For The Union-Tribune
The holidays are approaching and if you’re hosting guests for a night or two — or more — how comfy is your guest room? Even if the room is on the small side or shared with a home office, ideally you want your guests to feel welcome, to sleep well at night, have space to put their belongings and not have to worry about disturbing you.
If you’re just starting out with your own home or are decorating a new space, I’ve got some suggestions by experts on where to start.
The first place to start is your budget, said Lynn Siemer, director of design at Blythe Interiors. But whether you’re dedicating big bucks to a dedicated guest room or have limited funds to set up space for visiting family or friends, there are plenty of ways to make guests comfy.
Guests in this bedroom by Keri Michelle Interiors can sink into layers of soft bedding, with extra pillows and blankets and a bench for practical use. (Charlotte Lea)
For a true guest sanctuary, it should be comfortable but not cluttered, like this one by Keri Michelle Interiors. Allow enough room for visitors to place their items. (Charlotte Lea)
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Guests in this bedroom by Keri Michelle Interiors can sink into layers of soft bedding, with extra pillows and blankets and a bench for practical use. (Charlotte Lea)
“Typically, when people want a complete guest room,” Siemer noted, “they want it to feel like an inviting bedroom, not ‘we just threw a bed in here in case guests come.’ So we always try and do things like dress up the walls, whether it’s wallpaper, paint, wainscotting or B board, because that little touch can make a room feel really finished. Even if they have a tighter budget, just painting in a color rather than just the standard builder white can make a difference.”
Siemer emphasized what is obviously the most important element: a comfortable mattress. Make it the best you can afford. And not so thick or high that guests have a challenging time getting in or out of bed.
Is your room shared with a home office? Consider placing a trundle bed in the space. Diana Clark of Metamorphosis Design finds they have a compact footprint for small spaces yet can accommodate one or two visitors.
Also think about what makes your own bedroom work for you and try to replicate that for guests: Night tables where you can set your glasses, charge your phone, keep a book, place jewelry. Lighting on a dimmer that has sufficient illumination so guests can read. That could be a table lamp tall enough or sconces high enough for someone sitting in bed reading, along with ambient overhead lighting. A couple of drawers in a dresser for storing clothes. Enough bedding so if it gets cold your guest isn’t lying in bed freezing all night because they don’t know where a second blanket is.
“Or the flip side, have layers for when it’s hot,” Siemer added. “We want them to be able to take off the top blanket.”
Keri Lainas of Keri Michelle Interiors agreed. “Soft bedding is essential for comfort, so layer crisp sheets with plush duvets, extra blankets, and an assortment of pillows to create an inviting place to unwind.” And if there’s room she likes a bench at the end of the bed for extra blankets and pillows or to fold down a quilt or bedspread.
Siemer’s also keen on decorative pillows — or at least one.
Provide layers of bedding that guests can add or remove as their needs dictate. (Natalia Robert / Blythe Interiors)
This bedroom by Blythe Interiors shows one way to style a nightstand for guests. It should have ample room for a lamp for reading, and space to place their personal items. (Natalia Robert / Blythe Interiors)
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Provide layers of bedding that guests can add or remove as their needs dictate. (Natalia Robert / Blythe Interiors)
“One decorative pillow can go a long way,” Siemer said. “If somebody has a tighter budget, just buying one small decorative pillow, and putting it in the center of the bed can make it so finished.
“We always try and have a vase so hosts can put fresh flowers in,” she added. “And when you have guests coming, you can run to Trader Joe’s and get some fresh flowers or cut them from your garden. Or if it’s a room that you are going into regularly a plant goes a long way.”
Take into consideration who your guests tend to be. If you have elderly relatives staying with you, remove any trip hazards — which could be anything from an area rug to stools. Have a comfortable chair in the room if there’s space. It can give seniors with balance issues an easy place to sit to put on shoes. And if they want to take a break from loud family gatherings, they can relax in the room and read or watch television.
And be sure that for all guests you have night lights strategically placed because you don’t want anyone tripping in the middle of the night if they need to get up to use the bathroom. Install illuminated light switches so there’s no fumbling in the dark.
Consider the layout of the room. You may think your best option is a queen size bed against a wall with night stands on either side, but depending on your visitors, perhaps two twin beds placed on the perpendicular against adjoining walls, separated by a large square table would make better use of the space.
