The Cozy Guest Room!

Hi Everyone! Katie and I were excited to collaborate and write a blog together on guest room ideas. Katie provided tips about how to design a beautiful space for your guests in her blog, The Perfect Guest Room. I am finishing up with tips for how to make your guest room cozy and welcoming.

So yes I admit it, the guest rooms were the first rooms I decorated when we moved into our home.  And yes, I will embarrassingly admit that when choosing our home, much of the search was driven by the need for extra rooms to host and have our family and friends stay with us.  I LOVE having guests, love being the house where everyone is hanging out, and love making people feel welcome.  While Katie is busy with decor and making rooms look gorgeous, I can’t wait to contribute all the small details that make everyone feel welcome and loved.  Today I have some great tips on how to make the cozy guest room!

Welcome your guests with something special.  Whether a cute sign, a card, or some flowers, it lets your guests know you are happy they are here. Growing up and to this day, my mom  would always draw a cute welcome sign for anyone that comes to visit.  It makes guests feel loved.

Invest in plush comfy bedding and towels.  Make sure all your bedding and towels are plush, soft, clean, and comfy.  If guests have not stayed in our room for a while, I clean the sheets and towels before they arrive to have them smell fresh.  Some people will feel badly asking for things, so make sure there are extra blankets, pillows, and towels and tell your guests where they are.

Have a place to unpack clothes.  Have a bench, a suitcase rack, or a closet.  Make sure drawers are cleared out, there is room for hanging clothes, and there is a set area for your guests to unpack.

Wifi information.  Have some fun and make a stylish print with your Wifi password and put it in a cute frame.  This makes it super easy for your guests to connect to the internet and makes them feel as if they are on vacation!

Bathroom Essentials.  I love this tip!  I had so much fun creating a basket with all the toiletries your guests could need.  My picture below shows a few things you can place in your basket!

Reading Material. Katie had mentioned in her blog that she loves the idea of a reading nook in an open area of the room. I love this idea. Placing magazines and other great reading material is not only cute and decorative, but nice for your guests too.

Snacks and drinks.  Place some bottled water and a candy dish on the night stand or in a basket.

Fresh flowers or a plant.  My mother-in-law, Debbie taught me this one.  Every time we go to visit her, she has a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers in her guest room.  It just adds some color and warmth.  Who doesn’t love flowers?

Family pictures are great as wall art.  Purchase some cool hanging frames, whatever your taste, and fill it with pictures of your family, friends, and guests that will stay in your guest room.  It looks awesome and makes your guests feel right at home.

Accents.  As Katie said, accents are key to tying the room together and giving it a final decorated look.  ACCENTS ARE HUGE!  Katie always tells me that you can fill your room with furniture, area rugs, and lighting, but without accents the room will not look finished.  My top favorite places to find great accents are Joss and Main, Marshall’s Home Goods, La Vie En Blanc, and local antique stores.

I hope this blog inspires you to invite some guests to your home.  Even if you do not have an extra guest room and they are staying on the pull-out couch, you can still use many of these guest room ideas to make them feel at home.  The most important tip is that you love your guests and want them to know that.  Happy hosting!!!