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Ideas for guest bedroom

Luigi
7 months ago

My elderly mum wanrts to update the guest bedroom and is struggling for ideas. It is a good size room approx 5m x 4m and is south west facing.She would like to keep the bookcase (but is happy for it to be placed elsewhere) and a large chair which she is considering having ew-upholstered. The chaise long could also stay.

She wants to put a double bed in, and ideally rather than changing the carpet she is thinking of rugs either side of the bed (although I'm trying to persuade her to have one big rug that also goes under the bed).

The wardrobes run all along the same wall that has the door on. The window currently has vertical blinds and we will definitely be changing those.

We are working on a limited budget so its probably more about colours etc. Any ideas would be welcome, thank you.




Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Green Rain Designs
    7 months ago

    Hi Luigi, dark blue will look gorgeous and go with the existing carpet. You can accent it with blush and warm muted greys if you are worried about it feeling cold. Accessorising in those colours with fluffy throws and cushions will also add a lot of warmth and cosiness for guests. Id recommend a light blush pink for the other walls - ive attached am image of a gorgeous colour scheme that may help you visualise how the space can still feel warm and welcoming. Freshening up the wardrobes as suggested will also give it a real lift.

    Comments (22)

    • PRO
      Harrisons Interiors
      7 months ago

      Hi Luigi,


      Your dilemma is a good dilemma to have. You have a fantastic size space and a lot of built in storage which is great. It would be great to understand where all of the walls in the picture are positioned.


      I can create 2D or 3D images of the space and how it could look to bring it to life. Ask me for details. I know you have a tight budget. We have packages to suit everyones needs.


      Let me know if you need any help.


      Thanks

      Jon Harrison

      Harrisons Interiors

    • E D
      7 months ago

      Surely, someone can provide some real advice? 🙂

      Luigi thanked E D

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    • Sonia
      7 months ago

      Hi Luigi, so really you are looking for wall colours and curtains maybe? Would you or your mum be prepared to paint the wardrobes? Perhaps painting them a soft white in a Satinwood or eggshell finish would freshen them up and reduce the shine. As to wall colour, the world is your oyster! Are there any colours she loves? For example I love green so that’s what I would choose, but she may hate green! Also does she prefer modern or traditional style. I’m going to share some pictures of bedrooms which you could show to her, and if she a certain we can work from there.









      Luigi thanked Sonia
    • Luigi
      Original Author
      7 months ago

      Hi Sonia


      Thanks for replying. Yes, its the colour scheme I'm wary of. My mum tends to go for very caramelly colours thinking it will warm areas up, but sometimes it can be a bit too dull and sad looking. The existing carpet, whilst generally in good condition, is very 'dark' at the edges by skirting boards and I'm not sure that will clean up. But as it's only for rare guest visits, I hope ive persuaded her that a large rug would distract from the carpet edges once we have some furniture in there.

      Mum did mention putting a dark blue on the 'window' wall and then something lilaccy on the other walls, but I havent seen the actual colours she means yet. I'm bothered the room may feel cold in those colours. It is not a warm room as its got 2 outside walls. What are your thoughts?


    • Luigi
      Original Author
      4 months ago

      Hello again all..apologies for the recent lack of response. we're finally at the stage where my mum has decided she wants to go for a darkish blue on the 'headboard' wall, which is the wall in first pic with the teeny tiny (hideous) picture on it. - either Homebase Aegean or Dulux Sapphire salute - and she quite fancied a lilac colour (Homebase Sweet Lavender or Dulux Violet white) but i'm worried it will be quite cold looking against the blue. Would a soft pink (Homebase Hush Pink or Dulux Blush Pink) be better?

      And would you do the woodwork in white?

      I'm sorry I dont know how to attach the colours I mentioned...

    • mii2
      4 months ago

      Hi Luigi,

      Some excellent ideas from others here already. Rugs can be a tripping hazard , worth bearing in mind more longer term. You may find sinking the money into a new carpet now may be a better financial decision than buying a rug that later needs to be removed.

