Guest House Plans: 3 Tips for Choosing the Right Layout

Whether it is for the holidays, a random social event, a meeting, or even traveling customers, being able to provide lodging for your guests while providing them with the same level of comfort as if they were in their own homes is the primary purpose of a guest house.

Comfortability in guest houses hinges on the suitability of the designs and plans from the start. Good guest house plans help align your building goals while leaving room for versatility, functionality, and maximizing comfort.

This article addresses choosing the right layout for your guest house to ensure it gives your guests a homey feeling.

About Guest House Plans

Guest house plans refer to the design and layout of a house, a small house or cottage intended for temporary accommodation for guests. When building a guest house, it is always better to prioritize comfort, versatility, and also small space maximization. The following are key characteristics of a comfortable guest house:

• A homey environment: Your guests should feel like they are home away from home when staying in your guest house. To help guests feel at home, you should provide necessities and essential appliances.
• An accessible location: A guest house must be easily accessible by visitors. Prioritize building in an area that allows accessible entrances and exits. Also, ensure that the building is not obstructed by other buildings or hidden behind the main building. If your guest house is for rent, an accessible location takes off the weariness that comes with the difficulty of locating a guest house.
• Privacy: It is essential that guests and visitors feel like they are in their own homes and have total independence in the building. You should ensure that your guest house provides adequate privacy to your guests.

Benefits of Effective Plans for Your Guest House

Effective guest house plans offer numerous advantages. Some of these include:

• Quality customer experience: Strategically planned design of every corner and spot in a guest house improves the experience of staying there, and with such satisfaction comes an improved image of the guest house.
• Efficient use of space: Good planning makes a room functional when extra spaces are efficiently maximized.
• Increased value of property: With more room for extra facilities that meet customers’ needs and wants, the value of your guest house property experiences a boost.
• Additional income: Apart from being a place to host visitors, families, and friends, you can also lease your guest house for short-term or long-term rent to travelers or home seekers. This will serve as an additional stream of income for you.

Understanding Guest House Layouts

What is a guest house layout?

A guest house layout describes how the various components and spaces of the guest house are functionally arranged. It involves the placement of the walls, doors, rooms, and windows in the guest house to serve as a temporary home for its guests.

Common Layout Styles

Deciding on a layout for your guest house depends mainly on factors like size, the versatility of the space, and the feel, whether modern or more historic.

Here are common layout styles for guest houses;

• One-bedroom standard layout guest house: This offers only one bedroom and is like a one-bedroom apartment. It includes a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room.
• A studio guest house: This layout resembles a standard guest house. The difference is that the living room usually doubles as the bedroom.
• Simple guest house: This layout is for short stays, such as one—or two-night stays. A guest house could provide only a bedroom and a bathroom, excluding a kitchen or living room.

Explore the Most Popular Guest House Plans

1. Bedroom Guest House Plan

As the name supplies, the bedroom offered is only one. Typically, a one-bedroom guest house is between 400 and 1000 square feet.

The plan includes a space built with one sleeping area and amenities such as a kitchen or kitchenette, a bathroom, and a living area. The front door opens to the living area, which opens to the kitchen.

Most guest houses allow natural lighting, which improves living conditions. For this, you may choose floor-to-ceiling windows.

2. Bedroom Guest House Plan

A two-bedroom guest house is similar to an apartment. It has two rooms instead of one, and its dimensions could range from 750 to 1500 square feet.

Due to the larger space and the expectation of more than one person using it at once, the plan may include a bigger kitchen, an actual dining area, two bathrooms, and a more expansive living area.

The layout typically has the two rooms on opposite ends, with as much natural lighting as possible. Each room is equipped to help guests relax during their stay.

Key Considerations When Choosing A Layout

1. Purpose and Target Audience

The purpose for which you are building a guest house largely contributes to your choice of layout design. The design will vary if it is built for short or longer stays.

The target audience also determines the layout of your guest house. Different target audiences have different needs. For example, a vacation rental will maximize space and amenities, while a home for seniors will prioritize accessibility features like a walk-in shower and comfortable living areas.

2. Available Space

After knowing the purpose of the building and your target audience, the next step is to evaluate the available space. Space maximization is crucial in choosing a guest house layout, as you want to maximize functionality, versatility, and style. The space informs which layout you choose and how you design the home.

3. Guest Comfort and Privacy

When choosing a layout for your guest house, you must consider your guests’ comfort and privacy requirements. Simple design choices like bedroom placement, natural light, storage, etc., can enhance comfortability. Separate bedrooms, private entrances, soundproofing, and window placement help give guests a measure of privacy.

3 Tips for Choosing Your Guest House Layout & Plan

1. Start with a floor plan.

A floor plan helps visualize the layout of how a space is being utilized. It propels the final design in the direction the owner aims for. Starting with a floor plan helps you see what you are building, tailor it to your purpose, and make necessary corrections. Hence, it is the first step to take when deciding on a guest house layout.

2. Consult With Professionals

The expertise of the right professionals will help to make the layout and plans of your guest house well-defined. Builders, architects, and designers are professionals you may want to consult with, especially when a guest house owner plans two bedrooms for their guests. Contact House to Home building contractors for a free quote.

3. Consider Future Needs

A guest house may be converted into another space for use later. This implies that the initial plan and layout must be able to accommodate such needs if they arise.

Conclusion

A guest house is only a space if it does not provide a home to its guests. Investing in one contributes an additional income to a family if it is used for rent to travelers and other types of customers, as well as an increase in property value.

Contact House to Home for a guest house layout that considers and meets all the necessary requirements. Consult our experts for guest house designs that serve you and your purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions