10 Top Bedroom Tips to Make Sure Guests Feel Totally At Home
Be the host with the most with these 10 guest room must-haves – the second in a four-part series on sprucing your spare room
If guests turn up in an impromptu flurry, you probably won’t get the chance to do anything more than change the bed and give the spare room a quick once-over with a duster and vacuum cleaner. Given a little more notice, however, you can ensure your guests’ stay is comfortable and fuss-free. These are all simple, straightforward rules, really, be it leaving a pile of pillows to suit all sleeping habits or freshening up the room with a bunch of pretty blooms. With such tiptop hospitality, however, the only problem you might face now is that guests will never want to leave…
Include a glass
This is one of the simplest but perhaps most thoughtful touches you can add. Who doesn’t need a good slug of water before going to bed or just as you wake up (particularly after a night of celebrations)? So be sure to place a carafe and glasses to hand on the nearest table.
Seek out stylish etched designs, pretty florals or plain clear glass to tie in with your overall décor.
This is one of the simplest but perhaps most thoughtful touches you can add. Who doesn’t need a good slug of water before going to bed or just as you wake up (particularly after a night of celebrations)? So be sure to place a carafe and glasses to hand on the nearest table.
Seek out stylish etched designs, pretty florals or plain clear glass to tie in with your overall décor.
Leave out extra layers
We all have our own preferred temperatures for sleeping, and blankets and sheets are the most flexible provision if you don’t already have a duvet in place. Either way, for those who feel the cold, make sure you leave out a few snuggly woollen blankets and cosy throws in case the night-time chills set in.
At the other end of the barometer, you might want to show guests how to turn down the thermostat on a bedroom radiator – or how to shut it off altogether. And if the windows are locked, leave out the key.
We all have our own preferred temperatures for sleeping, and blankets and sheets are the most flexible provision if you don’t already have a duvet in place. Either way, for those who feel the cold, make sure you leave out a few snuggly woollen blankets and cosy throws in case the night-time chills set in.
At the other end of the barometer, you might want to show guests how to turn down the thermostat on a bedroom radiator – or how to shut it off altogether. And if the windows are locked, leave out the key.
Finish with flowers
You can’t beat a posy of fresh flowers to welcome guests into your home. Choose your florals according to the time of year – from swathes of berries and greenery in winter to sweet, pastel-coloured sprigs during spring. And you don’t need any elaborate vases to create impact, as these single blooms in jam jars and old glass bottles demonstrate.
Discover how to display flowers like a pro
You can’t beat a posy of fresh flowers to welcome guests into your home. Choose your florals according to the time of year – from swathes of berries and greenery in winter to sweet, pastel-coloured sprigs during spring. And you don’t need any elaborate vases to create impact, as these single blooms in jam jars and old glass bottles demonstrate.
Discover how to display flowers like a pro
Light it up
Good lighting is crucial when it comes to creating an all-round relaxing vibe. Invest in a pair of sturdy and stylish lamps placed either side of the bed, so guests can chill-out or nod off with a spot of bedtime reading (white drum shades are probably the best choice for filtering through the most light).
Equip your bedside table with a few other treats to make friends and family feel at home: a pretty bunch of tulips, a few good books and a scented candle (don’t forget the matches) all add up to a really memorable stay.
Good lighting is crucial when it comes to creating an all-round relaxing vibe. Invest in a pair of sturdy and stylish lamps placed either side of the bed, so guests can chill-out or nod off with a spot of bedtime reading (white drum shades are probably the best choice for filtering through the most light).
Equip your bedside table with a few other treats to make friends and family feel at home: a pretty bunch of tulips, a few good books and a scented candle (don’t forget the matches) all add up to a really memorable stay.
Squeeze in singles
Twin beds might be a more sensible investment than a double. They offer a more flexible sleeping arrangement, meaning a guest room can accommodate different genders, a pair of friends, fidgety children and even couples who fancy their own bed for a change! (Alternatively, you can always lose the side table and push the beds together for a more romantic set-up.)
Finish off the smart, tailored look with a fabric headboard that’s both stylish and comfortable.
Twin beds might be a more sensible investment than a double. They offer a more flexible sleeping arrangement, meaning a guest room can accommodate different genders, a pair of friends, fidgety children and even couples who fancy their own bed for a change! (Alternatively, you can always lose the side table and push the beds together for a more romantic set-up.)