      Luigi thanked mii2
    • Sonia
      4 months ago

      Navy is very popular as a feature wall. Lilac could work. Lilac can be so many different hues, some are more pink and therefore warmer and some more bluey grey and cooler. My bedroom has a mauve feature wall and I don’t find it cold at all. If you want a warmer look then a soft pale pink would look good. However, it wouldn’t go with the current wardrobe colour. The carpet would go I feel.





      Luigi thanked Sonia
    • Luigi
      Original Author
      4 months ago

      Thanks Sonia. I'm struggling with the wardrobes to be honest, would toy go with the soft colour we pick for the walls & paint them the same? Or another soft shade?

      Mii2 Good poimt about the rug v carpet. I think once we get the room painted things will become clearer...

    • Sonia
      4 months ago

      Hi Luigi, it does depend on what you use for the walls. If it’s lilac or pink, I would suggest a soft grey for the wardrobes? That way if your mum fancies a change of decor the grey would go better?

      Luigi thanked Sonia
    • PRO
      Silv Designs
      4 months ago
      last modified: 4 months ago

      Hi Luigi,

      I would put the bed here the bookshelf where currently as you have the sockets which will be on each side if the bed.

      In terms of colours i think light grey will look nice and if you are passionate for DIY you can make a feature wall (see image below) and maybe paining that wall darker grey.

      Other option is to make a shelf behing the bed which is going to be the cheaper and easier way to acheave that feature effect.

      Wardrobe you can just change the handles.

      If you give me the exact measurement of the room (the window, door etc.) and the wardobe i am happy to make you a free 3D design and a plan.

      I recently went private and i need more projects for my website :)



      Luigi thanked Silv Designs
    • Luigi
      Original Author
      4 months ago

      Thanks Sonia. So my mum has decided on Homebase Aegean for the headboard wall, which is a sort of dark denim blue with Dulux Violet white for the other walls. What colour for the wardrobes would you think based on that scheme? They are formica type finish (I think ) so is there a special paint we should use? (I keep reading goor write ups about Frenchic but dont know anyone personally who's used it))


      I love your ideas Silv, however we're only doing a basic painting exercise so not wanting to create that lovely panelling / shelving etc so it wouldnt be a project worthy of your websiteI'm afraid. Very kind of you to offer though. You make a good point about moving the bed to where sockets are, but I suspect she wouldnt want to move it, mainly for sentimental resons. . I will suggest it to her though.The room is always going to be a little old fashioned in my opinion as she wants to keep a lot of her stuff in there (at 88 she doesnt like too much change). Oh, and I've drafted my brothers in to do the painting so the 'after' pics might not be as good as we'd like!

    • Luigi
      Original Author
      2 months ago

      It's me again! An update on mum's guest room. Painting has been done, we've put up curtains (not as much fabric in them as i'd have liked but mum wanted them and they only had the one size available) and done a very basic re-covering of the chair, which at least fulls some of the space. WE are going to order a 'slatted' headboard, not sure whether to go oak effect of bright white.

      I feel it needs some more colour. (and definitely a new lamp shade!) Would a soft pink work or is there a stronger colour we could introduce? I think I might persuade her to change the carpet possibly for something lighter. We dont really want blue or grey.


      Any thoughts apprecaited...





    • Wumi
      2 months ago

      If your looking for fullness in curtains you can buy two of the same curtain and stitch together. I did that with my living room curtains. The seam is hidden in the folds.


      If your going for a slatted headboard then I’d go for a wood tone to bring in some warm to the room.


      It’s just a little bare at the moment which can be solved with some plants, maybe a low bookcase next to the armchair with a nice floor lamp. Bedside table, artwork over the bed?



