Sometimes a spare room is overlooked and under loved. Sometimes it houses Dad’s ‘working from home’ den. On the odd occasion when it actually needs to do the job it was born for, we run about frantically trying to make it presentable for last minute guests!
Laura, Creative director here at The Headboard Workshop has lots of experience with holiday lets and guest spaces of all shapes and sizes. Thankfully, she has a few words of wisdom for creating a guest room that your visitors will love!
Air the room thoroughly
Opening a window can do wonders for a stuffy room that has been unused for a while. A simple, yet very effective place to start!
Air the bed
Laura suggests that if a bedroom is damp or musty then investing in a good electric blanket is a good idea. Run it on low power for a few hours before your guests arrive to make the bed more welcoming.
A suitable variety of beds and mattresses for guest rooms can be seen on our website. Personalise any of them with your choice of fabric. Your guests will have a wonderful night’s rest.
And whilst on the subject of Blankets
Nothing says luxury to Laura more than soaking in a hot bath whilst an electric blanket warms her bed! Remember, you always feel colder in other people’s houses than in your own. Try this. As a result, your guests will be ‘snug as a bug in a rug’ at bedtime.
Consider purchasing a matching ottoman from The Headboard Workshop in a matching colour. Extra blankets and bedding can be stored inside for easy access. Your guests can then help themselves to more blankets if required.
Floral arrangements
Pop a welcoming vase of pretty garden flowers in the guest room dressing table for a thoughtful added touch and a burst of colour and fragrance.
Refreshments
A bottle of spring water and two glasses within reaching distance of the bed will make your visitors feel extra cared for. It will reduce the need for them to wander around an unfamiliar house at night to visit the kitchen.
Tissues
Make sure there is always a box of tissues handy. It’s the law.
Entertainment
Place a good selection of reading material like books up to date issues of home interest magazines in a convenient place. Add comfy chair (if you have room) to make an excellent place to sit and relax. The Penterry Chair has excellent proportions for a bedroom and linen or velvet are very popular choices for occasional use.
Similarly, you may like to consider extending your guest room furniture to accommodate young families (think Christmas and family occasions) with a very useful sofa bed – We love our Hoy Sofa Bed for comfort and ease of use. Somewhere to sit during the day, and sleep during the night.
Hairdryer
We need them in our lives! So, make sure there is one plugged in by a mirror.
Finishing Touches
Fold pretty woollen rugs or blankets across the end of the bed. Because, if you have a zip and link set-up in your spare room, you’ll need to make sure you have two blankets on hand for when the beds are separated. Consequently, The Headboard Workshop has a range of zip and link bed and mattress options (and advice for rooms that need more than one sleeping configuration) if you think this arrangement might be nifty in your home!
Tune in!
Some guests may appreciate access to a radio, mobile phone or device charger and your wifi code!
Finally, if you do indeed follow all these pointers we won’t be held responsible if your guests never want to leave!
