24 Amazing Home Office Ideas That Double As Cozy Guest Bedrooms

Table of Content

• Add Functional Window Treatments
• #Moodboard: New Office/Guest Room
• Make Your Guest Room and Home Office Combo Functional
• Use Window Sills to Frame Your Work Surface
• Add Black Accents
• Focus on the Bed

A home office/Murphy bed features plenty of built-in cabinet storage for clean lines and functionality. A window seat provides a comfortable spot to lounge next to the desk. An abundance of open shelving is used for accessories to add personality to the space.

If you’re hosting overnight guests more than you’re working from home—or the other way around—arrange the room to reflect that. A murphy bed with a built-in desk can double as a workspace and sleep space, but will be more convenient in a room used mostly as an office. If you’re looking for a sleeker version of the typical guest bed, consider a modern, low-profile daybed like the one seen here. During the day, the room functions as an efficient home office; at night, the desk chair can be wheeled away and the bed pulled out to create a cozy nest for guests. Wall-mounted lighting in your home office guest room is perfect for saving tabletop and floor space. This type of lighting also creates a welcoming ambience for your guests and a cozy atmosphere for you during work hours.

Add Functional Window Treatments

roman shadeOn the right side, I built a smaller and lower desk to use as a sewing table. This is because of the space constraints of the window and closet door. Then it will serve as a guest bedroom when we have guests here – ideally can accommodate up to 2 ppl.

And if it were only a guest room, I would have likely put in a comfy bench or a bookcase with a fun display. But we had to make concessions to get the most of this multi-purpose room. A couple of woven sea grass baskets stay on the floor to the left of the desk. These baskets hold my planners, food photography and food styling books, etc. The drawers of the desk hold a simple assortment of pens, pencils, notepads, and Post-Its. On the inside of the closet door, hangs a 24-pocket shoe organizer which houses general office supplies.

#Moodboard: New Office/Guest Room

We removed the original builder’s lighting and replaced it with a globe chandelier with natural tied rope inspired by Gristmill Greige . I knew this makeover would be a shocking transformation, and I wanted to document every step! These before photos show just what a mess my office was. Because I was focusing on other areas of our home (don’t all moms do that?), my own personal space had been neglected.

I chose a large dark blue throw pillow to place on the sleeper sofa, and added my favorite cozy dark blue blanket. One of the things I was most excited about in our new home was that I would finally have a home office! No more working at the kitchen table or on the couch. But I quickly realized we would need to turn my dream office into an office and guest room combination, or our visitors would have no place to sleep! Read on for design ideas and amazing before and after photos.

Make Your Guest Room and Home Office Combo Functional

Pops of black throughout the room bring sophistication and elegance to the space. A small and disorganized room was transformed into an efficient home office and occasional guest bedroom. The vision of this space was to create a tasteful and stylish atmosphere that reflects the owner’s Nigerian heritage. This home office combines a built in desk with wall bed to get the most efficient use of space. This room doubles as a home office, guest room and kids play room all in one.

This multipurpose room makeover is a complete DIY, and I used a lot of Ikea products and furniture to make this guest room office combo functional and affordable. Small and large trays in wood, wicker, ceramic, and metal add texture and function to your guest room office. Small trays are great for your guests to drop keys, wallets, and phones during their stay. Larger trays act as a catch-all for paperwork, documents, and files in your home office space. Blinds and shades are a functional and beautiful option for your guest room office windows. These allow you to filter light softly into the room, block light out entirely, or lift the treatment for full light exposure.

Home office guest room combo

Now let’s dive into the design choices that made this guest bedroom office combination work. Because my desk is more of a long drawing table, we kept it against one long wall. Beside it, we placed one tall ladder bookshelf to provide both storage and decor. To balance out the space, we chose to place the sleeper sofa on the wall opposite from my desk. Designating spaces in a multipurpose room starts with the floors.

