Know your guests
When designing guest rooms, consider first who your guests will be. This will dictate how big guest spaces should and where they should be located.
If you have grandparents who visit often, don't make them climb stairs to get to the guest room. If you have guests with young children, you will need a room big enough for a crib and changing table. Either way, try locating the guest room  away from the master bedroom or the home's common areas so guests aren't disturbed (or disturbing you).
If you need to accommodate multiple families at once, build a bunkroom for children. Kids love bunking together. It gives them a chance to share secrets, tell stories and bond with faraway friends and cousins. Another option is to put the kids in the great room with sleeping bags or even on the deck in warm weather. It's not as cruel as it sounds. Tell them it's a camping adventure. They'll think it's a treat.

Keep an open mind
Open floor plans work best for entertaining.
Layout is very important," says Paul Windmueller, owner of Logwood Bed & Breakfast. "Openness helps bring every body together and creates a feeling of warmth." This is especially true in the kitchen area.
"An open floor plan allows guests to have conversations with the person making the meal as well as others in the living room," says Stephanie Baldwin of Town & Country Cedar Homes. "Rooms need to be open to each other but still Cedar Homes. "Rooms need to be open to each other but still  is will be. This will dictate how big guest spaces should provide individuality and an intimate feel."
With a closed floor plan, it's difficult to make adjustments when entertaining guests. You can't knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room and then rebuild it when guests leave. In an open floor plan, furniture can be arranged to separate rooms and functions. "It gives you the ability to push some couches or tables aside to do what you need to do and then move them back," says Patricia Wiseman of Wiseman Keller Design. Rooms in an open floor plan are also more multifunctional. Rooms are 
often defined by how they are being used at the time. With good planning, areas for conversation, TV viewing and reading can all exist in the same room, keeping guests in the same vicinity.

Get 'em at the front door 
 Guests often travel long distances to reach your home.  They endure turbulent flights, bumpy car rides, screaming children and poor weather. So when they arrive, your first job is to make them feel comfortable. Your home's design will affect this. And first impressions mean a lot. 
 Your entryway should be functional and inviting. An over hang above the door is a must, especially in northern climates
where snow and ice are factors. And whether you choose an elaborate handcarved door or something simple, make sure it
is sturdy and properly installed. You want guests to feel secure.
Once inside, it's important guests have plenty of room to remove shoes, boots and coats. Build a separate mudroom adjacent to the entryway. If that is not possible, outfit your foyer with a mat or area rug for wet footwear, a closet for outerwear and a bench.
 "Don't make them haul coats, boots and skis to their room," says Jeff Wiseman of Wiseman Keller Design. "They
shouldn't have to try to find a place to put it among their other luggage." 

Guest room  - not messed room
Limiting furnishings and decor in your guest rooms will make them more functional. Leave tabletops open for guest use. Guests will feel awkward if they have to move knick knacks to make room for their luggage.
 Don't put priceless heirlooms in guest rooms. Guests shouldn't have to worry about breaking your prized porcelain vase or leaving a water ring on your antique side table. Don't set them up for uncomfortable situations. Think practical.
 "In the bedroom you want sturdy beds with comfortable quilts, big pillows, sturdy bed stands, good lighting and maybe a rocker or sitting area," Windmueller says. "Decor should be nicely appointed but not overdone. Guests bring enough stuff. They don't need your clutter around."

Give guests a comfort zone
Guests should feel free to come and go as they please 'Something to consider in the design process is to provide a door to the outside off the guest room," Jeff Wiseman says. "That way if they want to get up early and go for a bike ride, they don't have to worry about disturbing the rest of the house."
For this reason, walk out basements often make good guest quarters. With proper planning, guests can have their own bathroom, laundry facilities and, in some cases, a small kitchen.
"A finished basement is a great place for entertaining," Baldwin says. "It is a good place for the entertainment center, bar, pool table, wine cellar, storage, additional bedroom suites and, of course, extra bathrooms."
The key is to give guests plenty of space. You want to be  able to spend time with them but you should both be able to
 treat somewhere to be alone. Place guest rooms away from  common areas or, if you have enough land and it fits your  budget, build a separate guest house.   It's also nice to give guests a private bathroom. "Don't make  them share a bathroom with people they're not used to sharing with," Windmueller says. A private bathroom creates a  comfort zone between you and your guests and gives the  guest quarters a sense of independence from the rest of the home. Your guests won't be inconvenienced or feel like they 

Thank you. Come again.
Carefully design your guest spaces and the smiles on your guests' faces will be your reward.
"The design of the guest quarters is really a reflection of the individual doing the entertaining," Baldwin says. "It's important for the designer to capture that in the layout. Your guests need to feel welcome and comfortable. You want them to come again."
The more time you spend thinking about guest spaces while designing your home, the less time you will spend worrying when guests arrive. Then you can relax and your guests will relax too.

2. First Impressions:
Log Home Design Ideas

3. Dreaming of a "Custom Home":
Colorado Front Range/Western Slope Builder/Architect

4. 15 Secrets of Small Home Design: 
Log Home Design Ideas, November 2003

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