Have you added a bedroom to your home and need to furnish it in a hurry? You don’t have to save up for a bedroom add-on to your existing home to get another bedroom available. Some mild remodeling and creative furnishing and décor can turn many spaces into a suitable bedroom.
You may also find that you have a free bedroom when a child grows up and moves out that you want to set up as a guest room. Setting up guest rooms that you can rent out through platforms like Airbnb should also be set up in an innovative way that allows for as many beds and amenities as possible.
In today’s eclectic world, almost anything goes. Still, there are some things that you should consider when you are furnishing a bedroom. The following are some situations in which you may need to get creative when furnishing a bedroom, as well as how to get the right bed sets for each type of problematic bedroom.
Lofts and attics
If your home has a loft or attic, you might be able to convert it to a spare bedroom easier than you might think. The trick to furnishing such an area is that the roof, and therefore the ceiling of the area, are going to be slanted. You won’t be able to fit much in the way of tall furniture. You’ll have to stick to nightstands and small dressers for clothing storage.
You should also keep in mind that the bed you choose for a loft or attic room should rest low to the ground and take up as little space as possible, not just horizontally or by width, but also vertically. The ever-popular mid-century modern design style features many options that fit within those parameters. Depending on the height of the wall before the slant, you might be able to get a platform bed with some narrow drawers beneath.
Keep in mind that lofts and attics were, in most cases, not designed to be used in such a way. Even if you add additional supports, keep in mind that every pound of weight you add to the beams puts more stress on them. If you want the room to last without complications or damage, make sure that you stick to lightweight furniture.
If you are unsure if your attic is suitable to convert into a nonconforming bedroom, check with a structural contractor. You should get at least two or three estimates to make sure you are getting a fair deal. Don’t forget to check out reviews for the provider before making an appointment.
Partially or fully finished basements
Whether your basement is partially or fully finished makes a difference in what type of bed you should place in the room. If your entire basement has been finished out professionally, you can be fairly certain that you won’t have to worry about leaking or flooding the basement.
When this is the case, there is nothing wrong with placing the same bed sets in these basement bedrooms as you would any other bedroom in the home. Just keep in mind that those stairs make moving the furniture that much harder, and you might want to order white-glove service when the bedroom furniture arrives.
However, if you only partially finish your basement you don’t have that guarantee that moisture will never make its way to the area. To be on the safe side, you should get a bed set that is somewhat raised up from the floor so that the surface of the bed is high enough to keep the sleeper above water and prevent the mattress from taking water damage.
Bedrooms from converted garage
Converting a garage to a bedroom is not as difficult as one might think, although you will probably have to leave at least some of the work (electrical, plumbing, etc) to the professionals. You can do most of the design and work of furnishing and decorating the area on your own. Getting bedroom furniture for the garage-turned bedroom gives you a few more things to think about when browsing.
For instance, often a converted garage still has a concrete floor not far below the plywood floor you are walking on. That means the floor can get rather cold. Decorating with thick area rugs is one solution. You also want your beds and other furniture to sit a bit higher than you might choose otherwise to raise your seat toward warmer air.
If you have the space, add a seating area, café style dining area, and kitchenette in the garage bedroom. This makes it the perfect solution for older teens, college students who want to live at home but have their independence, and others that you might be able to rent to on a short-term basis. Just make sure that you use lots of thick rugs and make every piece do more than one job.
Guest bedrooms for families
Are your adult children starting to expand their little families? Whenever you have children and grandchildren that might be coming to visit, you should always have a guest bedroom ready. This also gives you more options in helping them in the case of an emergency. Even if you only have one bedroom that you can designate for guests, there are some ways you can use multi-use furniture to give them more sleeping space when needed.
To start, get a full or queen day bed that has a twin or full trundle beneath. As long as there is enough clear space to the side of the main bed, you can pull out the trundle for an instant bed that can be easily stowed away the next morning so that you can move about the room freely.
Another option is to get a sofa sleeper. A sofa bed doesn’t have to be large and bulky, and futons don’t have to take up a large amount of space either. Loveseats or wide armchairs may fold out into a twin bed. Some armchairs and sofas convert into beds with a bit of manipulation of their pieces. And of course, you have the tried and true futons. The more contemporary versions of these sofa beds may not be quite as comfortable, but they will offer more support and take up less space.
Other important considerations for guest bedrooms of any size
If you are not renting out the guest bedroom, consider who is most likely to use it. There are a lot of things that people don’t consider in their quest to get the cheapest bedroom furniture. Here are a few more ideas for choosing the right beds for bedrooms in your home.
Opt for a queen-size bed
It is worth the small added cost to choose a queen-size bed over a full-size bed if you can get one that fits the space. A queen bed is much more appropriate for most adults. They can better accommodate two sleepers, and they are long enough that taller individuals will not have their feet hanging of the end of the bed. A full or double bed does not have that extra room.
Give the room a dual purpose
If you’re not going to have guests on a frequent basis, it doesn’t make sense to allow this space in your home to simply sit unused. There are several things you can do to make the guest bedroom a more versatile space. Add a small desk to make it double as a home office, add a reading corner by the window for an afternoon escape, or set up a hobby area. You may be able to find these items to match the new beds and accompanying furniture.
Keep it neutral
A guest bedroom might seem like a great way to let your creative streak flare, but you should really keep it more neutral. Feel free to choose any color scheme or style, but it should be both basic and soothing. There are some colors, such as creams, beiges, blues, and yellows that make people happy and relaxed, so they are great options. Keep décor interesting but neutral so that the room is comfortable for anyone who might need it.
Add a stream of passive income between visits from friends and family
A fully equipped guest bedroom with many sleeping options can be of great benefit even if you don’t have frequent overnight visitors. Many people, especially retirees, have found that renting such a family guest room on platforms like Airbnb is a great way to earn some passive income, making it a wise investment.
You don’t have to offer a lot of amenities, although having an exterior entrance/exit is important for most renters. Just make sure that the guest room you are offering is safe, clean, and properly furnished. Adding a free continental breakfast is a great way to help lure guests.
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