Get a Pinterest-Worthy Guest Bedroom on a Budget

March 18, 2019

I always love when guests come to stay at my house. I live alone so it's nice to have a cheerful voice wish you "good morning" over coffee. I always make sure the guest room has fresh flowers, fluffy towels in the bathroom (or on the bed), a fresh bar of dove soap, etc. It's what my mom and friends' moms always did and I've embraced old-fashioned hospitality 100%.

But, I'm also a 20-something on a shoestring budget. I want the look of my grandmother's guest rooms (she had exceptionally timeless taste, think Bunny Melon) but can't afford to hire a decorator, let alone pay full price at most furniture stores. Plus, it's a guest room. It's definitely not the most used room in the house. Here's where places like Amazon, Wayfair, and Overstock come into play (and sometimes One Kings Lane surprisingly). I've found some great west elm dupes, embroidered sheets that look like Matouk, and more to help you get the look you want, without shelling out crazy amounts of money.

Other great places to find furniture and other fun decor items are antique stores and estate sales. I've found several custom sofas with down-filled cushions at these sorts of places that I love and will have for the rest of my life (always, always, always check the quality of a piece). By combining these antique & vintage finds with steals from Amazon, I have (and you can) create a layered, collected guest room for less. Let me know what you think of these finds in the comments!

Linens

I've always heard there are two types of sheet people. Those who like warm, soft sheets (sateen) and those who like cool, crisp sheets (percale). Full disclosure, I'm a percale kind of girl. To me, there's nothing better than getting into a crisp, freshly made bed. I like to treat my guests to the same luxury. And white bedding, always.

1. These Belle Epoque sheets are a steal at under $100 and have the look of the old school ones I love, without the crazy price. Sorry the image is terrible, it's what they had...

2. This bedspread is another good find. If you're familiar with the Matouk maltase coverlet from Horchow, this is a slightly heavier weight and the waffle is a bit thicker. I have two of these on twin beds in my guest room and really love the look and weight of them.

3. I've found a few sets of Peacock Alley sheets at my local Tuesday Morning. I bought my boyfriend a set there 6 months ago because he desperately needed new sheets and he still talks about how amazing they are. And it seems like Tuesday Morning gets the actual castoffs instead of pieces made cheaply just to send to the discount stores.

4. Zara home is another great source for embroidered sheets. I have a gorgeous top sheet I bought there a few years ago with lemons embroidered across the top. It's held up beautifully over the years.

5. Fluffy towels are an essential in a guest bedroom. These are gorgeous looking and get solid reviews.

Furniture

1. This bed frame from Amazon looks like it could be from west elm or CB2. I bought one for my third floor guest room. It took a while to put together but it looks great now!

2. I generally dislike most nightstands. They just look too blocky and matchy-matchy for my taste. This bamboo side table would look great next to a bed with a petite blue and white lamp or something vintage and fun.

3. I also really like this glass topped side table. The bamboo legs make it more fun but if you have the space for a larger nightstand, this one is great. Plus, you don't have to worry about people leaving water rings on the glass!

4. If you like the look of the above table but want something cleaner, I really like the look of this side table.

5. Fortunately, you don't need a ton of storage in a guest room, unless you're planning on using it as a children's room at some point in the future. A small dresser will usually do just fine (and if you have a taller bed, you can use it as a nightstand). This campaign dresser is a bit of a splurge but looks way more expensive than it actually is. There's a less expensive option that comes in blue, black, and white here.

6. I also love browsing vintage & antique furniture stores for guest room furniture. I found an amazing chest on chest for next to nothing because a bit of the crown was missing one one side (and it's the side you can't see in the room which makes it even easier). Chairish is another place I love browsing for great furniture & decor.

7. I didn't know where to put rugs but this jute one is fantastic and a great price point! I like for a jute rug to really fill the room (measure for floor vents, I made that mistake once) and then layer vintage accent rugs and sheepskins, which are so nice next to a bed in winter, you get out of bed and feel like you're landing on uggs.

Decor

As someone who works in an art gallery, I have a slight aversion to buying mass-produced paintings from Target. I'd rather have framed photos and vintage botanical prints on the walls, it's just more collected looking.

1. This water pitcher and glass make it easy for your guest to find water at night when they're thirsty.

2. Put it on a tray like this gem from Jonathan Adler, add a small flower arrangement and a stack of books and you have an instantly styled bedside table. This is from Jonathan Adler's new collaboration with Amazon which is super affordable. Other finds from the collection are this vase, this funky obelisk, and this coffee table that I'm about to buy for my living room

3. I think framed photos of friends and travel are a great addition to a guest bedroom. These square photo frames are great for framing Instagram photos and buying four and making a grid style gallery wall won't set you back much.

4. A blanket is another guest room essential and this throw blanket is not only cute, but will keep your guests warm. It's a bit more expensive but will last forever which, IMO, makes it worth it (you can also borrow it for your room on cold nights).

5. As I mentioned before, a stack of great books is another essential in a guest room. I suggest collections of poetry by Pablo Neruda, short stories by Hemingway, and other things that are easy to read in short bursts. Magazines are another good addition for the same reason. I also like to make sure there's a note pad and a few pens or pencils (in a pretty vase like this one) so they can jot down ideas (in a pretty vase like this one), notes from phone calls, or anything else along those lines.

How have you styled your guest room? Did I miss mentioning anything? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments?

PS- Please know that, as an associate, I may receive a commission if you purchase any of these items but all product selection is entirely my own.

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