Expand<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cOne decorative pillow can go a long way,\u201d Siemer said. \u201cIf 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always try and have a vase so hosts can put fresh flowers in,\u201d she added. \u201cAnd when you have guests coming, you can run to Trader Joe\u2019s and get some fresh flowers or cut them from your garden. Or if it\u2019s a room that you are going into regularly a plant goes a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Take into consideration who your guests tend to be. If you have elderly relatives staying with you, remove any trip hazards \u2014 which could be anything from an area rug to stools. Have a comfortable chair in the room if there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
And be sure that for all guests you have night lights strategically placed because you don\u2019t 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\u2019s no fumbling in the dark.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times we\u2019ll do guest rooms where the homeowner will say, \u2018I have two granddaughters, and this is really their room,\u2019\u201d Siemer said. \u201cThey 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Does your guest room have an attached patio? Place some seating and a table outside so your guests can enjoy some outdoor time \u2014 maybe a cup of coffee or tea in the morning before joining you.<\/p>\n
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This tiny den\u2019s 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\u2019s so much more comfortable than most sofa beds. (Metamorphosis Design)<\/p>\n
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 \u201cmakeup\u201d embroidered on it so your beautiful light-colored towels and washcloths aren\u2019t ruined. And, added Clark, keep a waste basket in the bathroom, as well as the bedroom.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 along with clothes they may want to wash during their stay or sheets at the end of their visit.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
And don\u2019t forget window treatments.<\/p>\n
\u201cStart by adding drapery to the windows \u2014 soft fabric panels not only frame the space beautifully but also help insulate against winter drafts, creating a warm and restful spot to sleep,\u201d Lainas said.<\/p>\n
Then there are the little things that will make your guests\u2019 stay just that much nicer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen creating a space for houseguests, I always encourage my clients to go beyond the mere basics and add as many extras as they can,\u201d said Clark. \u201cWhy give your guests a Motel 6 experience if you can give them a Ritz Carlton one?\u201d<\/p>\n
To that end, Clark created what she calls \u201cThe 5-Star Checklist.\u201d It focuses on the little, often overlooked details that will make your guests feel especially welcome and comfortable in your home.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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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)
\nDiana Clark\u2019s \u20185-Star Checklist\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2022 Put a little card with your Wi-Fi password on a bedside table.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Make sure there are plenty of hangers in the closet.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Provide a luggage rack, or a luggage mat to protect your bedspread.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Put lamps on the bedside tables for guests who read in bed. I love the ones that feature USB ports for charging devices.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Put remotes for lights, TV, or ceiling fan on a small tray in or a bowl or basket. Label the remotes if they\u2019re confusing.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Provide bottled water.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Install an Echo Dot or a clock radio for those folks who wake in the night and want to check the time.<\/p>\n
\u2022 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.)<\/p>\n
\u2022 Put a small flashlight on the bedside table\u2014who knows when there might be a power failure?<\/p>\n
\u2022 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.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Fill a small basket or bowl with miscellaneous handy \u201cemergency\u201d items such as a nail file, safety pins, Band-Aids, or a pen and tablet. (If they flew in, maybe they\u2019ll wish for scissors since you can\u2019t have them on a plane.)<\/p>\n
\u2022 Fill a little bowl with wrapped candies or mints or put candies on the pillows.<\/p>\n
\u2022 A stack of current magazines, or a lovely coffee table book, is a nice touch.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Add a special holiday touch, such as fresh flowers, a holiday-themed throw pillow on the bed, or a decorative accessory.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Be mindful of people\u2019s allergies. Make sure tissues, bedding, candles and towels are unscented.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Find out if your guests need extra pillows for reclining in bed to accommodate issues like acid reflux.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For The Union-Tribune The holidays are approaching and if you\u2019re hosting guests for a night or two \u2014…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":74567,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[19505,181,74,76,75,420],"class_list":{"0":"post-74566","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-diego","8":"tag-home-and-garden","9":"tag-latest-headlines","10":"tag-san-diego","11":"tag-san-diego-headlines","12":"tag-san-diego-news","13":"tag-things-to-do"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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