5 Tips for Painting A Guest Bedroom

Whenever we have overnight guests, we try to make a good impression. We want our guests to know we appreciate their visit, so we attempt to make their stay as pleasant as we can. One of the most effective ways to show our gratitude is the effort we spend on our guest room. Today, we will offer five tips for painting a guest room that will result in a serene and enjoyable visit.

Earth Tones

Earth tones might be the safest color to use in a guest room. Most new homes are painted beige for a reason. Earth tones are inviting, easy to match, and tend to more easily hide dirt and grime. Carpet colors also tend to be available to match virtually any earth tone, as are most laminates and hardwoods. All of these benefits make painting a guest room in earth tones a safe bet.

Keep it Serene

Visits from friends and relatives typically occur during holidays and special events where many people gather. We should remember that traveling is often stressful, and our guests will probably appreciate a quiet, serene place to sleep. Most professionals suggest using lighter shades in guest rooms, especially if the windows in the room are small. Light colors tend to equal light moods, so when rooms are starved of natural light, light colors tend to amplify whatever light is available.

Plan Ahead

This might seem obvious, but when refreshing the paint in a guest room it is always a good idea to finish the work a day or two before guests arrive. All too often, we try to get extra cleaning, decorating, and repainting done just in the nick of time. Unfortunately, cleaning products and paint odors can be strong in a small room like a guest bedroom room, fouling the air. A good way to avoid the time crunch is to plan the project ahead and break it into smaller chunks that are easier to manage. For example, give yourself extra time by starting a week earlier and getting some of the prep work done, like taping and sanding. With proper ventilation, paint odors usually dissipate in a day and sometimes one day makes all the difference.

Use the Lighting

Lastly, the pros suggest using the lighting in the room to accent or amplify the paint scheme in a guest room. In most situations, the lighting is permanently located so we work with what is available. If the room is on the small side with an overhead fixture, the lighting tends to be harsh. One way to tone down this effect is to avoid using semi-gloss or high gloss paint. Flatter sheens like eggshell and satin tend to do a better job of scattering overhead lighting, especially on the ceiling.

Develop a Theme

One of the best ways to share your life experiences with your guests is with the theme of the guest room. While basic guest rooms do the job, spending a little time coordinating the room’s paint with its decorations can pay big dividends. For example, if a relative was a fisherman, displaying old photos along with ocean-themed artwork might look best against a complementary color like blue or green versus a plain white wall. An additional step might add light browns to trim work, completing the theme.