Sometimes you have to let things “shake out.” John rolled his eyes as I dashed back and forth from the guest room all day, trying “one more thing” here and there. I love that final stretch of tweaking—adding this, subtracting that—and seeing how small changes transform a room. We shared yesterday’s in-progress photos to show how a few adjustments in the last 24 hours can make a meaningful difference. Not a dramatic overhaul, but enough to step back and say: There. Done. For now, at least.
I’ll probably be back in there soon, hanging art above the chairs or swapping the bookcase for a proper dresser once we find the right one. We’d also like to add crown molding and a handful of other updates over time, but those are projects for another day—my mom and stepdad arrive in just a few hours. Here’s what the guest room looks like after we picked up three affordable items from Target yesterday afternoon.
The three purchases:
- a large faux-leather tray ($24)
- a round oil-rubbed bronze mirror ($49)
- a green table lamp ($19)
Yesterday’s to-do list included balancing the big window with something above the bed (hence the round mirror) and adding a nightstand and lamp (hence the lamp and a tray that we attached to the green luggage rack we thrifted last week).
I first repaired the luggage rack straps with thick brown ribbon and a staple gun.
Then John suggested using Command removable adhesive strips to attach the tray securely to the luggage rack in a way that’s stable but easily undone when needed.
We placed the luggage-rack-turned-side-table next to the bed and set the green lamp on it.
We hung the oil-rubbed bronze mirror above the bed to balance the window and add a focal point.
Next we decided to bring in a leather storage bench from the playroom to sit at the foot of the guest bed.
Replacing the patterned brown blanket with the more classic brown ottoman simplified the look and added function: a place to sit, store linens, set down bags, or lay out magazines for guests. Function wins—especially ottomans.
Knowing guests would want a place to charge phones, I brought a ceramic stool from the sunroom and placed it between two chairs, moved slightly apart so the outlet is easy to reach. Cellphone charging central. Note: I removed a small blue vase to make more room for devices.
I also swapped the faux sheepskin for two yellow pinwheel pillows to balance the seating area. We still plan to hang art above these chairs someday, but this setup feels more finished for now.
Here’s another look at the room, including a charming $1.25 closet door pull and an empty closet with wood hangers ready for guests:
I’m pretty sure my mom would sleep on the floor to be near Clara, so she might not notice curtains, walls, or bedding—she’ll be busy doting on our little helper.
Speaking of Clara, here she is supervising while we hung the mirror above the bed.
She already appreciates rugs and accessories—gotta love that.
For transparency, here’s the budget breakdown for the guest bedroom and adjoining bathroom updates:
- Olympic Premium No-VOC primer: $12
- Olympic Premium No-VOC paint (color matched to Martha Stewart’s Plumage): $22
- Target bedskirt: $10
- Ikea curtains: $76 (approximately $19 per panel)
- Target curtain rods: $18
- Hobby Lobby closet knob: $1.25 (50% off)
- Target oil-rubbed bronze mirror: $49
- Target tray for luggage rack: $24
- Target table lamp: $19
- Target shower curtain: $20
- Target bathmat: $20
- Target Waterpik showerhead: $14
- Home Depot toilet seat: $12
- TOTAL: $297.25
Working with items we already owned—like the DIY headboard, existing linens, two slipper chairs, ceramic drum stool, yellow Pottery Barn rug, and an old bookcase—kept costs well below a $1,000 budget. If you include the $488 bed purchase, the grand total is $785.25. Now we just need to do a quick vacuum and dust before my mom arrives and inevitably steals Clara for the weekend. Our family didn’t pick her as “Most Likely to Steal Clara” for nothing.
