A well designed guest bedroom will make friends and family feel welcome, even when they are far from home. It doesn’t need to cost the earth, but it does require a bit of planning.
Apart from getting the decor and furniture right, providing your guest with all of their favourite home comforts – beautiful bedding, plenty of storage and even a light to read by at night, will all add up to a wonderful experience for your loved ones.
Have a think about these different elements that will create a relaxing and inspiring space to stay:
A Neutral Colour Scheme
Create a room that is clean and serene with a neutral backdrop that will please any taste. Opt for walls and furniture in muted hues of grey, brown and white to evoke a feeling of calm for your guests. Soft and soothing shades make any bedroom look timeless and sophisticated.
An Inviting Bed
First impressions count and the first thing a visitor will notice is the bed. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of sleeping in your own bed, but an inviting sleeping space can act as the next best thing. Go for cotton sheets with a high thread count for a touch of luxury, and a nice big duvet and fluffy pillows.
And a trick to make the bed look extra inviting is by adding a mixture of different sized cushions to incorporate colours and textures, as well as a throw. Don’t be afraid to add a pop of colour to neutral bed linen, or mixing in some woollen knits and velvet to plain cotton.
Bedside Tables
Always useful for you guests to store their bedtime essentials on. And if your budget doesn’t stretch to new and costly bedside tables, then why not repurpose chairs, use simple stools, or even stack some stylish storage boxes to create inexpensive alternatives.
Dress Your Windows
You want your guests to have brilliant sleep while they are staying. Make sure to get curtains or blinds that really block out all the light. You can buy black out blinds very cheaply and then dress the windows with some stylish ready made curtains.
Plenty of Storage
Before turning your spare room into a junk room for all your excess belongings, be careful to allocate some storage space for your guests. Perhaps buy a nice wardrobe or a chest of drawers (these could be second hand or luxury furniture items - go with what your budget allows).
Lighting
Is such a good way of giving a room character a warmth. The more different types of lighting you have the more you can create that atmosphere. Perhaps drape some fairy lights across the chest of drawers or have a floor light for some soft lighting. And small lamps on both the bedside tables will be just the thing for your guests to enjoy a bit of night-time reading.
A Dressing Table
How useful would it be for your guests to have a dressing table? Search for items like a small table or desk and chair and a small stand up mirror and voila, there you have it. Don't worry if they don't match; mismatched styles and finishes lend a collected-over-time look.
Creature Comforts
There a number of lovely little touches you can add to the room to really make your guests feel welcome and cared for. How about a bunch of tulips in a vase? Or some interesting books and magazines on a shelf for them to browse? Also nice extras you could provide include guest dressing gowns, an alarm clock, a box of tissues and some luxury towels.
Hopefully these tips will have given you some inspiration for your guest bedroom. Bear in mind that if you spend some time planning the room out in advance, it will really pay off and save you from ending up with a mish mash effect. With a bit of effort, a splash of paint and some accessories you can create a cosy haven for your guests.
