95% of the year, the guest bedroom is a glorified additional wardrobe. A space where winter coats and unwanted presents go to die, or at least to hide out for the next six months. However, once hosting season rolls around, this attitude won't cut it anymore.
The ultimate goal of hosting is for your guest to feel as at home as possible, and that all begins in the guest bedroom. Creating a comfortable and relaxing space for them to begin their days, and retire to when evening comes, has the power to shape their visit, and making sure they have enough space to store their belongings is an underrated step in achieving that.
After all, there's nothing more uncomfortable than arriving somewhere, just to realise there's nowhere for you to unpack or store your suitcase, leaving you forced to live out of your case for the duration of the stay.
I asked the experts for the biggest mistakes they've spotted when it comes to guest room storage, as well as all their tips for what to do instead, so we can host in style this year.
1. Using Your Guest Room as a Spare Closet
Listen, we're all guilty of treating our guest room as an overflow; it's only natural. Even interior designer Sam Donnelly, from Mercantile and Merchant, admits to it, and says, "I feel like most of us use our guest room closets and storage (and the room in general) as extra storage for us. Or even a holding area for things that are yet to find a home or go off to Goodwill."
While this is fine for most of the year, once hosting season rolls around, it suddenly doesn't feel like the best idea.
Instead of shoving the problem aside and hoping it will all be fine, it's crucial to properly account for this extra clutter and do your due diligence, decluttering the bedroom well in advance of your guests' arrival.
"When the holidays come around, it's tempting to underestimate how much storage our guests may need and not clear out enough for them! It's always worth clearing as much space as possible so that guests don't end up living out of an exploded suitcase on the floor," says Sam.
Mercantile and Merchant is grounded in my belief that people want to buy and create new homes with old souls. People want thoughtful and carefully-curated homes. Ones built with the utmost care, craftsmanship, and quality materials. Over here at Mercantile and Merchant, we firmly believe that just because a home is a new build, that doesn't mean it has to be bland and boring. Every part of a Mercantile and Merchant home is created by thoughtful and purposeful design, coupled with plenty of modern English flair.
2. Not Making Your Storage Part of the Design
So often, storage is thought of as a final practicality in the design of your guest room, instead of a part of the design as a whole. While your bedroom gets the luxury of built-in shelving and a walk-in closet, your guest room is left with a plain, IKEA dresser. And your guests deserve more than that.
"Many forget that storage can be part of the interior design scheme, and by displaying and styling our objects, we can merge function with decoration," shares Bo Hellberg, expert and CMO at Scandinavian design icon String Furniture.
Using a mix of open shelving, with thoughtful, practical, and stylish shelf decor, alongside some more functional storage spaces, is a winning combination, offering the perfect balance of personality and practicality.
String Furniture encourage creativity in every space, room and home. Upholding the Scandinavian tradition for ingenious design, everything we create is elegant in form, instantly recognisable, and flexible in function. Forever inspired by the simplicity of the original String® shelf. Designed by Kajsa and Nisse Strinning in 1949, this design icon is not only considered a masterpiece invention, but officially recognised as a work of art. Design enthusiasts, Peter Erlandsson and Pär Josefsson founded String Furniture in 2004, continuing the legacy of Nisse and Kajsa Strinning.Today, we honour their timeless vision and invite fresh ideas to the family time and time again.
3. Forgetting to Leave Space for the Case
The biggest, yet most common mistake in guest rooms? Forgetting to carve out some space for your guest's suitcase and carry-on luggage.
This is one of those things that is so logical, yet so easy to forget. Catherine Shuman, from The Intentional Design Studio, agrees and says, "This is the most overlooked practical need: guests arrive with bulky suitcases, yet most guest rooms offer nowhere to put them."
She continues, "Without a luggage rack, bench, or dedicated surface, people end up living out of their bag on the floor for days, which defeats the purpose of providing any storage at all."
Just a small luggage rack or bench is enough to instantly make your guest feel more looked after, creating that luxury hotel experience for them and allowing them to properly unpack their suitcase.
At the core of my design philosophy is a single, guiding mission: to create homes that spark joy, giggles, and the occasional dance party. If there's a position in the interior design or construction world, I've probably held it! Being hands on early in my career helped shape my company and vision and led to the formation of my own design studio in 2018. I've garnered invaluable insights into the materials and methods that make up our living spaces. This knowledge has fueled my advocacy for healthier and safer homes, driving me to be at the forefront of sustainable design innovation and healthy home design.
4. Overwhelming the Space
Another one of the most common mistakes, according to Catherine? "Prioritizing decorative storage ideas over functional storage, and underestimating its impact on rest."
Overwhelming your guest room with shelves, drawers, cabinets, and trunks may seem like a good way of making the room feel more welcoming, but it can actually end up having the adverse effect.
And not just from an aesthetic standpoint, either. Catherine explains, "Here's what most people don't realize: visible storage clutter doesn't just look messy — it measurably affects sleep quality."
"Studies show that visual chaos in bedrooms triggers stress responses and disrupts rest. Open shelves filled with random items or 'pretty but non-functional' furniture create exactly that kind of visual noise," she adds.
Understanding how your bedroom design can help you sleep better is the first step in designing a guest room that your visitors will actually enjoy sleeping in.
5. Not Zoning Your Guest Bedroom Correctly
"One of the biggest mistakes in interior design is a poorly planned layout that disrupts the flow of a space," says Bo. And while this is true for the entirety of your home, it is particularly relevant when it comes to your guest bedrooms' storage.
"A well-designed guest room should feel cohesive and easy to navigate, with each area serving a clear purpose." And while storage may not be the most obvious way to solve this, as Bo says, "Floor-to-ceiling shelving systems offer an elegant solution to this common issue."
He continues, "Open, floor-to-ceiling shelving can create distinct zones within the guest room, acting as a stylish room divider that provides added storage and delineates space while still allowing light to pass freely through the room."
Alternatively, creating a small bedroom seating area or using section rugs can also help to create a more distinct separation between spaces.
Bring some geometrical edge to your guest room with this cool shelving system.
Not only does this bench make for a lovely spot to rest a suitcase, but it actually has some hidden storage within, too. Win-win.
For a cool extra touch of storage, we love these chic boxes from H&M Home.
Make your storage part of the decor with these gorgeous dark wood bedside tables. The marble tops add some glam to your room, too.
If you want the vibe of your guest room to be soft, airy, and inviting, rattan is the way to go, and I'm particularly into these drawers, which have a cool mid-century feel to them.
The large, open sections in this wooden sideboard allow your room to still feel airy and spacious, while providing a very solid storage opportunity, too.
Now that you've got the storage down, the next step to perfecting the space is knowing how to stock a nightstand drawer in a guest room, so your guests can feel truly looked after during their stay.
