The last time my mother- and father-in-law asked for my professional help, we made over their primary bedroom. We had such a good time that when it was time for them to give their guest bedroom a refresh, they flew me out to help them again. This was one of the last rooms in the house that hadn’t been touched since they moved in nine years ago. It was basically a blank box with a dated wallpaper border around the top of the ceiling.

The inspiration for the room came from a beautiful quilt that my mother-in-law’s friend had made for her. She loves the quilt and it was important to her that it work in the room. The quilt had many colours in it we could pull from, so that was no problem! We picked a beautiful pink from the quilt for the paint colour.

We talked about doing some sort of panelling in the space. But we had already done the picture frame molding in their bedroom, and board and batten or shiplap just didn’t feel right in their traditional home. So, we decided to do something else. A simple chair rail added just a bit of character to the room. We bought an inexpensive MDF from Home Depot to achieve this look.

Mom and Dad had already bought the dresser, bed, and nightstand before I arrived. So, all we had to do was buy the bedding, art, curtains, and accessories. Check out these before and afters!

It is a very small room, but Mom and Dad wanted to put a queen-size bed in for when they host couples. While the room is physically small, we made sure it was big on comfort and style. There is a place for a glass of water and a book on both sides of the bed, a place for luggage, and a space for getting ready in the morning.

Originally, Mom and Dad worried that a second nightstand would prevent the closet door from fully opening. However, I was able to find the perfect little cart that was small enough to allow the door to open AND still provide a nightstand for evening comfort for their guests.

We kept the existing blind but added soft linen-like curtains hung high and wide on either side of the window. This adds a really pretty, delicate layer without the need for art on either side of this window. There are a lot of walls in this little room, and too much art could be overwhelming.

We bought a few new accessories, but we also brought in some special pieces that already mean a lot to my in-laws. For example, we found a home for these two sweet prints that used to hang in my mother-in-law’s parents’ bedroom.

A really simple change we made to the dresser they bought was switching out the hardware. This transformed the piece from farmhouse to traditional, and made it perfect for the space. Hooks behind the door give guests a place to hang towels or robes, and the mirror gives them a place to get ready in the morning. The blanket ladder displays the beautiful quilt that inspired the whole room.

I love how the quilt and the artwork tie in together. There are so many beautiful colours in the art, and they are all reflected in the quilt.

This guest bedroom is a great example of what a big difference decorating can make. We took a blank white box, added some colour and some great furnishings and accessories, and created a beautiful guest room. I know I can’t wait to stay here the next time I am in town!

Want more bedroom inspiration? Check out this Warm and Neutral Bedroom and this Peaceful Main Bedroom.

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