FYI Magazine

How to create extra space for guests

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Homeowners who enjoy entertaining frequently sometimes host overnight guests. While many hosts and hostesses have spare bedrooms for overnight or long-term guests, many others do not. But those among the latter group willing to get a little creative can find more places for overnight guests to rest their heads.

• Sofa: Living room or den sofas can double as bedding for overnight guests. As a short-term solution, a night or two on the couch can be comfortable enough. Be sure to cover the sofa with freshly laundered sheets and provide those amenities one would expect in a guest space. Access to a television, a reading lamp, a fan for some white noise and a table on which to place a phone or alarm clock are helpful to have. Such items will make guests more comfortable. If your living room or family room has a door that can be closed, this will help create more privacy for guests.
• Convertible bed: Marketed frequently under the brand name Murphy Bed, convertible beds can incorporate sleeping options into rooms with limited space. This furniture essentially is a bed that folds vertically or horizontally into a frame. When closed, the bed can look like a decorative storage closet or armoire. Some convertible beds come with bookcase accessories to expand storage space and also make the piece look like a more cohesive unit. Designers also have experimented with these beds, and some transform from a desk or even from a low-lying bookshelf or bench into a bed.
• Sofa bed or chair: Sofa beds and chairs have a fold-out bed nestled beneath their cushions. Depending on the size of the couch, a twin, full or queen-sized bed may be housed within. Sofa beds vary in regard to their comfort levels, so prospective hosts should investigate their options to ensure guests have the most comfortable sleeping situations possible. A bed in a couch can turn an office or living space into a guest sanctuary in a matter of minutes. In addition, some sofa beds also have extra space built within for storing blankets and pillows. Many popular furniture retailers offer couch brands that can be equipped with a bed. And if space is especially tight, consider a convertible chair that has a twin-sized bed tucked away.
• Bunk beds: Bunk beds may seem like child's play, but they make great use of vertical space. Share a kid's room with your son or daughter and let the guest take your own bedroom. Otherwise, equip a home office with bunk beds and have two more sleeping spaces available.

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