How to make a guest bedroom look more expensive – interior designers share their secrets

Give a guest bedroom five-star luxury without the attached spend. These are the tricks designers use

How to make a guest bedroom look more expensive
(Image credit: Future)

A guest bedroom that offers comfort and style makes visitors feel welcome and at ease. It can provide homeliness along with the luxe of a top hotel in a winning combination.

Creating a look that says luxury could weigh heavily on your pocket but it is possible to make a guest bedroom look expensive without a major outlay. Interior designers know how to execute bedroom ideas that look high-end without a large spend.

These guest bedroom ideas from the professionals deliver luxe looks and a cozy feel without betraying the fact that they didn’t come at a high price.

8 ways to make a guest bedroom look more expensive

What makes a home look expensive is a result of careful curation rather than what you spend. It’s a matter of choosing the right materials along with attention to how the space is dressed, and the strategies are really no different for a guest bedroom than any other space. This is what you need to know. 

1. Opt for a cohesive color scheme

Blue and pale orange bedroom with velvet headboard

(Image credit: Future/Anna Stathaki)

Start with the color combination to give a guest bedroom elevated style. ‘Opting for a cohesive color scheme can make the room feel curated and intentional,’ explains interior designer Artem Kropovinsky. 

‘Choose two to three main shades and weave them throughout the room; a harmonious blend communicates luxury more than a hodgepodge of hues.’ he explains. Using a color wheel will enable you to see how colors relate to one another when selecting bedroom color ideas that will create an expensive look. 

Artem Kropovinsky
Artem Kropovinsky

Based in New York, Artem Kropovinsky, founder of Arsight, has a decade of extensive and considerable global design experience. Prioritizing minimalism, sustainability, and authenticity, Artem, alongside his team of professionals, works on projects in the US and worldwide.

2. Add accents

Bedroom with floral wallpaper and large rug

(Image credit: Kati Curtis)

Accent colors add impact and interest to any room, and for luxe style in a guest bedroom, it’s worth considering gold or silver.

‘Decorative accents in gold or silver add a rich, opulent touch to the design,’ explains Amber Dunford, style director at Bed Bath & Beyond. ‘Warm, yellow gold is the perfect contrast to neutral furniture, while bright silver highlights the room with subtle luster. Add some throw pillows with gold or silver accents to the bed to set the mood for a glam look.’

Amber Dunford
Amber Dunford

Amber Dunford is the style director at Bed Bath & Beyond and a design psychologist.

3. Put the focus on the bed

Guest bedroom with yellow wallpaper, table lamp and artwork

(Image credit: Cat Dal Interiors)

The bed is the centerpiece of a guest bedroom and bed ideas here should signal comfort as well as luxury. The room might require a new bed, but it’s also possible to make a bed you already own a more impressive focal point by selecting from chic headboard ideas.

‘A high-quality, statement bed or headboard instantly elevates the look of a room,’ explains Alison Lange, owner of Honey Mercantile. ‘You can’t go wrong with the timeless appeal of a Chesterfield upholstered bed, either tufted or untufted.’

4. Select luxe bedding

bedroom with bed, pillows and nightstand

(Image credit: Future PLC)

For an expensive look and feel, it’s vital to focus on the bed linens as well as the bed in a guest bedroom. ‘Bedding can make or break the perception of a room,’ says Artem Kropovinsky. ‘Invest in high thread count sheets and quality duvet covers. The feeling of crisp, luxurious linens immediately suggests a high-end space.’

Celebrity interior designer Nate Burkus emphasizes that both the quality of the bedding and the styling of the bed count. ‘The key to creating a luxury, hotel-like experience for your guest room, for the holidays and beyond, is to add texture and layers,’ he says. ‘And pay attention to the small details. The first place to start is with crisp, white sheets… nothing feels more luxe.’ Nate’s own Nate Home 200 Thread Count Cotton Sheets are available from Amazon.  

