Double duty: Home office and guest room

February 2, 2010 · Posted in Office design ideas

In many homes there is a room in the house that serves more than one function. In these spaces it’s important to consider all the ways the room will be used when it’s time to settle on a design. Here are some design ideas that will help your home office pull double duty as a guest room…

Sleeper sofa. Get a sleeper sofa for your guest room/office. It can serve as a great place to sit and read, and pull out into a bed for overnight guests. Before making a purchase be sure to measure your room to ensure that the bed will fit when pulled out. If there’s not enough room to pull out a bed, consider getting a sofa that, when the back cushions are removed, is the same depth as a twin bed. This is true of a sofa like the Ava.
Storage ottoman. This is a great piece to serve double duty in your double duty room. Use it as a flat surface for papers or books when the space is being used as an office, and store linens, pillows and other guest items inside for later. Be sure to check the weight of the piece. You don’t want it to be too heavy assuming you may have to move it out of the way when guests stay overnight.
Wall-mounted shelving. Instead of a more traditional bookshelf that rests on the floor, consider wall-mounted shelving for your room design. This way you get linear space to store items without taking up floor space.

Do you have a home office that also serves as a guest room? How have you made it work for you?