Cottage Style Guest Room
Welcome to my Guest Room Makeover: A Cozy Cottage Core Bedroom where I tried to stay on a $1,000 Budget!
There’s something bittersweet about watching your babies grow up. 💛
This bedroom was once my little girl’s toddler room when we moved into my childhood home 16 years ago. Somehow, the years flew by and now we’re nearly empty nesters. These days, our oldest daughter and her husband stay here when they visit, while their own toddlers sleep in the room next door (that makeover is coming soon!).
Since this is officially our guest room now, I couldn’t resist creating the cozy cottage core bedroom I’d been dreaming about. It ended up being the first room in our home where I could fully embrace all the florals, vintage finds and feminine details.
Even better? I kept the entire makeover right around $1,000 by mixing affordable new pieces with thrifted treasures and free furniture.
Mix Old + New for a Cozy, Collected Look
One of my favorite decorating tips is to never buy everything new. The rooms with the most character always have a mix of old and new.
New Finds
I kept the larger functional pieces simple, timeless and budget-friendly.
Free Finds
Some of my favorite pieces didn’t cost a penny.
- The vintage headboard was left over from a neighborhood garage sale.
- The dresser was rescued from the side of the road and given a fresh start.
Thrifted Treasures
These are the pieces that make the room feel like it has a story.
- The cozy accent chair was just $30 from Facebook Marketplace and only needed a quick shampoo with my carpet cleaner.
- Every picture frame came from local thrift stores.
- Vintage accessories, like my pink swan flower holder, collected over the years help give the room that layered cottage feel.
One little secret? The accordion wall hanger looks like an antique flea market find, but it’s actually from Amazon!
Decorating Tip
If you want your home to feel warm and collected instead of looking like you bought everything in one shopping trip, mix old and new. Splurge on functional pieces you’ll use every day, then hunt thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, garage sales and even the side of the road for furniture and decor with character. It’s almost always those one-of-a-kind finds that become everyone’s favorite pieces.
Shop the Room
If you’re recreating this cozy cottage core guest bedroom, here are the main pieces I used.
Bedding
- Plaid Pillowcases
- Striped Bed Skirt
- Yellow Gingham Duvet
- Fluffy Duvet Insert
- Floral Cotton Sheets
- The Softest Pillows
- Don’t forget pillow protectors
- Floral Bolster Pillow
- Blue Striped Round Pillow
FURNITURE + curtains
- The floral wallpaper that started it all
- Slim nightstands with built-in charging stations (perfect for this small 11′ x 11′ room)
- Gingham ruffle curtains with gold swan rod
- Lace closet curtains (with tension rod) instead of traditional doors
- Matching bedside lamps
- Lamp cord covers (seriously… these are a must if you want to hide those ugly black cords!)
- The softest floral washable rug
ACCESSORIES
- 13 Hook Accordian Rack
- Save your walls with this magnetic door stopper
- Small hanging basket
- Pom Pom Flowers
- Realistic Peonies
Don’t forget practical pieces like this magnetic door stop. Protect your pretty wallpapered walls!
Thrifted & Secondhand Finds
- Facebook Marketplace accent chair
- Thrifted vintage frames
- Vintage decor collected over time
Free Finds
- Vintage headboard
- Roadside dresser makeover
- Gold arch mirror borrowed from the family room
Custom Touches
I’ll be adding trim to the window and closet to beef them up and make them stand out. These 5 pieces of this combo of trim will really finish the room off.
I also painted the baseboards and the back of the door in a pretty shade of sage green, love it! The paint color is Sherwin Williams Clary Sage (6178) in an eggshell finish.
Final Thoughts
I love that this room has grown right alongside our family. What started as my little girl’s bedroom has become a cozy retreat where my daughter now brings her own family home.
This makeover reminded me that beautiful spaces don’t have to be expensive. A little creativity, a mix of old and new, and a willingness to hunt for unique treasures can completely transform a room.
I hope this guest room makeover inspires you to create a space that feels cozy, welcoming, and full of character—without breaking the budget.
More Bedrooms to Inspire
Out of all the bedrooms we’ve decorated but here are our top loved posts:
And a throwback to when this now cottage style bedroom was simply a sweet little girl’s bedroom, decorated in her favorite color purple. Time flies, so bittersweet!
