It would be tremendously helpful if we all lived in homes with extra bedrooms and space for a home office, but regrettably many of us do not. So what happens? We do what I call the guest room – home office shuffle. It is the attempt to create a space that is viable for working in, and for accommodating houseguests all in one foul swoop. Issues begin with how much of it should involve bedroom furniture, and how much should be dedicated to office furniture. From here, comes more balancing and illusionary tactics to make things look cohesive.

In my opinion, unless you really know how to streamline, rely on the advice of the professional designers to accomplish this challenging feat. They have been there and done that multiple times, and have learned what will and will not work through trial and error. In addition, they have had the knowledge of predecessors passed down to them. You are bound to come across some tips that will aid you in transforming your room into a place that serves dual roles in an effective way and attractive manner.

When I set out to change the extra bedroom in our house from the catchall space it had become, I looked at a bunch of different articles, and programs to identify exactly what I wanted, and how to get it. And what I learned was that the very first thing, and one that is an absolute must is that you remove every single thing from the room. This is how you break free from the confusion of whether it is or is not ok to put things in this space that really belong elsewhere. This will help you to define that this is not a storage closet; it is a fully functioning, purposeful area.

Another very practical tip that worked amazingly well for me was to purchase items for the room in stages. Just think about it, you will have just emptied out the very space you were using as storage, so there is even less space for accumulating things. And, you definitely do not want to begin collecting things that will clutter up the room, and thus your vision. So, buy what you require when you need it.

Lastly, I learned how important it is to evaluate exactly what it is you need from the room. If the only people you expect to use it as a bedroom are kids for sleepovers then inflatable beds are an option. Or if your younger brother just needs a place to crash some nights after his band plays in town, then a sleeper chair could be a nice option. On the other hand, if your great great grandfather will be a regular visitor, then you need to consider sofa beds. Like I said it is a balancing act.