With the festive season approaching and plans being made to have family and friends to stay, I’ve been thinking about the guest bedroom. It’s often the room that gets the leftover furniture, then gradually fills with things we haven’t found a home for. Mine is currently crammed full of paintings, so I’m hardly in a position to judge!
There is a plan underway to give those paintings a new home, though, and I’m looking forward to redesigning the space. In the meantime, I’ve been thinking about the changes that make a guest room feel welcoming, whether someone is staying for Christmas or an ordinary weekend.
Art is often my starting point. A painting can suggest colours, give the room some character and help furniture collected over time feel connected. Add comfortable lighting, an extra blanket and somewhere to put your belongings, and the room begins to feel ready for someone to enjoy.
I’m Annalise Holasz, founder of Hue + Holasz. These are the guest-bedroom art ideas and finishing touches I’d consider when bringing the space together.
Bedroom by Studio Warnars
Start with a painting
If you’re decorating a guest bedroom from scratch, choosing the art early gives you something to work from. You might pick up a colour in the bedding, repeat a warm tone in a lampshade or choose furniture that sits beautifully with the frame.
You don’t need to match everything. One or two connections can be enough.
If the room is already decorated, look at the elements you’re keeping. Patterned curtains, a wooden bed or a favourite blanket can all help guide your choice of artwork. Think about what the room could use: more colour, something quieter or a piece with enough presence to give it a focus.
A guest room often contains furniture from different parts of the house. A painting can help those pieces feel like they belong together, without replacing things that are still useful.
What kind of art works well in a guest bedroom?
There’s no single subject you should choose. I’d look for something you enjoy and would be pleased to see each time you prepare the room for visitors.
A restful bedroom can still have interesting art. You don’t have to choose the palest or least noticeable painting simply because someone will be sleeping there.
Landscapes and coastal scenes for a sense of escape
A landscape can suggest somewhere beyond the room: open countryside, a harbour, a stretch of coast or a place that feels familiar.
Consider how the painting is made as well as what it depicts. A loosely painted seascape with lively brushwork brings something different from a detailed, quiet rural scene. Both could work beautifully, depending on the room and your taste.
These are particularly lovely subjects if you want guests to have something to enjoy while sitting in bed with a morning cup of tea.
Street scenes for colour and interest
I like a street scene in a guest bedroom because there’s often plenty to discover: little figures, windows, buildings and suggestions of everyday life somewhere else.
For my guest-bedroom edit, I chose The Old Quarter, an oil painting by Pierre-Luc Rousseau. Its soft pinks and earthy tones feel dreamy and restful, while the figures and architecture give it interest.
That combination appealed to me for this room. The colours are gentle, but the picture has life.
Still lifes and florals for smaller spaces
A still life can introduce colour without needing a large wall. Flowers, fruit or a tabletop arrangement might sit beautifully above a bedside table, beside a wardrobe or over a chest of drawers.
Look at the composition and colours rather than assuming every floral will feel delicate or traditional. Some are loose and bold; others are more detailed. There’s plenty of variety within the subject.
Nudes and figure paintings for something unexpected
A nude can work beautifully in a guest bedroom and makes a talking point. It’s one of those rooms where you can have a little fun with your choices.
You might choose a delicate drawing, a small painted study or a work with stronger colour. Consider the particular piece and how it relates to the room, rather than feeling you need to follow a rule about bedroom subjects.
Browse the nudes and figure paintings currently available at Hue.
Bedroom by Victoria Maria
Use the art to connect colours and materials
Once you’ve chosen a painting, look beyond its most obvious colour.
There might be a warm yellow in a building, a pink in the sky or a deep brown that connects with wooden furniture. Those smaller details can suggest additions that make the room feel considered.
In my guest-bedroom moodboard, The Old Quarter sits alongside a yellow glass lamp, a patterned Welsh blanket and a darker wooden chair. The painting gives the softer pieces a connection, while the chair adds a deeper tone.
The silver dish and green glass introduce different materials without needing to repeat the painting exactly. That mix is part of what makes a room interesting.
Art / Carafe / Geranium / Welsh Blanket / Chair / Lamp / Book / Dish / Room Spray
You can use this approach when refreshing an existing room too. Before buying new bedding or repainting, try moving in a blanket or lamp that picks up something from the art. You may need fewer changes than you thought.