I used this side table from West Elm that nest under the sofa pretty well. When we are using this room as a guest room, we just move it around so that it becomes a nightstand. The bed surface will be folded in so that we don’t have to dust the bed every now and then to keep it clean. It is not easy to pack three functionalities in an 11 by 11 room, so I prioritized based on our day to day needs. This would pair well with a minimal bed frame and neutral-colored bedding.

I particularly like this bunk bed and workstation combination setup due to the visual barrier between the bed and the desk. Which was exactly the reason why I needed to create a relaxing space for my office! A sanctuary I can enjoy daily, and one my guests can love when they visit. When I saw the HOME by Sherwin-Williams Simply Blissful Color Collection and the 2020 Color of the Year, Romance , I knew it was the perfect color! Romance seems to draw me in and make me feel happy, so I chose it for a focal wall.

The before of this space is really a very dated spare bedroom of a 1940s fixer-upper house. To create the best experience in a hybrid space, such as a guest room/office, you want to create visual differentiation between functions. In this specific room, they have also built a seat against the adjacent windows, which adds a functional element while also increasing privacy for the workspace. In this space, the designer has chosen lighting and art as vertical elements to differentiate between the functions in the room.

Accessorize with black accents and lighting fixtures, and add a thin line of black tape about 40 to 42 inches high on the wall. This is how you get away with painting a small bedroom a dark color. Define this space with wall fittings such as a pinboard or artwork, and paint this wall a bright off-white.

8 Twists on the Guest Room-Office Combo

Table of Content

• Consider Moody Blues
• Color Inspo – HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Simply Blissful Color Collection
• Unique DIY Wine Cork Crafts and Upcycle Ideas
How to Design A Multipurpose Guest Room
• Simple Ways to Make Your Home Office Double as a Guest Room
• Office Guest Room Ideas for a Cozy Temporary Sleeping Space
• Image Attribution and Licensing
• Be Our Guest in Our Improved Home Office Guest Room Combo

This multipurpose room makeover is a complete DIY, and I used a lot of Ikea products and furniture to make this guest room office combo functional and affordable. Small and large trays in wood, wicker, ceramic, and metal add texture and function to your guest room office. Small trays are great for your guests to drop keys, wallets, and phones during their stay. Larger trays act as a catch-all for paperwork, documents, and files in your home office space. Blinds and shades are a functional and beautiful option for your guest room office windows. These allow you to filter light softly into the room, block light out entirely, or lift the treatment for full light exposure.

A walnut headboard was added for a customized look, while oak shelves provide plenty of space for accessories. A contemporary home office/guest bedroom in a San Francisco home features a custom fabricated trundle bed. The space also features a built-in desk and functional built-in cabinets for linens and office supply storage. Our small bedroom office combo ideas include dual-purpose furnishings and a minimum of office supplies and decor. In the space shown here, a daybed plumped up with lots of cushions serves as a sofa for watching TV or as a bed for overnight guests. A pair of tall lamps flanking the computer helps the desk feel like part of the room.

Consider Moody Blues

We had removed the foot board four years ago when we first moved in to save some space. But the headboard was still taking up about a foot of space between the wall and the bed. It made my heart sad to let it go, but a foot of space is A LOT of real estate in a tiny room like this. This arrangement is great for capitalizing on vertical space. Add a desk lamp with soft lighting to tie it all together. These simple design tips can help blend the room’s multi-functional space into one fluid area.

Check out these space-saving Murphy/wall beds to use in your office. I am so excited to share these after photos with y’all! It feels like a professional designer created this – but instead I did it myself! A linen drape offers more light filtration and an additional level of elegance and warmth to your room.

Color Inspo – HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Simply Blissful Color Collection

Follow these 7 steps to create a dark academia styled bedroom. Your guests can use this workspace corner for evening reading or morning coffee. Notice how the table and chairs are all similar in design, and the bedding references the color of the chair cushions.