“A lot of times we’ll do guest rooms where the homeowner will say, ‘I have two granddaughters, and this is really their room,’” Siemer said. “They want it to feel special for them. But it also allows two adults who are not a couple to sleep in the room without having to share a bed. It can be designed to be whimsical for children but elevated enough for adults. And it maximizes floor space in the room for play.”
Does your guest room have an attached patio? Place some seating and a table outside so your guests can enjoy some outdoor time — maybe a cup of coffee or tea in the morning before joining you.
This tiny den’s primary purpose is to provide a cozy spot for the homeowner to curl up and watch TV or even take an afternoon nap. Only rarely does it accommodate an overnight guest. When it does, though, the daybed is the perfect solution because it features a standard twin mattress that’s so much more comfortable than most sofa beds. (Metamorphosis Design)
If you have an ensuite guest room, you can truly create a hotel experience for guests, even with a small budget. Have the best towels you can afford available. Make sure you have at least a couple of empty drawers in the vanity so guests can put away make up, brushes, shaving gear and other items. Make sure extra rolls of toilet paper are easily accessible. Leave counterspace for medications and include a drinking glass. A nice touch, said Clark, is a little basket with products like hand lotion and soap and a black washcloth with “makeup” embroidered on it so your beautiful light-colored towels and washcloths aren’t ruined. And, added Clark, keep a waste basket in the bathroom, as well as the bedroom.
Lainas adds a hamper to her guest bathroom design. Instead of having guests wander into the laundry room to shed a damp used towel, they can place them in the hamper — along with clothes they may want to wash during their stay or sheets at the end of their visit.
When she designs a guest suite from scratch, Lainas tries to create a vanity spot in the bathroom so guests have a place to do makeup and hair. She adds pull outs for a hair dryer or curling iron.
And don’t forget window treatments.
“Start by adding drapery to the windows — soft fabric panels not only frame the space beautifully but also help insulate against winter drafts, creating a warm and restful spot to sleep,” Lainas said.
Then there are the little things that will make your guests’ stay just that much nicer.
“When creating a space for houseguests, I always encourage my clients to go beyond the mere basics and add as many extras as they can,” said Clark. “Why give your guests a Motel 6 experience if you can give them a Ritz Carlton one?”
To that end, Clark created what she calls “The 5-Star Checklist.” It focuses on the little, often overlooked details that will make your guests feel especially welcome and comfortable in your home.
“Not everything on my list is doable for everyone, workable in every space or even necessary in some instances, but this is a great place to spark thinking.”
Even if the space or budget is tight, a decorative pillow can help make a room feel finished, like this soft starfish in a dreamy bedroom. (Natalia Robert / Blythe Interiors)
Diana Clark’s ‘5-Star Checklist’
• Put a little card with your Wi-Fi password on a bedside table.
• Make sure there are plenty of hangers in the closet.
• Provide a luggage rack, or a luggage mat to protect your bedspread.
• Put lamps on the bedside tables for guests who read in bed. I love the ones that feature USB ports for charging devices.
• Put remotes for lights, TV, or ceiling fan on a small tray in or a bowl or basket. Label the remotes if they’re confusing.
• Provide bottled water.
• Install an Echo Dot or a clock radio for those folks who wake in the night and want to check the time.
• Add a box of tissues in an attractive container. (These are stupidly expensive online, so I always source them in thrift stores, where I find a great selection.)
• Put a small flashlight on the bedside table—who knows when there might be a power failure?
• Provide a small coffee maker with pods, or an electric tea kettle with a selection of tea bags, along with mugs. Early rising guests will love you for this one.
• Fill a small basket or bowl with miscellaneous handy “emergency” items such as a nail file, safety pins, Band-Aids, or a pen and tablet. (If they flew in, maybe they’ll wish for scissors since you can’t have them on a plane.)
• Fill a little bowl with wrapped candies or mints or put candies on the pillows.
• A stack of current magazines, or a lovely coffee table book, is a nice touch.
• Add a special holiday touch, such as fresh flowers, a holiday-themed throw pillow on the bed, or a decorative accessory.
• Be mindful of people’s allergies. Make sure tissues, bedding, candles and towels are unscented.
• Find out if your guests need extra pillows for reclining in bed to accommodate issues like acid reflux.