Making Your Guest Room More Inviting

Posted by Jenni Barnett on Friday, March 5th, 2021 at 12:15pm.

When you invite a friend or family member to come to town and stay in your guest room, what goes through your mind? Underneath the excitement you feel at the thought of seeing your guest, do you also feel unease about the state of your guest room? This common challenge may even be preventing you from having guests stay over! If so, make 2021 the year you push past this hang-up.

Today, we’re going to share our top tips to make your guest room more inviting. Don’t worry, you don’t need to spend an outrageous amount of cash to create a space that makes your guests feel welcome, comfortable, and ready to relax. However, there are some tried and true techniques below that can be created at a wide range of price points, for those who wish to go all out.


Prioritize Cleanliness and Comfort

Irrespective of your guest room’s size, it must be tidy, clean, and free of clutter if you want your guests to feel relaxed. 

Choose the most comfortable bed within your budget, and make it up with crisp, clean sheets of a caliber you yourself would be happy to sleep on. Be sure to make several plush, snuggly blankets available for your guests in case they get chilly overnight. 

Instead of providing one pillow, provide two, and make two additional pillows available within the guest room. Ideally, these pillows will vary in height and density, allowing your guest to select their ideal pillow(s), ensuring they don’t wake up with a stiff neck.

If your home has hard floors, add an area rug by the bed to protect their bare feet in the morning, and place a non-slip mat beneath it for safety.


Embrace Thoughtful Minimalism

Whatever your personal style may be, your guest room need not be a space for personal expression. Instead, choose a muted, soft color palette. Look to spa interiors and upscale resorts for tips on creating universally welcoming spaces! 

Even if you prefer (and have the means) to go all-out when it comes to decorating your guest room, starting with a pared-down, clutter-free space draped in relaxing hues will put your friends and loved ones at ease.

This minimalist approach should extend to furniture, as well. Eliminate any furniture that won’t serve your guest well or comfortably—and replace it with items that are functional and simple. Arguably, a guest room need only have a bed and nightstand to serve its purpose, but a chair, desk, dresser, or bench can all be excellent ways to make the space really inviting.


Provide Some Storage Options

Dependent on a variety of factors, your guest may arrive with only a small overnight bag or, conversely, they may be hauling several suitcases and bags stuffed with a week’s worth of clothing, shoes, and personal items. Either way, they will appreciate being offered storage space within their room. 

If your guest room has a closet, provide plenty of hangers and a shoe rack. A small chest of drawers or a nightstand with storage are often perfect in guest rooms, but if you are short on space, consider adding a captain’s bed instead. Your guest will appreciate the spacious drawers that will roll out from the side of their bed frame.


Install Considerate Lighting 

Lighting in guest rooms often comes in two extreme forms: one tiny bedside lamp that wouldn’t light up a closet or a blazing overhead light that is anything but relaxing. We recommend installing several sources of soft light instead. 

Once you’ve gathered your lights, test them out at various times of the day. Make note of insufficient or overpowering patches of light. You may find that moving their placement slightly, changing the color or strength of the bulbs, or swapping one type of shade for another creates a more optimal lighting scheme.


Provide a Wi-Fi Information Card

Your guest may or may not want coffee in the morning, but there’s hardly a person alive today who won’t need your wireless password. Rather than waiting for your guest to ask you for it, or hoping you remember to offer at just the right moment, take the time to jot down the password on a card and leave it in their room. 

Alternatively, you may want to have a card printed and laminated at a print shop. That way, you will always have a professional, attractive card at the ready.


Don’t Make Your Guests Guess

Okay, we’ve all been guilty of this from time to time. Does this sound familiar? “Towels are in the linen cupboard, and blankets are in the hall closet.” While it’s considerate to think of things your guest may need, it’s far more hospitable to ensure they don’t have to look for, or work for, any amenity they may require for their stay.

Place bath towels and facial towels in a woven basket, in their room,v or on the bathroom counter. Offer a laundry hamper, or at least a laundry bag, no matter how brief their stay may be. Place their extra blankets within their room – if you’re short on space in the room, they may be folded lengthwise and placed at the foot of the bed. 

The standard should be established clearly: you are willing to go out of your way to ensure your guest never has to.


Be Liberal with Little Luxuries

Often, what makes a guest feel really welcome is the time and effort we put into infusing their stay with thoughtful touches. Some items that your guests may appreciate include:

    • Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
    • Shampoo and conditioner
    • Gentle facial cleanser and moisturizer
    • Packets of their favorite tea, or most-loved coffee brand
    • Easily accessible snacks and drinks
    • Set of coffee mugs and water glasses within the guest’s reach, and clearly designated for their ease of use

We hope this post leaves you feeling empowered to create a simple yet luxurious and restful retreat for those you love most. After all, the most stressful part of playing host should be timing showers! When you are able to open your home with confidence, your mindset will carry over to your guest, ensuring that they are able to relax without worrying that they’re causing you undue stress.

Parks is wishing you happy entertaining throughout this year and beyond. If you have helpful tips for optimizing guest spaces within the home, please leave us a comment! We love to hear from our treasured readers.

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