Finish off the smart, tailored look with a fabric headboard that’s both stylish and comfortable.
Clear the closets
Whether your guest is staying for one night or one week, the spare bedroom needs to accommodate whatever is in their overnight bag – from a sparkly ballgown to thick woolly jumpers, PJs, wellies, kitten heels and everything in-between, depending on the season and occasion.
You don’t need any fancy-pants storage solutions, just a small, clear area for hanging and folding clothes and floor space for stacking shoes. The sloping ceiling and awkward alcoves in this guest room have been utilised simply but effectively with a few shelves and a pole. (Just don’t forget to leave out some hangers!)
Whether your guest is staying for one night or one week, the spare bedroom needs to accommodate whatever is in their overnight bag – from a sparkly ballgown to thick woolly jumpers, PJs, wellies, kitten heels and everything in-between, depending on the season and occasion.
You don’t need any fancy-pants storage solutions, just a small, clear area for hanging and folding clothes and floor space for stacking shoes. The sloping ceiling and awkward alcoves in this guest room have been utilised simply but effectively with a few shelves and a pole. (Just don’t forget to leave out some hangers!)
Pep up your pillows
Some of us like them pancake-flat, others prefer a tower of two or more. I’m talking pillows, and how your guest bedroom needs to be equipped with a selection to suit all sleeping habits.
Seek out pillows with good-quality cotton casings that can be laundered at home. And remember, you’ll never please everyone’s individual preference for soft or hard pillows, so plump for a compromise: a medium-support, all-wool or feather and down filling that is machine washable and can be popped in the tumble dryer to kill off any dust mites.
Some of us like them pancake-flat, others prefer a tower of two or more. I’m talking pillows, and how your guest bedroom needs to be equipped with a selection to suit all sleeping habits.
Seek out pillows with good-quality cotton casings that can be laundered at home. And remember, you’ll never please everyone’s individual preference for soft or hard pillows, so plump for a compromise: a medium-support, all-wool or feather and down filling that is machine washable and can be popped in the tumble dryer to kill off any dust mites.
Top up your towels
Make your guests’ stay as comfortable as possible by providing a stash of fresh towels and facecloths.
Stack on top of a chest or at the bottom of the bed in clear view, so your guests don’t have to search them out.
It’s a good idea to wash all your towels in a very hot wash to kill any germs and use a fragrance-free laundry powder or gel for those with sensitive skin.
Tip A mix of vinegar and baking soda is said to soften up towels a treat.
Check out 10 smart ways to store towels
Make your guests’ stay as comfortable as possible by providing a stash of fresh towels and facecloths.
Stack on top of a chest or at the bottom of the bed in clear view, so your guests don’t have to search them out.
It’s a good idea to wash all your towels in a very hot wash to kill any germs and use a fragrance-free laundry powder or gel for those with sensitive skin.
Tip A mix of vinegar and baking soda is said to soften up towels a treat.
Check out 10 smart ways to store towels
Tea for two
You can’t beat a cup of tea in bed, so make sure you treat guests to their favourite cuppa while they relax and enjoy their morning in complete comfort.
Be it a freshly brewed mug of strong coffee or an invigorating peppermint tea, take up the beverages on a tray and let guests enjoy their lie-in in total peace – even offer to entertain their kids for a few hours if you’re feeling particularly virtuous!
TELL US…
What are your top tips for making the guest room as stylish and comfortable as possible? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
You can’t beat a cup of tea in bed, so make sure you treat guests to their favourite cuppa while they relax and enjoy their morning in complete comfort.
Be it a freshly brewed mug of strong coffee or an invigorating peppermint tea, take up the beverages on a tray and let guests enjoy their lie-in in total peace – even offer to entertain their kids for a few hours if you’re feeling particularly virtuous!
TELL US…
What are your top tips for making the guest room as stylish and comfortable as possible? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
A beautifully made bed using crisp sheets, a freshly laundered duvet cover and pristine pillowcases is a number one priority for the guest bedroom.
Stick to pure white or pastel shades for a serene night’s sleep and ensure all pillow and mattress protectors (musts for guest rooms) are squeaky clean, too. Mattresses should be turned and switched frequently to ensure comfort is kept to the very maximum.
Finish off your bed with a chocolate treat for a little touch of luxury.
See more in this guest room series and discover how to beef up your spare room storage