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Back in the early 20th century, guest rooms weren’t exactly a given in every household. In fact, simply having a designated room for company often meant you were doing fairly well financially. A room set aside just for guests — rarely used but always maintained — showed both preparedness and pride in presentation. Advice from the 1910s emphasized comfort over showiness: extra blankets, a solid table for a lamp, good lighting, and plain but functional toilet articles. Hosts were encouraged to try out the bed themselves, which was a way to make sure their visitors would get a good night’s sleep.
By the 1920s and 1930s, design influences leaned toward symmetry and color coordination, with early American and Art Deco styles making their way into guest spaces. Wallpaper in calming patterns, matting or rugs on wood floors, and practical touches like sewing kits were all part of what made a guest room feel complete. Even the window treatments got attention — lace or muslin curtains, sometimes paired with printed over-curtains, helped shape the mood of the space while keeping it light and inviting.
The 1940s through the 1970s brought more color, texture and experimentation. Guest rooms were often repurposed studies or attics, packed with built-ins or outfitted in whatever fabric pattern was most popular that year. From cozy florals to bold plaids, a lot of these rooms balanced functionality with charm, even if the spaces were small. It was clear that the thought behind the guest room hadn’t changed much: give guests a place to settle in, read a little, and feel welcome in someone else’s home.
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Below, we’ve collected a set of vintage photos (plus an advice article from 1910) that show how American guest rooms have evolved across the decades. From practical layouts in the 1910s to the pattern-happy styles of the 1970s, the details give a peek into how people lived — and hosted — over the years.
The guest room: Tips from 1910
In building a new house, the location of the guest room should receive careful thought.
As it is not a room in constant use, it may be placed on the north or west, provided the lack of sunshine be requited with bright paper and furnishings.
The mark of the guest room is its appointments. It should be fitted with all the comforts that art and ingenuity provide in house furnishings, as far as your purse will allow.
An adjoining bath and dressing room are very fine to add to a guest room, but this is not always possible. But plenty of extra covering for cool nights, a couch, comfortable chairs and a desk are possible.
A table firm enough to hold a reading lamp and a comfortable armchair are appreciated by a guest, particularly a man.
Matting is a good floor covering if one cannot afford hardwood floor and rugs.
Lace, net or muslin curtains are proper to screen the windows, and may hung to the floor or only to the sill, according to the shape of the casement. Over-curtains, if used, are pretty of cretonne or of madras in light colors.
MORE: Choosing authentic colors & patterns for a vintage home from the 1910s
The decoration of the wall is better accomplished with a wallpaper in harmonious colors than by hanging a lot of cheap pictures.
In all articles of toilet kept in readiness for guests, the preference should be given to simple and substantial articles, without ornamentation.
The expression of taste on the part of the hostess is shown quickly in her selection of the necessary belongings of the dressing table. A set of sewing materials should be a part of the guest room fittings, as they are often necessary.
MORE: Vintage home wall decor from the 1910s, with 40 different room examples to inspire
Do not close the guest room up when not in use. Let it partake of the atmosphere of the house and home. Have it bright and cheerful, with “welcome” looking out from every corner.
Be sure the bed is a comfortable one. Try it yourself some night, and not only learn about the physical comforts you offer your guests, but note if the selection of furnishings is an artistic one, investing the transient character of the room with an element of home-likeness.
ALSO SEE: 12 examples of classic bedroom decor from the early 1900s
