Create the Perfect Guest Bedroom
Turn your guest bedroom into a home away from home
Posted in Furniture Buying Guides 7 months ago, 0 replies
Having a house full of friends and family is one of life’s greatest pleasures. As we approach the winter, you’re probably already making plans for Christmas – and the chances are that you’ll have a relative or two descending on you before the yuletide season is over. This is the perfect time to get your guest bedroom looking spick and span, and this winter our interior design motto is “Comfy and Cosy”. So follow these tips to turn your guest bedroom into a home away from home which will make your guests feel as special as they are.
Choosing a colour scheme
Calm, relaxing colours work well for guest bedrooms because they don’t evoke strong emotional reactions. While you may love deep red walls, your guests may find red alarming and may even find it difficult to sleep. Similarly, ‘busy’ designs, such as floral patterns, are distracting and, let’s face it, a bit old fashioned. Instead, try more neutral tones, such as pale shades of blue or purple, which provide a warm and relaxing environment which is conducive to sleep.
For your soft furnishings – the bed linen, carpet and curtains – you can complement the colour of the walls with slightly darker shades of the same colour, and you can then gently offset this with some cushions and throws on the bed in a different colour. For instance, if you’ve gone for pale blue walls, you could add cushions in a deeper purple shade for interest. A word of warning – avoid clashing colours at all costs!
Furnishing the perfect guest bedroom
For your guest bedroom to be as versatile as possible, consider investing in a double bed which will split into two. That way, you’ll have the option of making the room up for couples or dividing it into a twin room for friends and siblings, or for other fantastic ideas check out guest beds from time4sleep.co.uk. Ideally, your guest bedroom should also be equipped with a full-height wardrobe (complete with plenty of spare coat hangers) and an empty chest of drawers for guests to unpack their clothes into.
If you have room, try to put a bedside table by each side of the bed, equipped with a reading light and alarm clock. To add an element of luxury, put sheepskin rugs down by the side of the bed for guests to step out onto when they get up in the morning. Finally, don’t forget a mirror – ideally a full length one.
The finishing magical touches
Approaching the winter season, it’s a good idea to equip your guest bedroom with some cosy accessories to make sure your guests are warm and comfortable at night. Leave a stack of warm, fleecy blankets and a hot water bottle close to hand to keep chilliness at bay (offer to fill up the water bottle for them before they go to bed). If you really feel like going the extra mile, you could even put an electric blanket under the sheet, and subtly nip in to switch it on before your guests retire to bed. Don’t forget to remind them to switch it off before they go to sleep!
Careful attention to detail will make your guests feel cared for, so consider placing a vase of flowers on the chest of drawers or windowsill to freshen up the room. Leave a small selection of books and magazines out, and of course plenty of freshly laundered towels – ideally, a flannel, hand towel and bath towel artfully stacked at the end of the bed. You could even take a leaf out of a hotelier’s book and provide your guests with mini toiletries for use during their stay.
Our final winter tip: if your guests are staying over Christmas, decorate the room with some sprigs of holly and some fairy lights to give it a magical festive feel.
Choosing a colour scheme
Calm, relaxing colours work well for guest bedrooms because they don’t evoke strong emotional reactions. While you may love deep red walls, your guests may find red alarming and may even find it difficult to sleep. Similarly, ‘busy’ designs, such as floral patterns, are distracting and, let’s face it, a bit old fashioned. Instead, try more neutral tones, such as pale shades of blue or purple, which provide a warm and relaxing environment which is conducive to sleep.
For your soft furnishings – the bed linen, carpet and curtains – you can complement the colour of the walls with slightly darker shades of the same colour, and you can then gently offset this with some cushions and throws on the bed in a different colour. For instance, if you’ve gone for pale blue walls, you could add cushions in a deeper purple shade for interest. A word of warning – avoid clashing colours at all costs!
Furnishing the perfect guest bedroom
For your guest bedroom to be as versatile as possible, consider investing in a double bed which will split into two. That way, you’ll have the option of making the room up for couples or dividing it into a twin room for friends and siblings, or for other fantastic ideas check out guest beds from time4sleep.co.uk. Ideally, your guest bedroom should also be equipped with a full-height wardrobe (complete with plenty of spare coat hangers) and an empty chest of drawers for guests to unpack their clothes into.
If you have room, try to put a bedside table by each side of the bed, equipped with a reading light and alarm clock. To add an element of luxury, put sheepskin rugs down by the side of the bed for guests to step out onto when they get up in the morning. Finally, don’t forget a mirror – ideally a full length one.
The finishing magical touches
Approaching the winter season, it’s a good idea to equip your guest bedroom with some cosy accessories to make sure your guests are warm and comfortable at night. Leave a stack of warm, fleecy blankets and a hot water bottle close to hand to keep chilliness at bay (offer to fill up the water bottle for them before they go to bed). If you really feel like going the extra mile, you could even put an electric blanket under the sheet, and subtly nip in to switch it on before your guests retire to bed. Don’t forget to remind them to switch it off before they go to sleep!
Careful attention to detail will make your guests feel cared for, so consider placing a vase of flowers on the chest of drawers or windowsill to freshen up the room. Leave a small selection of books and magazines out, and of course plenty of freshly laundered towels – ideally, a flannel, hand towel and bath towel artfully stacked at the end of the bed. You could even take a leaf out of a hotelier’s book and provide your guests with mini toiletries for use during their stay.
Our final winter tip: if your guests are staying over Christmas, decorate the room with some sprigs of holly and some fairy lights to give it a magical festive feel.
submitted by Tony in Raleigh, NC