When I started my remote working journey in 2020 (something we were all pushed into), motivation was not my strong forte. I did not have what most people call a “home office”, so I turned my guest room into one.
After all, no one was visiting me during the pandemic!
But there was a huge problem – quite literally!
My huge guest bed was a constant distraction during work hours. One moment I was doing my best to concentrate on the screen – the next moment I was snuggled in the comfy bed, scrolling through people making Dalgona coffee.
Then came another issue!
Pandemic ends, and everything comes back to normal. For better or worse, I still do remote working, but now I have guests coming over.
This is when I needed office guest room ideas which can kill two birds with one stone.
Something which will increase my productivity and make my guests “feel at home.”
So, after weeks of searching, I found ten ways you can transform your office guest room without much hustle. Not only was it easy, but a sustainable tip for first time homeowners with less carpet space.
So, without any further ado, let’s begin!
What is An Office Guest Room?
Don’t know what an office guest room is?
Well, it is an uber-cool term where people try to make the most of their rooms. Since not all of us reside in a multi-million-dollar property with 13 bedrooms, multiple-use is the solution.
A guest room is that extra room in our house which we rarely use. Therefore, many (including me) have started using it as an office room.
Secluded from the rest of the house, it helps create that mental distance from what is domestic & what is professional.
Also Read: How To Create the Ultimate Guest Bedroom
Office Guest Room Idea – How to Transform your Office Guest Room (…and Improve Productivity)
You have two goals:
Improve productivity while working, which means eliminating distractions.
Make it look homely enough for your guests to feel comfortable.
Now, let’s begin!
1. Add A Rustic Touch
The idea of being indoors for too long can kill the motivation. Rustic on the other hand helps bring a part of nature inside.
It is an antique decor style from the simpler times. Where most of the elements were borrowed from nature.
Elements to Incorporate:
- Think about the unpolished wooden beams, thatched rooftops, and earthy color palettes.
- Most of the tiny decor elements will have handmade touches. These include bamboo or thatched furniture, handmade quilts & comforters, and crumbled linen sheets.
- Rustic lamp shades are made with bamboo.
- Rugs made of jute.
Overall, this gives it an unpolished structure. Think of a mix of cottagecore home decor with cabin living.
…and who wouldn’t want to work in a nature retreat?
Plus, this also makes it a comforting space for your guest to spend some days in!
2. Keep it Minimal
As someone with ADHD, I understand how too many things can be distracting. A study on the effects of clutter showed that individuals overwhelmed by the amount of “stuff” in their homes procrastinated more. 1
Therefore, a minimal office guest room idea is the best for you.
A neutral color palate matched with modular design, clean lines, and natural lighting.
Elements to Incorporate:
- Minimal & functional furniture.
- Negative space.
- Monochromatic & neat color coordination.
- One contrasting element can be the ceiling, floor, or furniture material. In the latest AD Open Door video, Youtuber Joshua Weissman gave us a glimpse into his modern minimalistic house. The monochromatic grey palette, contrasted with the light wooden furniture style, is worth noting!
- Clean table tops with less distracting elements.
The concept of minimalist is functional yet aesthetically pleasing. you are Moreover, discarding the idea of hoarding behavior and leaning more into having a soothing negative space in your rooms.
However, this concept might need to be cozier to look at.
So, how can you make it more comforting for your guests?
How to make a Minimalist Room Feel Cozier
Yes, minimalist & cozy are two contrasting words. However, you can make your minimalist office room warmer with the following elements:
- Monochromatic pillows and cushions for the bed.
- An electric fireplace for the winter days.
- Statement lighting pieces with warm light.
- Long ceiling-to-floor length curtains in a neutral palette.
- A photo frame statement wall.
The point is to keep your desktop minimal to improve productivity and decrease distraction. However, when it comes to the guest bed, you can add a few more elements to make it comfortable.
3. The Right Lighting
The right lighting can do wonders when it comes to guest room ideas!
It can create a clear division between work & comfort. According to Psychology Today, the color of light & intensity can affect your mood, cognitive functions, and productivity. 2
- We associate warm lights with comfort, relaxation, and social gatherings. Therefore, our sense of focus decreases.
- Cool lights are important on a study or worktable top as it enhances cognitive functions
- & focus.
- Natural lights are great for enhancing mood & productivity. Therefore, placing your worktable right before a giant window can help your productivity.
Therefore, if your office guest room has a bed and a working desk, differentiate it with the help of lighting. Keep a warm ceiling light over the bed to induce sleep, and comfort. On the other hand, have white lighting on top of your desk, and around the shelves.
Also Read: 5 Home Lighting Tips
4. Bring in Some Nature (…with a touch of Bohemian patterns)
When scrolling through some of the most effective office guest room ideas, I noticed a heavy trend of natural elements.
We have already spoken about natural lighting. However, nature doesn’t have to limit it to light. In fact, Biophilic elements could help enhance the overall mental state. Nature overall helps boost the level of serotonin in your brain. 3
Therefore, it helps you stay awake and energized during work hours. If you have been dealing with work burnout or an overall lack of motivation, add some natural greenery.
Elements to add:
Potted plants and succulents (in case you are not good at caring for plants).
Green wines around the walls and ceilings.
Tiny fairy lights around the wines & plants can also enhance the green (if you work the night shift).
Now, to enhance the overall mood of the guest bedroom, you can add bohemian decor. The Bohemian aesthetic is best known for making the most out of a small space and works around adding more greenery & plants.
Additionally, bohemian decor adds that pop of color, which can turn any industrial room homey.
5. Create A Separation
If you are trying to create a sustainable living space with a tiny housing cost, affordability is your first concern in terms of any decor project. Therefore, this will be the most fitting office guest room idea.
Simply create a platform for your workstation. This will create a simple yet aesthetically pleasing separation from the bedding area.
This separation could be as simple as a thick rug separating the common floor from your workspace.
However, if you want to add home aesthetic through your separation, then here is what you can do:
- If you go for the rustic look discussed above, an antique room divider will do the job. Successfully separating the two areas.
- A large bookshelf can be functional as a divider, plus act as a decoration & storage purpose. Plus, it will make the bedding area smaller, and cozier.
- If you do not want to ruin the room’s overall look by adding a huge shelf or divider then a four-poster bed is the solution. You can cover your bed with thick curtains. This will an aesthetical value, and act as less of a distraction.
6. Create A Corner Bed
This is a perfect small office guest room idea. If you need to create a barrier between the bedding space and your workstation, go for a smaller bed tucked in the corner.
As Feng Shui expert Cliff Tan would say, it is all about the layout. A few tweaks and you can change the entire perspective of the room.
According to Feng Shui, your bed must be in a commanding position in a bedroom. This helps mentally establish the main activity of the room. For a bedroom, it is sleeping. However, for an office guest room, a bed is secondary. 4
Therefore, placing the bed in the corner will keep it away from your main view. Hence, it is less distracting when you are working.
Although, you wouldn’t want too much negative space between the bed and the room. This will create difficulty in a peaceful sleep. Too much negative space creates dark corners when the lights are off. Thus, making someone feel unsafe.
The easier solution is to raise the height of the bed and hang curtains around it. Additionally, keep the room door with an easy view from the bed to enhance security.
However, please remember a corner bed is more fitting for a smaller room.
7. A Focal Pointer
Depending on the activity A changeable focal point can always help change your perspective.
Here is how you can create a dual focal point for the bedding & the workstation, depending on what you are doing.
- Choose which is more important. In this case, your desk is the main focal point. So, take up more space to create a productive workstation.
- Create a bedding & entertainment center for your guests with easy access to the guest bathroom.
- Ceiling focal lighting can also help switch focus.
- If the room has two windows, use one for each function.
- Additionally, pick complimentary colors for your curtains, which can subtly create two focal points. Mesh curtains that can help with natural light will be good for your workstation. In contrast, thick curtains near the bed can darken the room, creating optimal surroundings for a restful sleep.
8. Add a Covetable Bed
Simple, easy, and functional!
One of the practical office guest room ideas is convertible furniture. You can transform the room to the functionality it is serving at that moment.
A sofa-bed is the ideal furniture for this room. You get an extra sitting area, which can easily be converted into a bed when the guests are over.
The Final Note!
Hopefully, we gave you enough office guest room ideas to improve your motivation and help welcome your guests.
If you plan to renovate the place inspired by one of our ideas, remember to share your experience…
…and a picture of your beautiful room!
Do you think there are other ways to renovate the room as both? Do let us know in the comment section below!
Happy renovating!
Read Also:
References
- Harvard Business Review is a magazine focused on general management and is published by Harvard Business Publishing. This independent, not-for-profit corporation has an affiliation with Harvard Business School. ↩︎
- Psychology Today is a U.S. media organization dedicated to psychology and human behavior. It started as a bimonthly magazine, with its first issue published in 1967. ↩︎
- University of Arkansas of Conway, Arkansas is one of the oldest U.S University. It was founded in the year 1907. ↩︎
- Architectural Digest is the international design authority, featuring the work of top architects and designers. ↩︎