If you are lacking space in your home, consider creating a multi-purpose room by combining a home office/guest room to host overnight guests. This space could be a spare bedroom that you use for the occasional guest or for storing unused clutter. With some cleanup, this space can be transformed into a highly functional and attractive room.

Unique DIY Wine Cork Crafts and Upcycle Ideas

However, cramming so much functionality into such a small space can be a challenge. We waited a day for the paint to fully dry , then started setting up the room. The paint only took one coat, which really sped things up! At first, I was a little worried that I may need to apply two coats. After seeing the first wall dry with perfect coverage, I knew my project would be smooth sailing. Y’all know from my previous home decor posts that I love neutrals.

Position your desk or a relaxing armchair near the window and be sure to allow for a window treatment that lets all the light into your room. A deep and moody blue also works well for providing calm to your multipurpose room. A medium or deep blue is soft enough that it isn't distracting for your office, but it has enough richness to feel cozy for your guests. The choice of wall paint or details in every room of your home matters, but you could feel especially overwhelmed choosing a color for a two-in-one room.

Guest Room / Office Combo Makeover

Your desk choice should work for you – if your headboard is tall enough, give thought to a sit-stand desk if this space will be heavily used as an office. As you can see, the desk is not in the line of vision from the bed, meaning that when you are resting, your work surface is out of sight and out of mind. The placement of a desk behind the bed is an extremely effective layout if your space allows for it. Reach out to your local plant specialist about your goals, and explain the lighting levels and window placement in your room. Center your desk between your north-facing or shaded windows. In this example, the occupant is making use of the window sill as a bookshelf, and the outer edge of the set of windows as a frame for the desk.

This structured theme makes the accent wall a visual centerpiece. Be sure to measure out the room for movement around the bed if space allows. It reflects more light and allows the soft color palette to come through.

This functional home office idea in New York needed to be both professional yet cozy enough for overnight guests. The cabinetry and millwork are custom, stained in grey oak, and finished with brushed brass pulls. File drawers were integrated under the daybed, while a mix of open and closed shelving provides plenty of storage options. An upholstered tack board conceals computer and phone wires.

I always like to sit on a couch to work so this fits into the office seamlessly. In fact when I’m at work I always go to the lounge space because I can work on the couch. Last, a craft room, or sewing room, because I like to do sewing projects from time to time, I want my sewing machine to be accessible.

Office Guest Room Ideas for a Cozy Temporary Sleeping Space

Your guests will feel right at home while having the option to block out a little light and relax. How we made one room multi-functional and not cluttered while mixing high and low pieces. The office is usually one of the last rooms to be considered in home redecorating, wouldn’t you say? Here are some creative ideas to turn an office into a guest room with this simple tip. HIDE Studio is a boutique interior design firm in Carlsbad serving San Diego North County Coastal residents who want to live in elevated comfort.

To go with the lounge vibe, I also added a wall sconce so it can serve as a table lamp when people sleep here or a reading light when we are using it as an office. In fact, we had to return the first sleeper sofa we purchased because the mattress was too firm to sit on. When it is time to use it as a sleeper we have to fold down the back cushion which creates an uneven surface to sleep on. A lighter color helps to make the space bigger, especially that the windows are North facing meaning there’s not a ton of light coming in during the day.

A modern home office in Sydney, Australia features a hidden fold-down bed. Bookshelf wallcovering alongside the stairs adds visual interest and warmth to the space. Built-in storage solutions provide functionality to this compact space. A condo in Ottawa features a sleek and stylish office and guest room.

When it comes to furniture shopping, I can usually decide what I want just based on function and room size. However, coordinating colors and styles isn’t my strong suit! With the paint and large furniture purchases out of the way, I turned to the Simply Blissful Color Collection for accessory and decor inspo. If you find you need a desk seating option that moves easily or can simply be rolled out of the space, try a backless desk stool. A rolling stool gives you adequate seating for your work hours and provides a moveable seating option for guests. A stool will draw less attention than a traditional rolling desk chair and allow the other elements of the room to command attention.