Your guest room is a home away from home for visitors. Whether they’re coming for an extended stay or just spending the night, the way your guest room is decorated and appointed will have a great impact on how much they enjoy their visit.
On the surface, decorating a guest room might seem no different than setting up any other bedroom. But it’s quite different. In order to set up a great guest room, you must first be able to anticipate your guest’s needs. It’s important to make sure the room is as welcoming and inviting as possible. A place where guests will feel comfortable enough to sleep.
If you’re not sure where to get started, look no further. Read on for our best ideas for setting up and decorating your guest room. You’ll love them so much you might want to start sleeping there yourself!
1. Make Sure The Bed Is Comfortable
Not all spare rooms are the same. Some guest rooms boast a premium hotel mattress and others have a fold out couch. This doesn’t mean that both options can’t be inviting and comfortable.
We all have horror stories of sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress. It not only makes it difficult to sleep at night, but it often results in an aching back the following day.
If you’re setting up a guest room, we suggest you lay down on your guest mattress to make sure it’s comfortable. Spend the night on it if you’re not sure and see how you feel the next day.
If the mattress isn’t comfortable you don’t necessarily have to rush out and purchase a new one. In most cases, a mattress topper will make a world of difference on a thin, lumpy or otherwise uncomfortable mattress, for just a fraction of the cost.
2. Anticipate The Things Your Guests Might Forget To Bring
Who among us hasn’t taken a trip only to realize we forgot our toothbrush or some other essential. If your guest makes this discovery after you’ve retired for their evening, they might be reluctant to knock on your door to see if you have a spare.
Make a guest basket of travel-sized essentials in your guest room and leave it on the bedside table. Thoughtful inclusions include a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, hairbrush or comb, soap, shower gel, a razor, and lotion. Basically the same items you find when you check into a hotel. In fact, many people stock their guest baskets almost exclusively from items collected on hotel visits.
3. Provide Blankets In Different Weights
Some people prefer to keep things cool at night, choosing to sleep under a single, lightweight blanket. Others are used to sleeping beneath the comfort and heaviness of a weighted blanket at home. Make sure to have options available to help your spare room be as comfortable as possible for your guests. Keep a few spare blankets on the end of the bed, in a chest, or on a nearby chair so your guests can grab an extra if they get cold. This is also a chance to show off your decorating chops by picking beautiful blankets that enhance the rest of your decor.
4. Establish A Focal Point
The focal point is the item that in most cases, draws your eye as soon as you walk into the room.
In most bedrooms, the bedding or area rug is the focal point since these are generally the largest items in the room. But the focal point can also be a gorgeous piece of art hanging over the bed or a stunning antique dresser.
Whatever your focal point is, make sure the rest of your guest room decor complements and enhances it.
You can generally achieve this by making sure the dominant color of your focal point is represented in other areas of your guest room. This can be through a knick-knack, wall art, or even a blanket thrown over the back of a chair.
You don’t need to feature your focal color exclusively. In fact, too much of one color can sometimes be excessive. It’s important to provide contrast. Just make sure there are enough hints of your primary color to give the decor of your guest room a cohesive flow.
5. Create An Oasis
Your spare room is more than just a place for guests to sleep. It’s also the place where they can retreat when they need time to themselves. Therefore it’s important to make sure your guest room is a place where your guests can sit, write, read, or maybe even watch television. This is particularly important if they’re going to be staying for more than a day or two.
If room permits, offer your guests a place to sit other than the bed. A small writing desk or a reading chair are ideal.
Keep your guest room stocked with a few books or magazines, pen, and paper or maybe even a set of playing cards.
Write down the password for you Wifi account and leave it prominently displayed in case your guests want to check their email or surf the Internet.
6. Keep A Light Source Next To The Bed
Lamps are an important part of the decor and ambiance of any room. But they are particularly important in a bedroom. If there isn’t a lamp by the bedside, your guest will be forced to get out bed to switch off the lights if they decide to a little reading before they fall asleep. Make sure there is a floor lamp or a table lamp within their arms reach so they can turn off the lights without work or fuss.
7. Personalize You Guest Room
Your spare room is appointed for the comfort of your visitors, but it’s still a part of your home. The decor of your guest room should reflect that.
If the rest of your house is decorated in the style of a modern farmhouse, carry that through to the guest room. If you’re a photographer, hang framed examples of your work on the wall. Antiquarian book collectors may leave a few old volumes on the nightstand. Your guest came to visit you, and they’ll love seeing these personal touches that remind them of who you are.
Guest rooms are different than hotel rooms. They’re not set up to be a place where strangers spend the night. They’re arranged and decorated with love to offer every comfort to our closest family and friends. One thing’s for sure — after word gets out about your new guest room, you’re going to have visitors a lot more often.