    • Luigi
      Original Author
      2 months ago

      thank you Wumi. You’re right about wood tone - there is currently a (not pretty) cane chair being used as a bedside table 🤣 but the colour definitely works. I might try and find a natural lampshade too.

      introducing plants makes sense and we are trying to persuade mum about putting pictures up ( she’s worried putting holes in the wall will ruin the new paintwork 😉). If you look at my original post there was a tall bookcase. Do you think that would be too over-bearing in there now?

    • Wumi
      2 months ago

      What does the other side of the room look like?

      Luigi thanked Wumi
    • kazzh
      2 months ago

      The book case could work well at the foot of the bed, but I would pare down the contents so it's not so crowded.

      We all love looking at those bedrooms with beds that look so snuggly - so a thought could be to plump up the bed clothes. When buying doona, douvets or whatever, purchase a size bigger than the bed - double bed, queen size doona, or even a king size over a double. That will give plenty of drape over the sides.

      Some texture could be good, notice Sonia's pics show lots of varying texture? The throw blanket could be a deeper mauve, pink in a big knit or a soft velvety mink. You could pick up a richer blue or again the mauve in an extra pillow or two. The pillows could be in different lofts (ie side sleeper, back sleeper, firm, soft etc) which would give guests a pillow choice. These sort of extras don't need to be expensive, so keep an eye on the bargain sales!

      I would suggest staying with material lamp shades to keep softness in the room. Wood side tables will be enough of the natural element. As there is a lot of wall space and it sounds like it might take some convincing to get art onto the walls, tall bedside lamps would help fill the wall space along with the headboard. The best height to go for would be a lamp which illuminates down onto the bed so reading would be comfortable. So it might even be higher than the bed head you are thinking of. Again, they don't have to be expensive - just make sure they meet the height needed.

      Luigi thanked kazzh
    • Luigi
      Original Author
      2 months ago

      Wumi - the other wall is a bank of old fashioned wardrobes in a not stylish cream colour. Mum doesn't want them painting :(

      Kazzh. youre right of course, we need to add texture. I want to change the duvet cover for something bolder which could help tie the scheme together more - assuming I can find the right one, as it could really lift the room.

      As the only person ever likely to stay is my brother, she doesnt want it to be too feminine, however he wouldnt care what it was like anyway, so I want mum to enjoy the look of it when ever she goes in. And if she ever got to the point where she couldnt go upstairs to here bedroom, it could end up being hers anyway!

      As ever I really appreciate everyones suggestions.

    • Sonia
      2 months ago

      What a lovely son you are Luigi. I don’t know many sons would put so much effort into creating such a lovely guest room. I love the blue and lilac together, very pretty. It just needs dressing, as well as bedside tables with lamps on, a must for me! I think a nice print above the bed would be a start. Etsy, The Range and Dunelm do a great range of budget prints. You can use Command Strips which involve no holes in the walls, but I would only trust them on lightweight prints like canvasses. Get bedding that co-ordinates with the walls, something simple, and then a throw at the foot of the bed helps dress it. White is always good with a navy throw. For the carpet, I think a very pale silver grey would go well. I know you don’t want a grey carpet, but silver grey or a gentle mushroom colour would fit in. The last picture is what I mean.

    • Luigi
      Original Author
      2 months ago

      Yet more great advice - thanks so much Sonia. I will let you all see the outcome once I get round to taking her to Dunelm / Homesense etc. to shop in real life!


      ...oh and by the way, I'm her daughter not her son ;)

    • Sonia
      2 months ago

      Oh my goodness my apologies, it’s the Luigi which threw me! I assume you are of Italian heritage? I am too 😊🇮🇹

    • Wumi
      2 months ago

      I’s day out the bookcase back in the room and edit the amount of books so there’s some space for plants, frames and ornaments.


      If your mum is worried about holes, go for picture hooks rather than drilling into the walls. I’ve is discovered the joys of getting artwork properly framed at the framers and picture hooks are the standard hanging method they use.


      These make minimal holes that can easily be filled and touched up with a few dabs of paint.


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