11 Paint Colors To Make Your Guests Feel At Home

2021 Idea House Guest Bedroom in Yellow
Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez; Styling: Page Mullins

We all want our guests to feel at home when they visit. Whether you have family or friends staying with you, you can ensure that the space they're staying in feels like their own by adding personal touches around the room. Another great way to spruce up a guest bedroom is by adding a fresh coat of paint. Choosing a paint color doesn't have to be a stressful process: Consider whether you'd use a potential paint color in other parts of your house and if it fits the atmosphere that you are trying to create for your guests. We've got ideas for colors that are bold, serene, warm, or bright so you can set the right mood. Check out our favorite guest bedroom colors for inspiration for your next home project.

01 of 11

Soothe With Pale Blue

2019 Idea House Resource Guide Guest Bedroom
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

Get the Look: Lullaby by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9136) on the walls with High Reflective White by Sherwin Williams (SW 7757) on the trim.

A soothing blue color like Lullaby will have your guests counting sheep in no time. Designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas used Meg Braff Designs, LLC, Southwind wallpaper on the ceiling to bring out more soft blues in this cozy and light guest bedroom. The color palette in the guest bedroom of our 2019 Idea House was inspired by the coastal art hanging over the bed.

02 of 11

Frame White With Painted Trim

2019 Idea House Queen Guest Bedroom
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

Get the Look: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams (SW 7008) on the walls and crown molding, with Jasper Stone by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9133) on the window trim, plus Sea Salt by Sherwin-Williams (SW 6204) on the ceiling.

If you're looking for a toned-down approach to color, switch your typical white trim for a sea green and mirror it with a lighter green on the ceiling. "I love a room with painted trim. It reminds me of Colonial Williamsburg houses," says Virginia-born Hillegas.

03 of 11

Accentuate Moody Greens

Idea House 2020 Guest Bedroom with Warm Neutral Colors
Robbie Caponetto; Styling: Kendra Surface

Get the Look: Momentum by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9530) on the walls and trim with Simple Stone by Sherwin-Williams (SW-9521) on the ceiling and crown molding.

This mountain home was inspired by its natural surroundings, including in the guest bedroom. Let the natural light that streams into your guest room play off cozy shadows created by this comforting marsh green by Sherwin-Williams. "My vision came from the views outside the windows of the house," says interior designer Lauren Liess.

04 of 11

Go For Sunny And White

2021 Idea House Guest Bedroom in Yellow
Marta Xochilt Perez; Styling: Page Mullins

Get the Look: Cotton by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9581) on the walls, ceiling, and trim with Arrowroote by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9502) on the doors.

An off-white shade is perfect for this light-drenched guest room in Kentucky. A bright sunny color like this yellow headboard from LEE Industries will draw your guests' eyes to focal points in the room. The yellow accents add cheer to an otherwise serene space without overpowering it.

05 of 11

Contrast With A Bold Brown

2021 Idea House Brown Bedroom
Marta Xochilt Perez; Styling: Page Mullins

Get the Look: Tea Leaf by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9604) on the walls with Cotton by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9581) on the ceiling, trim, and door.

Make a stark contrast in your guest bedroom by pairing warm-toned white furniture with a darker color. This will keep the room feeling cozy and intimate without making it feel cramped. Plus, the deep Tea Leaf walls really make the whites in the artwork pop.

06 of 11

Warm Up With Spicy Colors

2018 Idea House in Austin, Texas Guest Bedroom
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Get the Look: Cavern Clay by Sherwin-Williams (SW 7701)

Make your guest bedroom as inviting as possible with a spicy clay paint color. It's an easy balance of earth tones mixed with a bold color to incorporate a touch of personal style into a room. The rawhide tone feels utterly fitting in this Texas home.

07 of 11

Accent The Ceiling

Andrew Howard Home Decorated for Christmas Blue and Red Guest Bedroom
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Liz Strong

Get the Look: Sonoma Skies by Benjamin Moore (737)

Interior designer Andrew Howard believes a rarely used guest bedroom offers opportunities to experiment. For his guest bedroom, Howard painted a bold ceiling color to match the hues in the vibrant wallpaper. "It felt like a smoother transition than having just white," he says. The result is surprising and will leave your guests feeling like they're on a coastal retreat.

08 of 11

Try A Cozy Green

Green guest room with twin beds decorated for Christmas with greenery and bottle brush trees.
Marta Pérez; Styling: Vero Designs

Get the Look: Calke Green by Farrow & Ball (No. 34)

Jordan Kruse and James Hewlette's guest room is ready any time of year with this sagey green, which extends to the trim and windows. The color fits their Charleston home's relaxed English country house vibe, along with the cozy throw. A signature green also easily adapts to holiday decorations.

09 of 11

Use Complimentary Paint Colors

Blue Bedroom with Twin Beds
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Get the Look: Niebla Azul by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9137) on the walls with Blustery Sky by Sherwin-Williams (SW 9140) on the trim.

Use a slightly darker trim color to accentuate the walls in your spare room. These light and dark blue paints with gray undertones will compliment any neutral palate for bedding and curtains. Tennessee's Stephanie Sabbe of Sabbe Interior Design chose the trim color for its historic feel. "My favorite homes were built in the early 1900s, and pure white trim was not really the thing back then," she says. "This home has a Victorian architectural feel, so we ran with that."

10 of 11

Paint An Airy White

Nicola McLaughlin San Antonio, TX Home Guest Bedroom
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Get the Look: Marshmallow by Sherwin-Williams (SW 7001) on the walls with Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball (No. 239) on the trim.

These off-white shades add the slightest bit of warmth to bedroom walls with all the brightness of true white, but without the blinding morning light reflection. The scalloped pillows and light fixture make guests feel like they're floating in the clouds. Texas interior designer Nicola McLaughlin used this palette throughout her San Antonio house to create a seamless and airy feel.

11 of 11

Soothe With Gray

Mountain House Main Bedroom with Gray Walls and Red Accents
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox

Get the Look: Cromarty (No. 285) by Farrow & Ball

Interior designer Whitney Gregor painted the wood paneling in this Greenville, South Carolina fixer-upper a calming gray. This muted shade is anything but cold, with just a touch of green to warm it up. She gave her peaceful guest room "a little zing" by adding fabrics with bold patterns and red detailing.

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