Try One Of These Alternatives To A Standard Bed When Designing Your Guest Room

Unless you have frequent long-term guests, chances are your guest room is empty more often than not. And unless you've got more space in your house than you know what to do with, chances are that room could come in handy for hobbies, work, fitness, or other day-to-day uses when guests aren't in town. But it's hard to make the most of a small guest room with a standard bed taking up so much space. 

The average guest bedroom in the U.S. is between 132 and 144 square feet. That's plenty of room to fit guest bedroom essentials like a full- or queen-size bed, a nightstand, and a dresser. But you'd have to get creative to add, for example, an office or workout area without the space feeling overcrowded. The bed will still dominate the room, and realistically, it can be hard to get into a productive "zone" when you're in a bedroom. At the same time, you don't necessarily want to relegate your loved ones to an air mattress when they come to visit. Luckily, these days there are tons of other options. Instead, try an alternative like a sleeper sofa, daybed, Murphy bed, folding bed, or loft bed.

Rather than a standard bed, you can't go wrong with a stylish sleeper sofa that serves as cozy seating until it's time for guests to visit. Sleeper sofas come in many more styles than they used to, with a range of folding mechanisms that are easy to use — and they can be pretty comfortable now, too. To save even more space, look for a sleeper armchair, recliner, or loveseat. Other guest bed options that convert from seating to a sleeping area include daybeds, bean bag beds, and futons.

If you'd prefer to fold the bed away entirely, consider a Murphy bed, which folds up into the wall, or a cabinet bed, which folds into a free-standing cabinet. Some of these even double as desks when folded, like this Xtraroom Avalon Murphy Bed from Wayfair, and many Murphy beds include storage as well. However, they can be pricey. You can also opt for a simple folding or rollaway bed that you store when it's not needed. Traditional folding beds roll on wheels and fold in half, and some foam mattresses fold or roll up for easier storage, like this Mlily Trifold Mattress from Amazon.

Lastly, if you don't want to deal with moving beds or converting furniture for guests, your best bet is a loft bed. These can live in the guest room all year round without the added benefit of doubling your floor space. Just make sure your guests are comfortable sleeping up there.