What size artwork should you choose?
Bedroom by Molly Kidd
The right size depends on where the painting will go and what sits around it.
A small work can look wonderful on a narrow wall or above a bedside table. On a large wall above a substantial bed, it might need another painting alongside it—or a different position altogether.
Check the full framed measurements before buying. A closely cropped photograph can make a small painting appear much larger than it is.
Mark out the dimensions with paper or masking tape, then look from the doorway and from the bed. Include nearby lamps, furniture and anything else that will share the space.
The frame matters here too. A broad frame can give a small painting more presence, while a slender one creates a different effect.
Where should you hang art in a guest bedroom?
Think about both the view into the room and the view from the bed. The wall above the headboard may be the first place you consider, but guests won’t see it while they’re sitting up in bed.
Above the bed
A painting above the headboard can give the bed a focus. Consider the two together, including their width, shape and colour.
Test the hanging position so the painting feels connected to the bed, with enough space between the frame and headboard. Use fixings suitable for the wall and the artwork’s weight.
Above a chest of drawers
This is a useful place for art, especially if it can be enjoyed from the bed. A painting can give a chest of drawers a setting, with a lamp or a few objects below.
Leave some usable surface for guests. They’ll appreciate somewhere for a bag, toiletries or the things they’ve brought with them.
Beside the bed or above a chair
Smaller works can be lovely beside the bed or above a bedroom chair. These positions give art a more intimate setting and make use of walls that might otherwise be overlooked.
Check how the painting relates to the furniture. A bedside lampshade shouldn’t accidentally hide the part of the picture you most enjoy.
One painting or a group of smaller works?
Bedroom by Sarah Vanren
One painting can be enough to give a guest room its character. It’s a good option if you already have patterned wallpaper, colourful bedding or several pieces of furniture competing for attention.
A group of smaller works offers a different possibility. Two paintings hung vertically could suit a narrow wall; several might work above a chest of drawers.
They don’t need to share identical frames. Look for a connection through colour, subject or the way they feel together. Lay out the arrangement before hanging, and judge the group as a whole.
You can build it gradually. There’s no need to buy everything at once simply to finish the wall.
Finishing touches for a welcoming guest room
Once the art is in place, think through how someone will use the room. A few practical additions can make staying there much more comfortable.
A bedside light within reach
Guests should be able to read and turn off the light without getting out of bed. Check that the switch is easy to find and that a charging socket is accessible too.
Lighting is also an opportunity to introduce a shape or colour you love. The yellow mushroom lamp in my edit is useful, but it contributes to the room during the day as well.
An extra blanket
People have different preferences about sleeping temperature, and they won’t always want to ask for another layer.
Fold a blanket at the foot of the bed or leave it somewhere obvious. It can bring pattern and texture to simple bedding while giving guests a choice.
Space for clothes and luggage
Clear a surface, leave a few pretty hangers and make somewhere for a suitcase. A wooden chair can be useful for putting on shoes or laying out clothes, but avoid filling a small room so much that there’s nowhere to move. Making space can be the most effective improvement of all.
Water and something to enjoy
Fresh water and a glass beside the bed save someone having to ask or explore your kitchen at night.
A book to flick through and a few individually wrapped chocolates make a lovely welcome. A small dish can hold the chocolates on arrival, then become somewhere for rings, earrings or a watch.
These details show that you’ve thought about the person coming to stay.
Refreshing the guest bedroom before Christmas
If visitors are arriving soon, focus on changes you can comfortably finish.
Clear the room, check the bedding and lighting, and decide whether a painting could improve a wall that currently feels unfinished. You may already have something elsewhere in the house that would work beautifully.
The aim is a room someone can settle into. Art brings the character; the practical details help them feel at home.
For the pieces I’d choose, explore Be My Guest: The Guest Bedroom Edit, with a painting, textiles, lighting and a few little treats brought together in one place.
Find art for your guest bedroom
A guest bedroom is still part of your home. Choose art you’ll enjoy between visits, particularly if the room also serves as an office or somewhere you spend time yourself.
At Hue, I select vintage original paintings for modern homes, including landscapes, coastal scenes, still lifes and figure paintings. You can start with a piece you love and let the rest of the room develop around it.
Browse the vintage paintings currently available at Hue.
Written by Annalise Holasz, founder of Hue + Holasz, based in Bath.
