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With the right furniture and a few homely touches, a lounge room can easily double as a guest room with very little effort.

Don’t have a guest room? It's not uncommon these days. The easiest solution to create a make-shift guest room is to have a few things on hand to transform your lounge room into a guest friendly area so house guests feel comfortable in your home. With the right furniture and a few homely touches, a lounge room can easily double as a guest room with very little effort.

The first step is investing in a sofa bed. With so many styles of sofa beds now available, you will be sure to find one to suit your home. From fairly basic metal sofa frames that flatten down, to traditional looking sofas with a folded bed built inside the seat, there's sure to be a sofa bed that fits your budget and style. Once you have the sofa bed, it's only a matter of a few comforts.

Here's some ideas to get you started:

- A small table with a drawer placed next to the sofa can double as a small coffee table during the day - as well as a bedside table for guests. A spare alarm clock and a lamp placed on the drawer will make them feel at home.

- If you have open doorways, a large living room, or a fairly open plan house, a folding screen or room divider will make the room feel cosier and private. This can also double as something your guest can hang up some clothes on.

- Having a fresh matching linen set and towel especially for the guest will make them feel more comfortable and welcome.

- A decorative bowl filled with fruits and a couple of magazines on the coffee table can also be a nice touch.

For more ideas, just think - what can't you live without or love to have in your bedroom? A mirror? A bunch of fresh flowers? It's the little things and thoughtful touches that make people feel at home and welcome - rather than feel they have invaded your living room!