How to Turn Your Spare Room Into a Guest Room

Most spare rooms in New Zealand and Australian homes live a double life — or at least, they should. The spare room that sits empty 340 days of the year, waiting for occasional guests, is one of the most underused assets in any home. With a bit of thought and the right setup, you can create a genuinely comfortable guest space that's also a fully functional room the rest of the time. Here's how. 

The Core Problem With Traditional Spare Rooms 

The conventional spare room has a bed in it. That bed takes up the majority of the floor space, 365 days a year, for a function that's used maybe 10–20 times annually. The rest of the time, the room is wasted — often becoming a dumping ground for things that don't belong anywhere else. 

The solution is to redesign the room around its primary function (whatever you actually need it for day-to-day) and make the guest bed something that comes out when needed and disappears when it's not. 

Step 1: Install a Murphy Bed 

A Murphy bed is the single most impactful change you can make to a spare room. When folded away, it returns the entire floor area to you. When guests arrive, it comes down in under a minute — a proper, comfortable bed with a real mattress. 

This one change allows the room to serve any other purpose during the day: home office, hobby room, study, yoga space, music room. You're no longer choosing between having a useful room and having a guest room. You can have both. 

Easy Fold Murphy Bed kits are designed for exactly this scenario. The DIY kit includes everything you need (except the timber), and most people complete the build in a weekend. 

Step 2: Plan the Room's Daily Purpose 

Once the Murphy bed is decided, think about what the room needs to do the other 340-odd days of the year. Common options: 

Home office: A wall-mounted fold-down desk, good lighting, and cable management. When guests arrive, fold the desk up, bring the bed down. 

Hobby room: Whether it's crafts, music, model-making, or art — a clear floor and good storage makes the room work for your hobby. 

Home gym: A clear floor area with a mirror and some basic equipment. Guests will appreciate the Murphy bed and won't care about the barbell in the corner. 

Study or library: Bookshelves, a comfortable chair, and a reading lamp. An inviting, calm space that guests will love. 

Step 3: Make the Guest Experience Thoughtful 

A guest doesn't need a lot — they need to feel comfortable and welcome. The basics: 

• A good mattress (firm enough to be supportive, not too heavy for the mechanism) 

• Adequate bedding — a duvet or blanket with good warmth rating 

• Beside lighting — a wall-mounted sconce or small bedside lamp 

• Storage for a bag or a few hanging items — even a hook on the back of the door is helpful 

• A mirror and access to a power point for charging devices 

A small tray with a water carafe, a glass, and perhaps a power bank for guests is a simple touch that always gets noticed. 

Step 4: Keep the Room Tidy 

The greatest enemy of a functional multipurpose room is clutter. If the room is used as a hobby room or home office, the things associated with that hobby or work need a proper home — drawers, shelves, baskets, or boxes — so the room can be cleared for guests quickly without a major tidy-up operation. 

Built-in or well-planned storage is worth the investment. A room that can go from 'everyday use' to 'guest ready' in 15 minutes is the goal. 

The Result 

Done well, a multipurpose spare room is one of the most satisfying projects you can do in a home. You gain a useful room back. Your guests sleep comfortably. And the room does more for your household than it ever did as a static spare bedroom. 

A Murphy bed is the key that unlocks all of it.