Many rooms in your home can multitask as a guest room. You may not be able to create a five-diamond hotel room from your sewing room or home office, but given a few organizational tools and a touch of creativity, you can create a room that suits your needs and the needs of your holiday guests.
Organization is at the top of the list when it comes to preparing a multi-functioning room. If you suspect the room’s closet may soon explode or that towers of boxes lining the walls may soon topple over, perhaps it’s time to look into storage options.
Premier Garage in Woodinville has built a reputation around using high quality organizational products that are pleasing to the eye. Their tools can help you turn the chaos of a cluttered room into highly functional storage in your garage.
Susan Krusee, owner, and her associate, Wade Anderson, regularly design garage makeovers using cabinetry and specialty organizers. The company’s lineup of space savers includes ski racks, bike hoists, tool organizers and a HyLoft overhead garage storage system.
According to Anderson, “The HyLoft system is great for things you use seasonally, such as Christmas decorations, camping gear and luggage.” The heavy duty organizer is rated to hold 300 pounds and has more than 60 cubic feet of storage capacity.
For easy access storage, consider updating your garage with a highly functional cabinet system. “What is different about our cabinets is they are fully enclosed, fully backed and mount several inches off the ground so there’s never any chance of water damage if you have a leaking water heater,” Krusee said. The cabinets are available with a bypass sliding door system, can be mounted to studs, concrete or drywall and are available in white, maple, bronze and pewter.
Premier Garage also sells a residential floor coating system that is green-built certified and more durable than the epoxy finishes on the market. “It’s a two-day application that returns the garage to service in 24 to 48 hours,” Anderson said. The coating doesn’t absorb liquid or oil and is easy to clean, making it a perfect finishing touch for your garage.
“We do nice enough garages that people often use our garages for entertaining,” Krusee said. “We have one customer who sets up tables for wine tastings in his garage.” Other customers have used their updated garages for poker parties, teen parties, dances and holiday entertaining.
Dan Krpan of Organized Spaces in Kirkland also has a few organizational tricks up his sleeve.
From work spaces to entertainment centers, closet organizers to clothes hampers, Krpan noted you can choose a number of organizational tools to create a functional room for you and a comfortable space for your guests.
The solutions for your room depend entirely on the space and your needs. For the crafter, a movable island is ideal to house paints, fabric and scrapbook supplies.
When guests arrive, the island can be moved to the corner of the room or to a different part of the house, thus creating room for sleeping arrangements.
In any room, a wall-mounted valet works great as a mini-closet for guests, pull-out bins or decorative cubes can store children’s toys, and a simple desk can serve as a vanity. To further enhance your guest’s stay, Krpan suggested closet additions that include an ironing board that swivels out, a retractable mirror that sits out of sight when not in use, and a gift wrapping center that includes a selection of seasonal papers, ribbons, cards and gift tags.
When adding storage pieces to a room, you can create a designer look by choosing rich finishes, attractive millwork and elegant hardware. “You can really customize the pieces to specific depths,” Krpan said. “You can mix and match pieces and finishes to create anything.”
One of the most popular guest-room features at Organized Spaces is the wall bed, which, when hidden away, takes up only 16 inches of floor space against the wall.
The wall bed, originally known as the Murphy bed, came into existence in the early 1900s. The first of the folding beds was built into a dressing closet using a pivot system that allowed the bed to be lowered from its vertical storage position into a sleeping position.
Today’s wall beds can still be built into a wall or closet, but more and more they are incorporated into a designer piece of furniture.
In the Organized Spaces showroom, a wall bed is displayed within a beautiful piece of cabinetry. According to Krpan, the cabinetry built around the wall bed can be customized with your choice of door style and finish. The unit can also be customized with a drop down desk built into the door. Once the wall bed is stored, the drop down desk can be positioned to create an instant work space.
“You can do all kinds of creative things with the space,” Krpan said.
The wall bed is available in twin, double or queen sizes and is easy to maneuver into position. When the bed is stored, bedding can remain in place on the mattress, art can be displayed on the door fronts, and furniture can be moved in front of the unit to accommodate other needs.
Another popular choice for the guest room is the hideaway bed. Elaine Riggs, assistant manager at Mill Creek’s Calico Corners, explained that innovative engineering has vastly improved the design of the standard sleeper mattress. For instance, the Air Dream sofa sleep system available from Calico Corners combines a spring coil supported mattress with a cushioning air mattress. The air cushion layer can be adjusted from firm to soft with the simple touch of a button located on the inflation valve.
“It only takes 25 to 35 seconds to inflate the mattress,” Riggs said. When combined, the top air mattress and the lower coil mattress create 11 inches of comfortable support. “I have one of our sleeper sofas in my home and if you sleep on it you never feel those metal bars underneath,” Riggs said. “Also, when you sit on the sofa, it’s much more comfortable than most sleeper sofas.”
Today’s sleeper sofas can accommodate a full- or queen-size bed. Apartment sleepers with a twin-size mattress are available as a chair and a half.
Riggs also pointed out the popularity of daybeds. During the daytime, a daybed can be used as a comfortable sofa to watch television or to cozy up with a good book. At night, the daybed becomes a welcoming space for guests to rest.
Because there is space underneath the daybed, you have a place for extra storage.
By placing the frame of the daybed on risers, you can add additional storage space.
To cover the storage area underneath the bed, consider using a bed skirt. A variety of bed skirts exist and are available in a number of styles, ranging from the traditional ruffled look to a more tailored box pleat design.
Companies such as Calico Corners can create a custom skirt to accommodate the exact measurements you need. Riggs pointed out that a bed skirt can be made to Velcro into place, allowing for easy access to the storage area. She added, “To make the fabric selection process easier, Calico Corners now stocks 1,600 fabrics that can be checked out to see in your room.” These fabrics can be turned into custom bedding, pillows, upholstery treatments and window treatments.
To create extra storage in the room, Riggs recommended a decorative storage ottoman.
“A storage ottoman is where you can keep all the bedding or other necessities,” she said. “It can also be used as a coffee table with a tray on it.” Calico Corners also sells an unfinished wooden table with storage built into the base. The round table comes in a 24-, 30- and 36-inch diameter and can be topped with beautiful fabrics to complement the space.
Another creative option for the multi-purposing room is the use of decorative screens, draperies and panels.
If you need to section off a portion of the room, a decorative privacy screen may be the perfect option. Available in a number of styles, these screens are easily moved into position. When not in use for privacy, a decorative screen can successfully be used as a backdrop to your room’s decor.
Draperies can also provide privacy or partition off a section of a room. Ceiling mounted drapery brackets are ideal for hanging curtain panels as room dividers, over a closet or in a doorway.
Riggs also suggested using a Kirsch PanelTrac to section off a room. PanelTrac shades can be wall or ceiling mounted and use a wheeled track system. Fabrics are available in lightweight whimsical patterns, solid suedes, elegant sheers and woven woods. The system’s fabric attachment method allows for easy seasonal changes that will appeal to your guests any time of the year.
Organized Spaces
12024 Juanita Dr. NE
Kirkland, WA 98034
(425) 823-4847
www.organizedspaces.com
Premier Garage
19806 141st Pl. NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
(425) 487-1855
www.PremierGarage.com
Calico Corners
15402 Main St.
Mill Creek, WA 98012
(425) 337-4530
www.calicocorners.com
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