If you’re lucky enough to have a spare bedroom in your home, you can open this up to accommodate family, friends, and loved ones staying the night whenever you like. No matter how well we know someone, it can be difficult to replicate the comfort of a night in your own bed in your own home – and of course, you want your guests to feel as cosy as possible. Follow these tips to create a warm and welcoming spare room that will have people wanting to stay time and time again.
Decorate the Walls
Bare walls, though often the easiest interior decoration option, come across as impersonal – and hanging generic prints can give the impression of a bland hotel room. Decorating the walls of your spare room with paintings, photos and prints helps give it character, and with appropriate art hanging systems, this can even be done in rental properties where you’re not able to drill into the walls. Why not pop up some photos of treasured memories of you and your guests to celebrate special moments?
Keep Soft Furnishings Plush
There’s nothing worse than settling into a room for the night only to find flat pillows and a lifeless duvet. Neither provides the comfort you need when trying to relax in an unfamiliar bed. Don’t buy the cheapest soft furnishings or skimp on quality. Instead, if you need to tighten the purse strings a little, shop second-hand or reuse soft furnishings you already have so the bed is as snuggly and as welcoming as can be. If you’ve got a spare pillow, pack this for guests to use if or when they’d like.
Invest in Small Details
The finishing touches can really make all the difference when it comes to a room feeling appealing and welcoming. There are many small but significant details that can be incorporated into a spare room. Folded towels placed on the bed, spare phone chargers neatly wound up on a desk and a programmable alarm clock on a bedside table will all make your guests’ lives that little bit more comfortable during their stay. If they’re likely to have a late night, why not pop a kettle and some tea and coffee-making items in there too?
De-clutter
Guests will expect your spare room to feel somewhat ‘lived in’ – after all, it is a room in your home. That doesn’t mean it should be left as a dumping ground or storage space for clutter, however. Filling it with your own keepsakes and belongings can just make guests feel even more as though they’re staying in someone else’s domain. Sure, you can use your spare room for some much-needed storage, but keep items boxed or filed away, and don’t leave things out on desks, windowsills, or other spare surfaces. Empty the drawers, too. There’s nothing worse than going to pop your phone away and finding a drawer that’s full to the brim with assorted objects.
Smile
Of course, the way your guests feel when they stay in your spare room is only amplified by the way you greet them. Going the extra mile to make them feel welcome can really make all the difference and will help them settle in better. Ask them if there’s anything else you can get for them and offer your help should they need it. Great memories are made from smiles and laughter – and a great night’s sleep comes from knowing you’re in a place where you’re appreciated and wanted.