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5 Furniture Must-Haves for a Guest Room

Side angle view of a comfortable guest room

The Spruce / Alyssa Vela

When picking out guest room furniture, it may help to first focus on these five essentials to make the job that much easier. Once you have these essentials in place, you can always build around them to create a welcoming space for your guests.

A comfortable guest room takes most of the stress out of a guest’s visit for all concerned. Fortunately, you only need some very basic common sense home furnishings to create a room that any guest will appreciate.

A Comfortable Bed

The most important thing you can provide for a guest is a good, comfortable place to rest. You probably know firsthand how difficult it can be to fall asleep in strange surroundings, especially if they also happen to be uncomfortable.

To let your guest rest easy, you need a comfortable bed and a good mattress. If your home does not have a separate guest room, it can be furnished a stylish daybed that hides a trundle bed for an additional guest.

You can also choose to place an easy-to-operate sofa bed in the guest room instead of a daybed. Sleepers are much more comfortable today than they used to be not so very long ago, and they are available in a variety of styles. Futons can also give you a lot of flexibility. Whatever your preference, just make sure it is comfortable. Dress up the bed with fresh pillows and bed linen. Adding a memory foam or feather mattress topper can make an overly firm or even lumpy mattress more comfortable.

A Chest of Drawers

A chest of drawers is an absolute must in any guest room because a guest is bound to welcome some storage space. Even a chest with two or three drawers is good. Put yourself in your guest's place. Wouldn't it be more convenient to be able to store items and not have to pull them out of bags all the time? The top of a chest or dresser may also come in handy for placing personal belongings, so don’t clutter it with pictures or other objects which have no meaning for the visitor.

A Cozy Chair

Any guest will appreciate a comfy chair when some private time is needed. It can be a good place to rest and relax or just to sit and read.

Good Lighting

It is important to have easy access to enough light. There should be some lighting by the bed to read, and they should be able to turn on a light upon entering the room as it takes a while to get used to the layout of a new room, especially for older guests. Provide a nightlight, and your guests can choose whether to have it turned on or not. Accidents can occur in unfamiliar surroundings when you can’t see well enough to find your way in the dark.

A Luggage Rack

A luggage rack is a great thing to have in a guest room. It is very convenient for packing or unpacking. It also saves bed covers from being snagged or dirtied by luggage placed on top for packing or unpacking.

Luggage racks can also come in handy even if you cannot provide enough storage. It will enable your guests to get their belongings in and out of their bags easily. Luggage racks can be conveniently folded and put away out of sight when your guests are not using them.