025 and I’m hoping to finish this room up this year.
If you’re new here or just need a little refresher, there are two posts you should check out. In the first post, I talked about what the room looked like when we purchased our home and the updates we made to the space after we moved in.
In the second, I shared a design mood board I pulled together for the room and the design elements I’m hoping to infuse into the space and why.
Guest Bedroom: A Look at the Before + Goals
Creating a Design Mood Board for the Guest Bedroom
Guest Bedroom Design Updates So Far
Paint
One of the biggest changes we’ve made in our guest bedroom so far is paint. The previous wall color was Melon Pink by Behr. It was a pretty color that worked well with my original design direction and plans. My younger sister was the inspiration for the space and since she used this room when she came into town for a visit, I geared the color scheme and design towards her.
Now, I want to give this room a refresh and update it to work better with my style today and the style of our home. In my previous post, I shared the color palette I’m leaning into. Mid-tone colors with a focus on mossy green, mustard, burnt orange, and brass for warmth. I painted the trim, mantel, and board and batten Colonial Revival Green Stone by Sherwin Williams. I also painted the walls Creamy by Sherwin Williams. This room gets Western sunlight and it feels like a warm hug in the afternoons. It’s just magical!
Furniture – What I’ve Found
I’ve been hunting for furniture pieces for this room and I’ve found a few of the key pieces we need. I picked up this marble-topped Eastlake dresser from a local estate sale shop. I’ve wanted a white marble-topped piece for some time now but when I saw this I fell in love. The dusty burgundy colored marble is so pretty and unique looking and brings that warmth I’m looking for to the space. I think a white marble piece would be too stark in here.
Side tables have been hard for me to find. Originally, we only had one and the scale was a bit bigger. The color isn’t what I want for the new space but I liked the size of it. It was perfect for holding all the items you want to have near you while in bed. A lamp for reading, space for your book and/or phone, and a spot for water, tissues, chapstick, and lotion. Items you want nearby as you drift off to sleep.
I’ve been on the hunt for pieces similar in wood tone to our Eastlake dresser. Not too matchy-matchy but something that coordinates well. I want this piece to also have a drawer for extra storage and some pretty design details.
I found a couple while thrifting that I thought could work but I didn’t pull the trigger and lost out. I recently found this sweet little table and immediately scooped it up. The height is perfect and I love the color and I think it works well with the dresser. I also adore the turned legs and even though it’s small, it has a drawer.
Guest Bedroom Design Updates I’m Still Working On
Furniture – What I’m Still Hunting For
Since this table is much smaller than our previous one, I’ve been on the hunt for a second for the other side of the bed. It needs to be super skinny though so I may have to get creative. I found a small demilune table that I thought could work if I turned it parallel to the bed but it’s a bit too short for that side. I moved it to the wall by the closet for now but it may not stay there.
I’m also still looking for a small comfy chair for the corner at the end of the bed. This will give our guests a cozy spot to read or can be used as a drop zone to hold anything they bring with them. It will also be another way I can bring pattern, color, and texture to the space. Helping me to create that layered English cottage vibe I’m after. I’ve seen a couple while thrifting but nothing that felt quite right for the space.
Wallpaper
One of the biggest decisions that I still have left to make is what wallpaper to use in the space. On my original design mood board I selected this wallpaper EMPEROR’S GARDEN in Soft Green by G P & J Baker as my inspiration. It’s really lovely but a bit more than I want to spend per roll.
I have an idea of how I want the wallpaper to make the room feel and what I want our guests to see as they open the door but I haven’t been able to nail down the exact pattern I want to use.
I’ve also considered stenciling the walls. I haven’t found a stencil that is 100% what I’m looking for. I may have something custom-made or get creative with a couple of them to create my own unique print.
Bedding
I love a beautiful toile and when I saw Pottery Barn offered their Sorrel print in a beautiful soft plum, and it was on sale, I jumped and purchased the duvet without hesitation. It doesn’t look like this colorway is available in the duvet anymore. You can still get the shams and they have some other beautiful colors.
This wasn’t a color on my radar for this room but I love the way it works with the wheat-colored paisley stitched coverlet I found at Target. I think I just need another layer to tie it all together.
