The Ultimate Guest Room
If your home is like ours you probably host a lot of guests during the holiday season. There is one thing you can be sure of, after I travel 8 hours with two teenagers for Thanksgiving, I am the perfect one to describe items that weary travelers need when they arrive at their final destination. You don’t want your guests to have to ask for items they may need or have forgotten to pack. This guest room has a coastal design and is just amazing. The furniture is from Outer Banks Furniture and was in Tara Preston’s Homearama home this year. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to help decorate this home.
The majority of this house is done in blue tones. However, I think the yellow accent color makes the room so bright and cheery. Of course a guest room needs to be aesthetically pleasing, but there are several necessities that I immediately think of when I entertain overnight guests.
Musts for your overnight Guests
1.Have closet space for guests to hang their clothing- Lots of us use our closets for storage. However, when guests come to spend the night at your home, they will have clothing that will need to be hung up. Always have empty hangers in the closet and make sure there is room for their clothes. Nobody wants to open a closet and have an avalanche of your items fall on them.
2. Luggage rack- It is always a good idea to have at least one luggage rack for the guest room. It makes it very convenient for your guests to place their bags on the rack and not have to put their suitcase in the floor. These are easy to find and don’t cost very much. Plus you really don’t want luggage placed on your nice furniture so it is just easiest to have this for your guests.
3. Lamps- Having lamps by the bedside tables give your guests the proper lighting they need. Some people like to read before bed and this gives them the opportunity to do that without having to keep the ceiling light on. Plus, if they have to get up in the middle of the night this gives them the option of having a light source. Sometimes, I even leave night lights in the bathroom especially if the guests have small children.
4.chair- When I visit other people’s homes I love when there is some type of furniture in the room. You can use it to layout clothes for the next day, sit and read, or just rest a few minutes in between activities without having to get into the bed.
5.tv- This isn’t a necessity, but I think it is a luxury most people would appreciate. There will definitely be down time and time at night where your guests will have time to themselves and they can unwind by watching tv in their room. It doesn’t have to be large or the latest smart tv, but your guests will appreciate the option of having one in their room.
6. Reading Materials- My mother in law has the best magazines for us when we visit her house. I always take a book when I travel, but when I go to her house I never have to take magazines. We all know how much the decorating magazines cost so having several out for your guests would be greatly appreciated.
7. Wifi Password- If your home has a password to use the wifi, you need to make sure your guests have instructions on how to use their technology. This is something you don’t want them to have to ask about. You could even put this in a basket of goodies.
8. Basket of Goodies– Sometimes guests feel insecure asking for food or drink at other people’s homes. To make this less awkward, leave a basket of goodies and water in their room. Then they can access this whenever they feel hungry. I’ve used nuts, granola bars, trail mix, and water to name a few.
9. Extra Toiletries- Of course I always have things in the shower like shampoo, conditioner, bath gels and soap. I also put out enough fresh towels for my guests. However, I leave a glass jar of extra toiletries just in case they forgot some things such as a razor, toothbrushes, toothpaste, q-tips, hand lotion, mouthwash, and small shampoos in case the large ones have agents they may be allergic to. My son is allergic to lavender and lots of products have scents that bother me to the point where I get migraines. This makes me very sensitive to that issue and I try to put out things that I would normally pack myself.
10. Clock- Even though your guests are on vacation it is important to have a clock in their room. some activities you may be doing have time constraints like dinner or theater plans and guests might need to be ready at a certain time.
11. Extra blankets– It is a great idea to leave extra blankets of varying weights and pillows in the room so guests can control the temperature. I’m allergic to feathers and always prefer the down alternative options at hotels. It is definitely something to think about when buying linens for your guest room.
12. keurig station- Having a coffee and tea station set up in the guest room would really make your guests feel at home. They could wake up and get the caffeine kick they need first thing in the morning. Or in the evening some hot tea might hit the spot right before heading off to bed. I know I would really appreciate this amenity.
Other Guest’s Amenities
I have insomnia and unfortunately am a late night snacker. Therefore, I know what it is like to be up late at night when everyone else is sleeping and you wish you had something to eat or drink. I like to stock a little basket of healthy snacks such as granola bars, nuts, fruit snacks etc… along with bottled water for guests. It also makes taking medications easier on guests if there is water in the room. Also, place some current magazines in several different genres for your guests to read during down time.
Royal Treatment
The most important thing is to let your guests know up front that you are there for them and wish to make them as comfortable as possible. If you establish that from the start, you’re bound to have an amazing visit with your guests. The best thing to do when preparing your guest room is think about the things you would like or need when staying away from home. Then you really design a beautiful, but functional room that you and your guests are happy with.
From Casa Ely we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends and travel safely.
Yours Truly,
Jenn
