Transforming a Guest Room: Blending Classical Elegance with Modern Design Elements

Transforming a guest room presents a unique opportunity to balance timeless architectural character with modern functionality. This project demonstrates how thoughtful planning, strategic upgrades, and refined styling can transform an underutilized space into a welcoming, elegant, and highly functional retreat.

Designed by ER Design Studio LLC, this guest room renovation blends classical baroque-inspired elements with contemporary lighting, furniture, and technology—creating a space that serves both visiting guests and everyday living needs.

Assessing the Original Space

Before any design intervention, understanding the existing conditions was essential. The guest room featured classical architectural elements, including ceiling detailing, but the space felt dated and inefficient.

Key challenges included:

• Bulky, oversized furniture that disrupted circulation

• Outdated 7-inch recessed lighting that failed to properly illuminate the room

• Dark, heavy finishes that reduced brightness

• Wall-to-wall carpet concealing damaged flooring

• Limited functional flexibility for guests and homeowners

While the room had strong architectural potential, it lacked cohesion, light, and usability.

Upgrading Lighting and Ceiling Design for Ambiance and Function

Lighting became a central design focus. The existing oversized recessed fixtures were removed, as they provided insufficient and uneven illumination. In their place, a central modern LED chandelier was introduced as the primary focal point.

This chandelier incorporates:

• Integrated ventilation

• Alexa-enabled smart functionality

• A contemporary sculptural form that contrasts beautifully with classical ceiling detailing

To further enhance the ceiling, new crown molding was installed, framing the space elegantly and reinforcing the baroque-inspired design language. Modern white base molding was also added, grounding the room with clean architectural lines and elevating the overall finish.

Color, Texture & Window Treatments

A vibrant new wall color was carefully selected to highlight the ceiling details and bring warmth and energy into the room. The color palette was designed to balance classical richness with modern freshness.

Window treatments were upgraded with sheer silver-gray drapery featuring embroidered floral detailing. These treatments:

• Soften natural light

• Reflect green tones used throughout the space

• Echo the organic, floral-inspired form of the chandelier

• Add elegance without overwhelming the room.

Furniture Planning & Functional Layout

To improve flow and usability, existing bulky furniture was removed, with one intentional exception: a custom-built 5-foot, six-drawer unit. Rather than replacing it, the piece was thoughtfully repurposed into a sleek TV credenza, positioned beneath a wall-mounted television.

A queen-size convertible sofa bed was introduced as a key functional element. Positioned as the central focal point upon entry, it allows the room to:

• Comfortably accommodate visiting couples during the holiday season

• Function as a TV or lounge room for the homeowners when not hosting guests

Carefully selected decorative pillows enhance ergonomic comfort while tying together the room’s color story.

Flooring Strategy & Layered Design

The original wall-to-wall carpet was removed and replaced with a modern area rug. This solution served multiple purposes:

• Instantly refreshed the aesthetic

• Softened the space visually

• Discreetly concealed existing floor damage

This approach allowed the client to plan a future flooring upgrade without compromising the current design.

Accents, Storage & Styling

Modern coffee and night tables were selected to reflect contemporary living while complementing the room’s classical undertones. Gold finishes were intentionally repeated throughout the space—from furniture accents and hardware to window treatment rods—creating a cohesive and refined design language.

Additional focal elements include:

• A centerpiece Italian glass vase with a modern floral arrangement

• A classical white baroque-style mirror, paired with a modern white storage bench that discreetly stores guest linens while continuing the gold accent theme

Artwork and wall sconces are planned for the final styling phase to further enhance the room’s character.

A Thoughtful Balance of Beauty & Function

This guest room transformation reflects ER Design Studio LLC’s approach to design—where creative vision, technical expertise, and client needs intersect. Every decision was made to support comfort, flexibility, and visual harmony while respecting the room’s architectural roots.

ER Design Studio LLC provides interior design and interior architecture services nationwide through remote collaboration, with onsite consultations available as needed.

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Planning Functional Space for Guest Comfort

Functionality was a core priority throughout the redesign. Every design decision was guided by how the space would be used—both by visiting guests and by the homeowners in their day-to-day life.

The layout was carefully planned to ensure:

• Clear circulation paths that improve movement and openness

• Purposeful storage solutions integrated without visual clutter

• Comfortable seating and sleeping accommodations through the use of a queen-size convertible sofa bed

• Thoughtful coordination of lighting and electrical placement to support both relaxation and entertainment

These considerations resulted in a guest room that feels intuitive, flexible, and welcoming—supporting multiple functions without compromising aesthetics.

ER Design Studio LLC’s Approach to Thoughtful Design

This project reflects ER Design Studio LLC’s commitment to creating interiors that balance elegance, comfort, and technical precision. Each space is approached holistically, respecting existing architectural character while introducing contemporary elements that enhance usability and visual clarity.

Whether working remotely or onsite, the studio emphasizes:

• Preserving and enhancing architectural details through proportion, lighting, and finish selection

• Using color, texture, and layered materials to shape mood and experience

• Designing furniture layouts that support comfort, flow, and adaptability

• Selecting materials and finishes that align with both aesthetic goals and long-term performance

With nationwide availability through remote collaboration and onsite consultations as needed, ER Design Studio LLC provides tailored design solutions that respond thoughtfully to each client’s needs.