How To Nail Your Guest Room
Guest rooms can be tricky to get right, most of us need them to be multifunctional - whether they double as an office, a playroom, somewhere to dry the washing or all three - it means that they can easily start to look messy and jumbled rather than the fabulous guest experience you’d like to achieve. Fear not, Roundwood Interiors is here to give you all the best tips to make your spare room work as hard as you need it to.
Make It Multifunctional
So, you love having somewhere for people to stay when they come to visit but you also need somewhere quiet to work? Want somewhere for your parents to stay at Christmas but have nowhere else to dry the washing? There are two key things to remember here:
If we’re talking home office think dual function. A desk can double up as a dressing table and make sure your comfy office couch is a sofa bed. Save space on your desk by mounting a mirror on the wall and choose a sofa bed with internal storage to stow away bedding when it’s not being used.
Storage, storage, and I’ll say it again, storage. Probably the most important thing for any multifunctional, hard-working space is ensuring that you have enough storage to stash everything out of sight. A floor to ceiling cupboard means you’ve got somewhere to shove your ironing basket and clothes horses, add shelves and you’ve got the perfect storage for your printer and paperwork, some simple storage bins are perfect for clearing all those toys out of sight. If you’re being super clever have the bottom half as a storage space and the top half as a bookcase for great styling opportunities.
It’s All In The Details
Now that you’ve got switching between functions under control it’s time to consider the perfect guest experience. Providing a lovely stay for friends and family is all down to those thoughtful touches that everyone will appreciate.
Magazines - Pick up some gorgeous magazines that your guests will want to flick through, things like Architectural Digest, Vogue, Grazia, Men’s Health and it’s always nice to include a local magazine too. You don’t need all of these, by the way, just a couple!
Reed Diffuser - Scent is a huge part of creating memories, choose a gorgeous reed diffuser to ensure that every time they catch a whiff of that scent in future they remember the lovely stay they had with you.
Full-Length Mirror - Make sure they have a way to check themselves out from head to toe, and take those all important mirror selfies. Choose something with bigger proportions to achieve a more generous look.
Multi Hook - Trust me on this one, a hook that can house multiple hangers will be so appreciated. Somewhere to hang a jacket or a dress will be invaluable. Try something like these cast iron ones from Etsy.
Chest of Drawers - Somewhere for your guests to unpack their stuff so they don’t have to live out of a suitcase for the duration of their visit. The top gives you somewhere to store the rest of your thoughtful details too!
Towels - This should go without saying really, make sure you include a clean bath sheet (that’s the big size) and a hand towel. Bonus points for something unique like linen towels which soften with every wash or something with a quirky design. That way you’ll know these are just your guest towels and they won’t get mixed in with your regular towels.
Candy Dish - A lovely bowl filled with something like boiled sweets or chocolates is a lovely addition and really provides a lovely experience.
Slippers - Something fluffy that you can easily pop in the washing machine will help to provide a cosy and relaxing experience, you could also consider some fluffy socks as an alternative!
Extras - A basket full of the things that everyone always forgets will make you stand out as a super thoughtful host. Make sure you include things like a spray deodorant (nobody wants a communal roll on!), shower gel, sanitary towels, paracetamol, a toothbrush, toothpaste, mints or chewing gum, razor. Keep them on top of the chest of drawers and in sight to make sure your guest knows they are there to be used. If it’s hot make sure there’s a tabletop fan available for them to use too, it’s all about comfort!
Textiles - You want your spare room to be a cosy experience and the key to achieving that is appealing to all the senses, to appeal to the sense of touch including some gorgeous textiles is a surefire way to do that. Some gorgeous tactile cushions, a lush blanket will make your guest feel right at home. Your window treatment is another important feature, use light-blocking curtains in a beautiful fabric like silk or velvet in conjunction with sheers underneath (you can buy double rod curtain poles relatively cheaply) or a sheet blind to add a layer of movement and texture to your space.