Livin Lodge Basement Remodel: Guest Room Ideas

To continue my series, Livin Lodge Basement Remodel, I need to talk about the guest room. This is a room that most people want to have but do not have room for in their normal living space. When it comes time to finish the basement, it is an obvious choice for an added room.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind before getting started. First of all, you will need to make sure you have egress windows that are of legal size. Check with your building inspector in you are unsure of the size required. If the windows are too small, you will have to consider whether or not you want to put more money into extra excavation and labor.

The second thing to consider is whether or not you are planning on putting in a bathroom or have rough plumbing already installed. It is a real good idea to have a bathroom close by for guests. If you already have rough plumbing, the job is fairly easy. If not, it will take some extra work but would be well worth the effort.

I have written a hub on finishing a bathroom where I give tips for layout. If you are going to have a guest bedroom and a bathroom, you may want to keep a drawer in the bathroom designated for guests. I like to have sample size toiletries available in case my guests forget anything.

A guest room should be cozy and made to make your guests feel welcome. It doesn't have to be real big since it is usually used for short time stays. Framing in a small closet would be nice for hanging clothes and storing luggage. Depending on the layout of your room, you may be able to build in some shelving or drawer space as well. Making use of any nooks or crannies you have, in that way, is a use of space.

A rustic decor helps to give a feeling of warmth. I like to keep a guest log book on the table that my friends and family can fill out each time they stay. There is a spot to note experiences, during the stay, which help to preserve memories!

Furnishing a guest room doesn't have to be expensive. I am the queen of recycling and decorating on a budget!

For this room, the bed is simply on a plain metal frame. To dress things up a little bit, we put a sliced piece of birch tree on the wall to act as a faux headboard. We flanked each side of the bed with handmade birch sconces for an additional rustic touch.

You can't see it in the picture, but the curtain rods are fairly straight tree branches that are about an inch and a half in diameter. The curtains are tab tops so they were easy to hang and much of the branch still shows through. I purchased antiqued brass rod hangers with leaf detail at the ends.

The "table" in the corner used to be a leftover kitchen cabinet. I painted it to give it the look of birch bark and then applied a wallpaper applique to the bottom. Then, I simply purchased a glass tabletop and placed it on! The cabinet opens up for storage.

The two stools used to have country heart cutouts on the back. I of course didn't want that look so I made cushioned backs and seats out of material with a birch tree print.

A closet for hang-ups and two shelves for extra storage completes the room. I keep plenty of extra blankets and pillows in the closet for guests to use.

If space allows, it would be a good idea to have a small dresser on hand for extra storage.  You never know when a mother in law may want to have an extended stay!