Design a Dreamy Guest Room That is Versatile

Impress visitors with a well-designed and versatile guest room in your timber home.

Design a Dreamy Guest Room That is Versitile

1. Make a Big Impression

If your timber home will play host to an array of out-of-town visitors, you’ll want their space to make the same kind of impression that the rest of your home will. A covered (or screened) “sleeping porch” and a private bathroom with spa-like amenities will leave them feeling pampered and refreshed.

2.Take Advantage of the Space

Take advantage of space that’s already built in to your home — especially on the upper level. “Dormers add headroom, natural light and ventilation, while the purlins and valleys used in their construction add interesting details,” Lippert says.

3. Design for Dual-Purposes

Because this room is only used occasionally, it can serve double duty — as a home office, for example. If this kind of dual-purpose room is in your future, Salant offers this advice: “Carefully plan where your computer workstation will go. Keep your printer and bookcases near the computer, and position your monitor to avoid screen glare. Use high-quality office furnishings; if you work from home, you’ll spend a considerable amount of time here so make yourself comfortable.”

4. Be Mindful of the Views

Kylloe elaborates on the home-office theme. “Place the guest room/home office far from the main living quarters to avoid excess noise and disturbances. Keep in mind that an office with a great view can be distracting, but balance this fact with what you’ll want guests to see when they visit.”

5. Long and Narrow Guest Rooms Are Key

“Make a guest room/home office long and narrow; this allows a bed on one end to face the view window, and it provides enough space for a freestanding table and chair on the other,” Carr adds. “The table, which can be used for doing paperwork, should have 3 feet of clearance on all sides. Bulky furniture such as computer stations should go along walls that don’t offer a view.”