No matter how many beds you have in your home, there will come a time when you need an extra bed for an overnight guest. People who are clever enough to think of such things may have already furnished their home with sofa beds or blow-up mattresses, or might even have an office which can be turned into a guest room on short notice, but what about the rest of us?
A living room can be turned into a temporary bedroom for an overnight guest without too much disruption to your household. Simply by providing a comfortable bed and storage space for your guest, a living room can be used as a bedroom for a short or an extended stay.
When we have overnight guests and don’t have the space to accommodate them in their own private room, what can we do to give them their own space without making them feel that they have been squeezed in? Here are some fabulous ideas to create an overnight sleeping space for any guest – you may be tempted to keep the space as it is for your own breakaway area!
Can You Use a Living Room as a Temporary Bedroom?
Most of the time, an unexpected guest would sleep on the sofa. If you are trying to be a good host, you will give up your own bed for them to sleep in while you spend the night on the sofa!
But, if they are staying longer than one night, it will make sense to give them a cozy area of their own for the duration of their stay, and of course, you need your own bed for a comfortable night’s sleep! Neither of you should sleep on the sofa for longer than one night.
Either way, you can turn your living room space into very comfortable overnight guest quarters without too much expense. All it takes is some planning and perhaps rearranging some of the furniture.
How to Turn a Living Room Into a Temporary Bedroom
The idea of a temporary bedroom is not to disturb the space too much so that it can be returned to a living room area without too much trouble once the guest has left.
The problem with having overnight guests in your living room is just that – they are in your living area, so what do you do during the day when you need space other than your bedroom?
Creating a temporary guest space in your living room is easy to do.
Sleeping Ideas for Overnight Guests
Unexpected or short-term overnight guests will generally sleep on whatever you have available for them. They are usually only visiting for a night or two and will try not to disrupt your life at all. This is what you can do to provide your guest with a good night’s sleep.
A Sofa Bed
If you have a sofa bed in your living room, you can create a comfortable overnight space by adding fluffy pillows and clean bedding. Placing a side table or a chair with a lamp next to the bed will provide extra luxury for your guest.
A sofa bed can be packed away every morning and unpacked every night. An ideal way to provide both you and your guests with a living area during the day without much impact on your daily routine and life.
A Blow-Up Mattress
A blow-up mattress on the living room floor can be very comfortable. Fluffy pillows, clean sheets, and warm blankets will make them feel right at home! The downside to sleeping on the floor is that it could get drafty during the night so ensure that all windows and doors in the living room are closed.
A blow-up mattress is a large item to try and move out of any living space. If your guest is staying for longer than one or two nights, it might be best to allow them to use the space as their own for a day or two rather than trying to move the mattress or let it down in the morning and blow it up again at night.
Check out this article for more ideas: Best Temporary Beds for Guests
Sleeping Ideas for Longer-Staying Guests
A guest staying with you for longer than one or two nights will expect some privacy. Consider their privacy when setting up a sleeping area for them in your living room, and consider how much impact their space will have on your life.
If you can live without using your living room for a few days, turn it into a guest room rather than a guest space. How to rearrange your living area depends on the size of the guest bed and how much space you have available.
If you have to use the space as a dual-purpose room, try these ideas to accommodate your guests. Start with the guest bed and arrange the rest around that.
- If they are sleeping on a sofa bed, which will be packed away every morning, provide a private space for your guest to keep their belongings.
- Divide the room into separate living and sleeping areas using a room divider, a bookcase, or even move the furniture around to allow privacy for your guest. Try hanging a curtain from one side of the room to the other to provide separate sleeping space. There are great ideas on the internet on how to divide rooms temporarily for a short-term guest.
- Provide clean bedding, towels, and toiletries for your guest for the duration of their stay.
- Place a table next to the bed with a table lamp on it so that they don’t have to search for a light switch in the middle of the night.
- Your guest will need a place to accommodate their clothes and belongings. If you do have cupboard space, clear out some drawers for them or provide big storage tubs at the end of the bed. These can double as side tables if necessary.
- Provide coat hangers and hanging space for coats and jackets.
- Place a luggage rack at the foot of the bed for the guest to use as a make-shift table, with an ottoman next to it to be used as a seat. The ottoman can double as storage space.
Conclusion
Any space can be turned into a temporary bedroom by making a few adjustments to the area and adding a guest bed. Turning your living room into a temporary bedroom can be disruptive to your life, especially if your guest stays for longer than a few days.
By making minor changes to the living area, you can ensure a comfortable, enjoyable stay for both you and your guest. Mostly, all that any guest needs are a comfortable bed and a place to store their belongings while in town.
If you can provide what they need while allowing them some privacy in your home, then you have done a great job!
Related article: How to Hide a Spare Mattress
