A spare room holds endless potential. Whether it’s welcoming weekend visitors, housing a peaceful home office, or serving as a quiet sanctuary at the end of a long day, it’s one of the most versatile spaces in any home. However, because it isn’t always used daily, a spare bedroom can easily become an afterthought or a dumping ground for extra storage.
With a few thoughtful design choices, on-trend wallpapers, and clever layouts, you can turn an underused space into an inviting retreat.
Read on for inspiring spare bedroom decor ideas, plus expert styling tips from Helen Fraser, Managing Director at I Love Wallpaper.
Contents
- What to consider when designing a spare bedroom
- Spare bedroom decor ideas and tips
- Small guest bedroom ideas
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Frequently asked questions
What to consider when designing a spare bedroom
Camden Wave Wallpaper in Soft Grey and Silver
Before picking out paint swatches or wallpaper patterns, take a moment to plan your room’s function and layout so your spare bedroom decorating ideas deliver both style and practicality.
Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
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The function of the room — Consider how the space will be used day-to-day. Is it exclusively a guest sanctuary, a dedicated home office, or a hybrid room that needs to balance productivity with relaxation? Defining its main job makes choosing furniture and zoning walls much simpler.
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Layout and scale — Compact rooms benefit from low-profile furniture and subtle pattern scales that keep the room feeling open. Larger spare rooms, on the other hand, can easily support bold feature walls, dramatic prints, or extra seating options.
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Natural light levels — North-facing rooms with cooler natural light pair beautifully with warm neutrals, blush tones, or rich terracottas. Bright, south-facing spaces offer more flexibility, allowing you to experiment with deeper shades like green or navy blue.
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Smart storage solutions — Keep clutter at bay by incorporating clever storage. Built-in wardrobes, ottoman beds, or wall-mounted shelving give guests space to unpack without taking over the room.
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Cohesive colour flow — Think about how your decor for a spare bedroom connects to the neighbouring rooms and hallways. Carrying complementary undertones or echoing key wall textures helps create a smooth, harmonious flow throughout your home.
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Prepping your walls — Preparing the surface properly is the secret to a flawless, long-lasting finish. If your walls currently have old wallpaper, stripping it down and smoothing the surface first means your new paint or wallpaper goes on seamlessly. Need a helping hand? Our step-by-step blog on how to remove wallpaper will guide you through the process.
Spare bedroom decor ideas and tips
Create a calm and inviting guest retreat
Liquid Marble Wallpaper in Pink and Gold
When welcoming visitors into your home, your primary goal is to make them feel comfortable and at ease. Decorating with soft palettes, gentle organic patterns, and tranquil textures helps transform an ordinary room into a boutique-style guest sanctuary.
Helen says: “Guest bedrooms should feel like a little bit of luxury — think of it as a home away from home. Opting for botanical prints or soft textured wallpapers on an accent wall instantly creates a peaceful, restful tone without feeling too overwhelming.”
To complete the look, pair your feature wall with crisp white bed linen, a plush throw, and a warm bedside lamp that gives your guest a cosy space to unwind.
Design a multi-functional spare room office
If your spare room needs to double as a workspace, smart zoning is key. Combining a desk setup with a guest bed requires a balance between focus during the day and comfort during the night.
“Using wallpaper is one of the most effective ways to visually separate a home office within a bedroom,” explains Helen. “By hanging a statement print or classic panel-effect design behind your desk, you define the work area as its own distinct space. It creates a stylish backdrop for video calls, while keeping the rest of the room feeling relaxed.”
Look for slim, space-saving desks and modular shelving to keep your work essentials tidy when weekend guests arrive.
Experiment with relaxing colour inspiration
Romantic Roses Wallpaper in Soft Blue on White
The right palette sets the mood for the entire room. When looking for spare bedroom colour ideas, look toward soothing tones that encourage restfulness and quiet.
Soft sage greens, warm beige tones, delicate blues, and gentle blush pinks work exceptionally well in sleeping spaces. Blue, in particular, brings a soothing sense of calm and serenity, making it a timeless choice for both modern and traditional spare room designs.
If you prefer a more neutral base, warm ivory or taupe provides a sophisticated canvas that allows you to easily update your look over time with colourful cushions, artwork, and accessories.
Add architectural detail with panel-effect wallpaper
Contemporary Wood Slat Silvery Grey
Wall panelling is a popular way to introduce texture, depth, and character to a room, but traditional woodwork can be time-consuming and costly to install. Panel-effect wallpaper offers the same high-end, structured look with minimal effort.