‘I love then stacking four standard pillows and two to three decorative throw pillows, so the bed looks really full and cozy,’ Nate says. ‘Add a chunky knit throw like the Nate Home by Nate Berkus Signature Collection Chunky Knit Throw to the foot of the bed to finish off the look and make it feel extra luxe.’

5. Look to lighting

Neutral guest bedroom with chandelier

(Image credit: Future)

Bedroom lighting ideas play an important role in creating the right atmosphere as well as making the space practical and ensuring guests can comfortably perform tasks such as reading, and dressing. Lighting choices can also help make the space look more expensive.

‘Elevate the room with a statement light fixture, whether it’s a chandelier or a sculptural table lamp,’ says Artem Kropovinsky. ‘Lighting isn’t just functional – a well-chosen piece can serve as the crown jewel of a room, drawing attention and evoking opulence.’

6. Dress windows beautifully

Guest bedroom with mix of pattern

(Image credit: Future)

Focus on bedroom window treatments for a guest room to give it a high-end finish. ‘Hang your curtains from floor to ceiling regardless of the size of the windows,’ says Alison Lange. ‘This designer trick adds drama and elegance.’ 

‘Use quality curtain rods and hardware,’ she continues. ‘I recommend using heavier weight fabric like velvet to achieve an expensive look.’

7. Curate wall decor

Beige bedroom with pink bedding and yellow artwork

(Image credit: Future/Mary Wadsworth)

Bedroom wall decor is as important for a guest bedroom as it is for a principal, adding individuality and style. For a look that’s expensive but costs less? 

‘Rather than filling walls with numerous pieces, choose one or two impactful artworks,’ suggests Artem Kropovinsky. ‘A thoughtfully selected, large-scale piece can set a luxurious tone, making the room feel like a private gallery.’

8. Choose an eye-catching mirror

pale blue bedroom with a mirror over the bed

(Image credit: James Merrell)

A guest space is no place to be modest with bedroom mirror ideas. ‘Finish your space with an attention-grabbing wall mirror,’ says Amber Dunford. ‘Look for a mirror that boasts a bold, eye-catching shape like a sunburst frame with crystal details.’

Alison Lange agrees. ‘A statement mirror can add elegance and serve as a focal point,’ she says. ‘An opulent mirror can look expensive with actually being expensive.’

Consider, too, additional reflective surfaces, Amber Dunford recommends. ‘Use mirrored furniture to add depth and shine to the room. Mirrored nightstands and dressers create a multi-layered look that’s both chic and sophisticated,’ she says.

FAQs

How do you make a guest bedroom look luxurious?

For a guest bedroom that looks luxurious be sure to keep it free of unnecessary items and weigh up the merits of every piece that will be part of the room. ‘Prioritize the contribution each item makes to the overall design scheme and eliminate clutter,’ says Alison Lange, owner of Honey Mercantile. This will also allow guests space for their own belongings so they don’t feel as if they are living from a suitcase. And think, too, of the thoughtful touches that can be added: toiletries and a display of fresh flowers (provided visitors don’t have allergies).


Luxury bedroom ideas don’t have to come with a high price tag, and following the lead of designers can create a look that seems more expensive than it really is. Suggest elevated style through sight and the sense of touch with bedroom rug ideas for comfort underfoot, and faux fur for chairs and beds. ‘Soft and luxurious, faux fur plays on tactile senses to encourage relaxation and inspire comfort,’ says Amber Dunford.

Sarah Warwick
Contributing Editor

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor. Previously executive editor of Ideal Home, she’s specialized in interiors, property and gardens for over 20 years, and covers interior design, house design, gardens, and cleaning and organizing a home for H&G. She’s written for websites, including Houzz, Channel 4’s flagship website, 4Homes, and Future’s T3; national newspapers, including The Guardian; and magazines including Future’s Country Homes & Interiors, Homebuilding & Renovating, Period Living, and Style at Home, as well as House Beautiful, Good Homes, Grand Designs, Homes & Antiques, LandLove and The English Home among others. It’s no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house renovator.