I’ve been using 2 existing sheet sets I already have from Target. This 100% cotton set for the warmer months and a flannel set no longer available for when it’s cold. I also ordered a brown gingham percale set from The Company Store. The sheets are no longer available but the shams I ordered are on clearance. I used this set at Christmas time and it was really pretty. A great patterned neutral for the space.
I’m still trying to figure out the right mix and add in some additional pillows for extra coziness.
Flooring
In my previous post, I mentioned that I would love to add carpet to this room. I love our hardwood floors but want the added warmth carpet brings as well as some sound damping. It gets a little loud and echoey when we have guests staying here and carpet would help with that.
Carpet is one thing I haven’t looked at or even thought about. I would probably go with something neutral and creamy with just a subtle pattern. Not too high of a pile but something that felt soft and cozy underfoot.
I’ve thought about adding a rug for some additional pattern but the space is such an awkward size that it’s hard to find something that would fit without being custom. If we add carpet, I may be able to layer a rug over top under the bed without it looking out of scale. TBD.
Lighting
I have one lamp I absolutely love in here. It’s a ginger jar that was converted to a lamp in a pretty green floral design. I found it at one of our local summer flea markets years ago. I threw an Anthropologie clearance shade on it I also found years ago for now. I would like to splurge a little and find a really beautiful patterned pleated shade to complete it.
I do need to find a new lamp for the side table next to the bed. Since the table is smaller in scale, I’d like to find a plug-in wall sconce to free up precious surface area on the nightstand. For now, I have a wicker lamp I found while thrifting. I love the texture it adds but again, would love to gain some of that space back and utilize the wall behind the bed instead.
The last light fixture I need to source is the overhead light. Currently, we have an ugly white ceiling fan. I have a love/hate relationship with ceiling fans. I love that it provides air circulation and a little bit of white noise as well. It’s hard to find aesthetically pleasing ones that also fit with this design scheme though. I may opt to add a tabletop fan for guests and pick something really pretty instead.
Do you like to have a ceiling fan in your bedroom?
While most of the lighting still needs sorting out, I did swap out all our outlet covers and light switch plate for a simple brass one. The brass outlet covers I purchased can be found here and the light switch cover is here. It coordinates with the Emtek doorknob privacy set I purchased for our rooms upstairs and elevates the space.
Doors
The other thing we need to address is the doors in this room. We need to update the door leading into the room as well as the closet door. Currently, the door leading into the room is just a plain hollow core door in an orangy wood tone. I would like to replace it with a door with a little more detail like a six-panel.
The closet door is the same color but a louvered-style door. I would update this to match the new bedroom door we select. This is something we actually need to do in all of our rooms upstairs and I’ll make sure it is consistent throughout all of our rooms.
The other weird door that needs updating is the small door leading to a cubby with access to our attic. Right now it’s a painted piece of wood with a green fabric on top. I would love to come up with something creative and unique here but haven’t made up my mind. The cubby stores extra seasonal items so it’s really useful it just needs a bit more style.
Accessories for Styling
One of my favorite things to do when it comes to the end of a project, or hell even in the middle of the project since I’m so impatient, is to start pulling out all the accessories I’ve been collecting. Art, books, vases, figurines and busts, and pottery and glassware. This is where you can really infuse your personality into a space and create something completely unique.
I love to mix my thrift and antique store finds with some new items for a collected look. Using both new and old adds interest but also keeps it feeling fresh.
I’ve styled the mantel with books and vessels I’ve collected from different thrift stores and mixed them with newer pieces like this framed landscape from Target.
I’ve also started adding art to some of the walls. A pair of portraits I fell in love with at an antique mall fit perfectly on the wall between the window and the mantel. A small curated gallery on the short attic wall fills the space nicely but also hides an unused dated in-home intercom.
I have a mirror that needs to be hung above the dresser. I’ve also been pulling out all the blue and white plates I’ve been collecting and have been playing with creating a display on one of the walls. This is when the fun happens and the piece that’s never quite complete. Constantly being tweaked and updated as you discover new items and rotate things in and out.
Our Guest Bedroom Design Update
So, that’s where we stand as of now. Still lots of work to do and decisions to be made. I’m hoping my next update for you I can share an updated mood board with the final decision made for the walls. I’m so excited to get this piece figured out. The room will REALLY transform once this is installed and this is also when the design concept will really come to life.
What questions do you have about our guest bedroom design?
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