“Panelling effect wallpaper adds instant sophistication to a spare room,” says Helen. “They bring a sense of architectural structure to plain, flat walls. Styling a panelled wallpaper design behind the headboard creates an eye-catching focal point that feels every bit classic.”
Pair panel designs with natural timber accents and brass fixtures for an elegant, elevated aesthetic.
Layer soft textures for affordable luxury
Camden Wave Wallpaper in Cream and Gold
Texture is what elevates a simple bedroom into an aspirational space. Layering different finishes creates warmth and depth, even within a minimal or neutral colour scheme.
“To make a room feel warm and thoughtfully designed, texture is essential,” explains Helen. “A subtly embossed or metallic texture wallpaper catches the light beautifully, adding dimension to the walls. You can layer in tactile fabrics like velvet cushions, faux-fur throws, and woven wool rugs to build a rich, inviting environment.”
Small guest bedroom ideas
A compact space doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style or comfort. In fact, smaller spaces offer a fantastic opportunity to showcase clever design choices.
With a few thoughtful decorating tips, you can make a compact spare room feel brighter, more spacious, and endlessly inviting for your visitors.
1. Draw the eye upwards with vertical stripes
Delicate Bows on Pinstripe Wallpaper in Pink
If your small guest bedroom has lower ceilings or a boxy footprint, vertical lines are a timeless design technique to alter the perceived proportions of the room.
Helen says: “Vertical stripe wallpapers naturally guide the eye upwards towards the ceiling, creating an instant illusion of extra height. Choosing muted tones like sage green, warm stone, or powder blue keeps the stripes looking sophisticated rather than overwhelming.”
To maximise the effect, hang curtains higher than the window frame, close to the ceiling line, reinforcing that sense of vertical height.
2. Frame the bed with a statement feature wall
Willow Leaf Panel Wallpaper in Green with Green Panel
In compact rooms, trying to style every wall with a pattern can quickly leave the room feeling crowded. Instead, focus your main design feature on the wall behind the bed to anchor the layout.
“A feature wall behind the headboard gives a small guest room a clear visual focal point the moment you step through the door,” says Helen. “It anchors the room around the bed, allowing you to introduce eye-catching florals, geometrics, or murals without overwhelming the rest of the space. Keep the remaining walls in a complementary paint shade to keep the look light and balanced.”
Find out more about decorating a feature wall with our blog.
3. Style around space-saving wall-mounted decor
Floor space is at a premium in smaller bedrooms, so swapping heavy, floor-standing furniture for wall-mounted alternatives is a smart way to keep the room feeling open and easy to move around.
Instead of bulk bedside tables and floor lamps, opt for floating shelves and wall-mounted sconces. Placing these fixtures against a textured wallpaper, such as a delicate linen or grasscloth effect, adds character and dimension while keeping floor space completely clear. It creates a sleek, space-efficient setup that feels tailored and practical.
For more inspiration and tips, read our small bedroom ideas.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a small spare bedroom feel larger?
To make a compact room feel wider and more expansive, focus on light-reflecting palettes and clever design choices. Soft neutrals, off-whites, and delicate pastels naturally bounce light around the room, making walls feel further apart.
Using vertical stripe wallpapers helps lift lower ceilings, while hanging a large wall mirror opposite a window reflects natural daylight into darker corners.
Keeping furniture low-profile and wall-mounted — such as floating bedside shelves instead of bulky tables — frees up visible floor area, which instantly gives a small guest room a more open, uncluttered feel.
What are the best colour ideas for a spare bedroom?
The best colour scheme depends on the room's orientation and the overall mood you want to create.
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Calming blues and greens — Muted blues and soft sage greens are classic choices for sleeping areas. They bring a tranquil, balanced quality to walls that suits both modern and traditional spare room design ideas.
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Warm neutrals — Shades like ivory, warm stone, and taupe offer an adaptable foundation. Neutrals work exceptionally well in north-facing rooms with cooler natural light, and they allow you to easily update your decor with colourful soft furnishings over time.
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Moody tones — Deeper shades such as navy blue or charcoal create a sophisticated, dramatic atmosphere when paired with metallic wallpaper details or warm brass lighting.
For more advice, read our bedroom colour ideas.
How can I style a guest bedroom on a budget?
Updating a spare room doesn't require a total renovation to achieve an aspirational, high-end finish. Focusing on key visual areas delivers the biggest impact for a modest investment.
Helen says: “You don’t need a complete redesign to transform an underused space. Wallpapering a single feature wall behind the headboard creates an immediate focal point that elevates the entire room. Pairing that feature wall with a fresh coat of complementary paint, crisp bed linen, and a stylish table lamp gives you an instant boutique look without a large price tag.”
