It sounds like the beginning of a bad holiday movie: friends and relatives are gate crashing your place and you have a look of dread on your face.
In a real life scenario it is not because you don’t like the visitors, the dread comes from figuring out where they will sleep, and wondering whether it will be comfortable for them.
Unless you have a sprawling estate of endless rooms, the guest bedroom is usually known as the “slash room”: guest-slash-storage/office/laundry room. So at this time of year, move that bike and ironing board out of there and look at a few essentials to get your guest room looking welcoming and beautiful.
The biggest thing that your guest will remember about their stay is their sleep, so start with the bed.
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Layering lots of pillows creates the look of a luxury hotel - in your own home. Photo / Supplied
Make sure you have a decent mattress to minimise the princess and the pea scenario, and invest in a luxurious feather topper for even more comfort.
Then think about bedding. When styling your bed, you can’t go wrong with a white waffle duvet cover for that hotel feeling, otherwise a stonewashed look in an olive, or denim blue looks smart. The key here is to keep to calming tones rather than lots of bright and bold colours so that guests, whatever their personalities, can feel calm and rejuvenated in the space.
Keep dedicated linens and towels just for your guests. Photo / Getty Images
Comforters should have a bit of weight to them to provide structure to the look of the bed, so keep any eye out for a velvet or cotton linen blend. Figuring out pillows can be tricky as there are so many options. I personally like to style my beds with two big square euro pillows for height, two reading pillows in the duvet accent colour, and two slightly thinner sleeping pillows in the same colour as the flat sheet. I then finish with two purely decorative cushions: square or rectangular ones in a pattern, texture or colour.
I like to keep a set of bed-linen dedicated just to use in the guest room, as that keeps it looking fresh. Keep the colours neutral, as matching the accent colour can look too matchy-matchy. If you like to change your accent colour as the seasons change, a neutral pairs back with either summer or winter looks.
Good lighting and attractive bed-side tables create home-away-from-home comfort. Photo / Supplied
As a finishing touch, add a comforter blanket at the foot of bed that guests can access easily for that afternoon nap. All of that layering with the comforter and cushions makes the bed look cozy and inviting, a perfect sanctuary to jump right into.
Bedside tables in guest bedrooms are often recycled from other bedrooms, so have a look at them and see if they need to be refurbished. If you are in the market for new ones, I wish you luck! As a designer I am constantly disappointed with the price and inventory available to choose from.
Guests generally won’t need a lot of drawer storage, just somewhere to put their water, phone and a book. So for a contemporary look try a concrete round table. For style that will fit most spaces, try a white, timber or black single drawer with wooden or steel frame. Be mindful of the style of the legs to keep the bedside looking light and airy rather than heavy.
Lastly, make sure your bedside lamp is proportionate to your bedside. Put those large fabric shades away and go for a sleek light that complements your style type whether it is rustic, traditional or contemporary.
To finish off your room, add accessories with love! Experiment with styling the guest room with more flair – it is different from a family bedroom that requires more of a utilitarian touch.
Think at least two plants and repeating the accent colour through artwork and decor if you have a storage unit or bookcase. I would recommend temporarily de-cluttering your storage unit especially if the guest room is a ‘slash room’ for the rest of the year. If you have space, perhaps add a bench seat, guest chair or luggage stand and layer a collection of guest towels and linen on top.
This simple guide gives you the perfect ending to your holiday movie as you accommodate your visitors with confidence and a little bit of indulgence for their special time away with you.
- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors
