If you have room in your home for a guest room, you want your family and friends who visit to be as comfortable as possible and stay as long as they want. One of the best ways to communicate to your guests that you have room for them and make them want to visit you is to put some thought into your guest room design.
Sometimes guest rooms are just what’s leftover — an old mattress, a dresser from your college days, a hat rack your mother-in-law gave you — but you can make this all come together with a few tips.
Make the bed a priority.
The best gift you can give your guests is a good night’s sleep, and that probably won’t happen on a worn-out mattress and sheets from your college days. That said, the mattress doesn’t have to be brand new to still be comfortable. And you can often revitalize an old mattress with a comfortable mattress pad and cover. If you spend money on nothing else, making the bed as comfortable as possible is the most important aspect of guest room design.
Then, put some thought into the bedding, choosing comfortable sheets and cozy blankets. Even if the sheets haven’t been slept in in a while, wash them before your guests come over so they look and smell fresh.
Add something extra.
If you have space in your budget or space in the room, consider adding a little something extra to the room that isn’t just a bed. While it’s likely the guests who stay in your home will want to spend as much time as possible with you, not in their room, keep in mind that they may not have the same schedule as you or may need a little more time to themselves.
Adding something like a desk, a reading nook or even just a sitting area can go a long way toward creating a home-away-from-home that will ensure your guests feel relaxed and refreshed during their stay.
The beauty is in the details.
No matter how beautiful or relaxing you make your guest room design, the details are what make the stay memorable and show your guests the extra thought you put into their stay. Consider a few thoughtful gestures that will show them you really care. Here are a few suggestions:
WiFi login and password information
A pitcher of water and a couple of glasses
Their favorite candy
A handwritten note from you
A phone charger
A full-length mirror
Books or other reading material
A robe
Fresh flowers
An eye mask or ear plugs if there are children in your home
A luggage rack
A fan or noise machine
Have options available.
Everyone has different sleep patterns and preferences, so you’ll want to have as many options available to them as possible. It may be that guests are too warm or too cold in your home, so layer the bedding and have extra blankets available. Some guests may prefer to sleep on multiple pillows, so provide them options in that department.
Guests may not want to have to ask you for an extra pillow or blanket, so just have that available in a drawer or closet and let them know it’s there if they need it. Guests will feel more comfortable if they’re able to have some say in their sleeping arrangements.
Colors matter.
To provide a truly relaxing guest room, you’ll need to carefully consider colors. You may want to do a little digging into color psychology or read some interior design blogs before you decide on a color, but here are a few quick-hitting points we’d like to make.
Dark colors make a room feel more relaxing and cozy.
Make the design minimal, not busy, to give your guests a place to wind down.
Hotel rooms use white bedding to show that they are crisp and clean; you’d do well to employ this tactic in your own guest room design.
At the end of the day, your guests are there to visit you and your family. You want to make them feel as welcome as possible, and a thoughtful guest room design can do just that.