This past week I presented my design plan of a master bedroom, guest bedroom and bathroom for a project in Bloomfield, NJ. Not having had the opportunity to design a guest bedroom in a while, I dove in deep, thinking of all the luxuries that I’d expect from a hotel mixed with the personal touches of a private residence guest retreat.
Whether you are expecting weekend guests or a month long stay of your in-laws (in which case, abort mission and don’t read this post, these guest bedroom tips are so good that they may NEVER leave), making your guests feel comfortable will not only allow you to look like a rock star of a host, but make their stay memorable. Here are some tips to make a lasting impression with your guest bedroom.
Crisp, White Bedding
White bedding is one of my favorite guest room must-haves. While many people assume white bedding is hard to keep clean, it’s actually quite the contrary. White bedding can be bleached, keeping it fresh and crisp, unlike colored comforters which can fade with multiple washes.
Create Other Opportunities
Adding a small desk or little lounge area allows your guests to have the option to use the room for something other than sleeping. Be sure to turn the cozy level way up with pillows, extra blankets and differing textures.
Storage is also important for your guests. While many of us use our guests rooms as overflow storage for all the random things that don’t make the cut for our main closets, adding furniture like a chest or storage ottoman allows for extra storage space for our guests’ clothes or bags.
Uniquely Yours
Just like if you were to stay at a hotel in Disney World, you would expect to see subtle nods to the iconic Mickey ears, when your guests are staying in your home, they should also see personal touches that iniquivickly speak to what makes you and your home unique. If you are a musician maybe your spare bedroom has a record player with classic vinyls adorning the walls or if you have a love for Parisian architecture, perhaps you display prints of Art Nouveau buildings.
Pops of your favorite color, in the case of my clients', fun and bright teals, can make a statement. Showcasing your favorite hue in an accent wall makes for a modern and exciting room. Here, I proposed vertical (more modern than the tired, white, horizontal shiplap of the past decade) about 3/4 up the wall with 2 shades of Benjamin Moore Teals.
Clutter Free Space
An uncluttered and cohesive guest room is key for a stress free stay for your guests. Many of the guest bedrooms I have been asked to design were smorgasbord rooms filled with overflow items that are rarely used but have not been parted with. These rooms were dumping grounds for old college furniture, hand me down beds and pieces that just don’t belong together (like a classical armour paired with an ikea dresser... yikes). You don’t have to spend a fortune on new furniture, and minimal design is always better than a room filled to the ceiling.
More Than a Look
Finally, make the stay special with little touches of luxury. I’m sure other articles about guest bedroom design would tell you to put fresh towels bedside with artisanal soaps, but that’s much too formal (and pretentious ) for me and my guests. Simple and minimal, fresh eucalyptus smells wonderful and aromatic candles sets the tone for a clean, fresh room.
The paramount of a nice stay, be it at a 5 star luxury hotel or a guest bedroom of our high school friend’s house in suburbia, is comfort, uniqueness and a clutter-free space.
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