Double Duty: 7 Tips for Creating a Home Office that Doubles as a Guest Room

Starting with a clean, bare and freshly painted room allows you to see its true potential. A cream shade like Bohemian Blush is warm enough to make the space feel cozy, but light enough to prevent it from feeling too small. Remove all the furniture and start from scratch. Rearranging the furniture while everything is still in the room limits your ability to envision other possible configurations. Place non-negotiables like your desk first since it needs to be close to an outlet and work from there.

Space can be a problem when trying to fit multiple functions into one room. Instead of having your guests sleep on a pull-out futon, opt for a Murphy bed. This way you have a full-sized bed when you need it but can fold it up when it’s time to work. A Murphy bed kit takes out all the guesswork. Just grab a friend to help with the heavy lifting and follow the directions to make the most of room’s the available space.

Add visual interest to the room with a focal wall. Whether you choose a bold wallpaper or create your own accent wall with different colored paints, this extra visual element injects personality into the space. It’s easy to keep the décor simple when you’re thinking about the function of combining two spaces into one room, but it’s important to make it a space you – and your guests – want to spend time in.

A television is great for your guests who may want to wind-down with a movie in bed, but it can be a major distraction when you’re trying to work. Build a simple hinged plywood box to hide your television. Line the outside of the box with frames filled with artwork. This way you get to display your favorite art and don’t have to stare at a big black box on your wall during the workday. 

When you’re trying to make the most of a small space, the furniture you choose is important. Every item in the room needs to add to the overall design and be functional too. A simple wood desk with drawers to store your office supplies keeps the room from feeling like a cluttered cubicle. A riser for your monitor gives you a space to tuck away your keyboard when not in use. Select a desk chair in a plush fabric that complements the colors in the accent wall to make it feel purposeful. Use things like small ceramic bud vases to house pencils and scissors to combine pretty and practical.

Good lighting is crucial for getting computer work and proper air circulation is essential for a good nights’ sleep. A ceiling fan with integrated lighting is the best of both worlds. There are more ceiling fan styles than ever before. A ceiling fan with rich wood blades and gold finishes acts as an accent instead of an afterthought.

Lots of art, accessories and trinkets can clutter a small room and become a distraction. Items can easily add up over time, so it’s important to look at each item and decide if it’s essential or something that just happened to land in the room. Place all the small items in a box and look at the room before decided to add some of them back in. You might be surprised how fresh a minimal look makes the room feel.