How to Turn a Small Bedroom into a Sitting Room

Remodeling hotel rooms is never an easy task, but it can pay off if done right. If you have rooms with spare bedrooms you don’t need, repurposing those smaller bedrooms into a sitting room of sorts is not a bad idea

A sitting room is a great change from a bedroom, especially if the bedroom is a smaller one. It’s not a difficult change, but you still need to make sure you know what you’re doing, the same with any improvement project.

Replace the furniture

This is one of those seemingly obvious steps people might overlook because it’s so clear. It is also important. Removing a bed or desk are not easy prospects under normal circumstances, presuming the room was actually in use before the conversion, of course. Having removed the old furniture, you naturally need to consider what to replace it with. You also need to consider what to do with the old pieces, especially nicer and more durable ones like an Amish bed by Amish Furniture Factory.

Whether it’s sold, tossed, or placed into storage, once the old furniture is removed, it’s time for the new. A sitting room is the non-fancy term for a parlor, so you’re basically making a smaller living room for guests. So you need to think relaxation and the like when planning for the new pieces. In that regard, a couch is an excellent start. Some coffee tables and a couple chairs would be nice, too. A simple, but effective strategy to employ when designing a room.

Maximize space

Since you’re working with a smaller room, you need to make the most of the available space. That means you need to carefully select what pieces you use to fit out the room, and how you get them there. Which is a long-winded way of saying that you need to carefully pick your couch. If it’s too big, the couch will take up too much room and might not even fit inside in the first place. Measure carefully and make sure that there is decent walking and stretching space left after the couch is settled in place.

Layout matters, too. Placing the couch in a corner against a wall, or against the wall and flanked by coffee tables, helps keep the room open for foot traffic. You might not have room for further furniture like comfy chairs, but you might be able to fit some stools made from solid wood. Sometimes you need to get creative when working with smaller rooms.

Add cozy touches

Since a sitting room is meant for guests and socializing, you want it to feel cozy and welcoming, which a smaller room can help with as long as you don’t make it seem cluttered and crowded. Besides making sure there’s plenty of foot room and places for people to sit, little extras go a long way to adding comfort with minimal loss of space. Small coffee or end tables are excellent starts. Some wall decorations like paintings or photos that are set out of the way will help break up the monotony of the walls without getting in people’s way.

Adjust lighting

The lighting setup for bedrooms is generally different than a living room. Bedrooms usually have minimal lighting because the room is meant for sleeping, while with a sitting room you need more light, and to be able to adjust it depending on the time of day. Of course, completely rewiring the lighting for a room is a bit much. Some lamps in the corners or on the end tables are usually sufficient. If the room has a window, that can help a lot during clear days. If you don’t all ready have dimmer switches for the lights, you may want to add them o people can adjust the lighting more thoroughly to match their preferences.

Make the room seem larger

While some people like smaller, cozy spaces, others might find them off-putting, especially if they’re full of people chatting and hanging out together. To offset the potential cramped feeling of claustrophobia, consider some extra touches that are designed to make the room seem larger.

Mirrors are a classic option, and placing them near the doorway will help the room look bigger and keep them out of the way of guests. Just make sure they don’t cause excessive glare with the lighting.

Having a window also helps a lot here, as keeping the blinds open not only allows in free light from the sun, but also lets people see outside, which can alleviate the feeling of being trapped or closed in that smaller rooms can sometimes create.

Market appropriately

Adjusting rooms in your hotel can be tricky because it can affect rates, building codes, and the comfort of the guests. If you decide to turn larger rooms from two bedroom into one, that sitting room is both a draw and a drawback.

If you want to ensure guests enjoy the comforts of a sitting room without needing the room for beds, the easiest option is to make the couch a fold-out bed. That technically keeps the hotel room as a two bedroom, but also allows those who don’t need it to enjoy the sitting room. Guests can also take advantage of the room outside of sleeping hours.

Conclusion
Transforming smaller bedrooms into sitting rooms is not an overly difficult task on it’s own. When it’s done for a hotel, though, you have additional concerns to consider. You need to review building codes, make sure the layout remains safe, and also take into account the needs and desires of your guests.

Fortunately, with the right use of mirrors, stools, and couches, you can ensure your transformed hotel room or suite is just as enjoyable, if not more so, than before you made the changes. Not everyone will have need of a sitting room in a hotel, but if you have the right guests staying over, and you plan accordingly, they will enjoy the extra sitting space and the foldout couch.