Space is a valued commodity in this day and age. Look at any number of small ads for properties to let and you'll see. "Spacious" and "roomy" feature prominently. And the bigger the city you look at, the more fanciful their definition of space will seem. If you can get out of bed without bumping against the washing machine? Spacious. Your fridge and your shower are in different rooms? Roomy!

So if you have limited room, it does become more an issue of how you use it. Creative space solutions are an essential for making an apartment or a house feel less crammed. It's all the more so if you have visitors. You'd never want to turn a friend away, but if you only have a small room to offer, how can you make it welcoming?

Don't Use Any More Space Than You Need To

If you have a guest bedroom, then the chances are it's the smallest bedroom in the house, because it's not used all the time. If you put a bed in there, it can crush what space is there and make it difficult to keep clean. When you're working with a small space, an air mattress from a company like BedOwl is a solution worth looking at. They can be deflated when not in use, stored and then brought out and dressed when you have guests.

Don't Decorate It Like A Main Room

Master bedrooms, and other bedrooms in the property may well have a few storage spaces for the occupants' clothes. But in a guest bedroom, space is more important. By all means provide a small dresser or clothing hamper, but little more is needed. Also, while you may make your bedroom and the kids' rooms reflect your personalities, don't do the same here. You can always pick up some prints or posters cheaply to suit the guest.

Consider How You Set It Out

Anyone who has ever gone home to their parents' house for the holidays when they have a full house will know about this. Sometimes, every available space has to be used and this can mean being crammed in. But if you are setting up a room for a guest - no matter how well you know them - try to avoid making them feel like cargo. Don't place pillows right next to radiators or outlet pipes, for example. 

Cover The Windows Properly

One aspect of decor that is essential for a guest bedroom is allowed for the windows to be properly covered. A pull-down blackout blind is useful here. Assuming that your house guests are there for pleasure, they won't want an early wake-up every morning. Making its pull-down leaves it up to them whether they wake with the morning light or with their own alarm call. 

Making the best of the room that you have to offer your guests is a lot simpler than some may think. Of course, you'll have the chance to talk to them beforehand and make any additions that they may request. But following the basic principles set out above, you won't go far wrong.