How to Prepare the Ultimate Guest Bedroom
Are you preparing for visitors over the festive season, or just fancy giving your guest bedroom/s a little bit of attention? Our advice below aims to assist you in creating beautifully designed and comfortable spaces where visiting friends and family will feel at home. All of our tips are relevant throughout the entire year, not just for Christmas, but we know they will be especially welcome as the busiest season for hosting approaches.
Invest in your bed
It’s hard to get a good night’s sleep without a comfortable mattress, supportive pillows and a warm duvet. These elements may not be the most exciting investments as they aren’t adding to the look of the room, but what they contribute to comfort is paramount. You’re probably going to spend less money on a mattress for a guest bedroom than your own bed (and rightly so), but you still want your guests to drift off to sleep as effortlessly as possible. There’s a lot to consider when buying a mattress (firmness and size) but the most important decision is which type of mattress to (quite literally) spring for. Many types of mattresses are designed specifically for certain types of sleepers, which can make them tricky to buy for occasional visitors sleeping in guest bedrooms, but open-spring or pocket-spring options are both good options. Note that open-spring mattresses are less supportive but are more affordable than pocket-spring.
For duvets and pillows, opt for quality investments that will last for many years to come. Our made-to-order duvets are based on their fill power rating, which is the ultimate guide to a duvet’s weightless, luxurious feel. The higher the number, the heavier the duvet, and warmer it is. Choose from 750 duck down (a heavy, warm duvet that will keep you snug and toasty during the winter months), 650 goose down (similar, but not quite as warm) or 500 duck down and feather (a medium weight, which is ideal for year-round use, thus what we would recommend for a guest bedroom).
Dress the bed with high quality, breathable cotton sheets
Don’t compromise on the quality of the bed linen in guest bedrooms; treat these beds as you would your own. Unless you have regular visitors, you likely only need one or two sets of guest bed linen, so why not invest in high quality sheets that are designed to stand the test of time?
While we all have our own preferences on bed linen (some of us are cotton lovers while others long for pure linen), cotton percale is generally a safe bed. You can read more about the differences between percale and sateen in our dedicated blog post, but in a nutshell, percale cotton has more of a cool and crisp feel while sateen is smooth, silky and warm to the touch. If you opt for cotton percale bed linen in a guest bedroom, guests who prefer to feel warmer at night can layer up with bedspreads and blankets.
Our Annabelle, Porto and Evora bed linens are ideal for guest rooms, whether you prefer a whimsical scallop trim, hemstitch detailing or more classic cording.
Layer with bedspreads, blankets and cushions for a welcoming space
A bed dressed with a couple of throw pillows and a bedspread feels warm and welcoming for guests to curl up in. We like to layer with quilts, bedspreads, throws and cushions to add colour and pattern – as well as comfort. Our Eva and Nina quilted bedspreads add warmth, texture and interest, while our basketweave alpaca throws introduce both an extra layer and a splash of colour.
Additional pillows provide the finishing touch to any bed. Start with four high-quality pillows for sleeping on before adding cushions or boudoir pillows as your decorative layers. Interior designer Jojo Barr recently shared her expertise in styling cushions with us, which you can read about in more detail here. Key takeaways include styling in odd numbers for a more aesthetically pleasing look, mixing textures to add intrigue, and to consider the colours of your room when considering new cushions.
Consider small touches to elevate the room
Think of the things you miss from home when you’re staying at someone else’s, and provide those home comforts for your own guests. Use a rattan tray on a dresser to present carefully chosen items for your guest to use during their stay, such as a pillow spray, bathrobe and hand cream. Provide a carafe of fresh water and a couple of glasses on a bedside table. Place a diffuser and small vase of fresh flowers in the room. Curate a collection of books and magazines for your guests to read. If you have spare phone chargers, plug them in for your guests to use. It’s the little things.
Encourage a good night’s sleep with your decor
Create a soothing space that encourages your guests to unwind. You want them to feel welcome to spend downtime reading or relaxing in their room, so consider how you can encourage this through your choice of decor. You could add a comfortable armchair if you have the space, or perhaps incorporate a window seat if the architecture of the room allows.
When it comes to bedtime, a guest bedroom should feel like a space that welcomes sleep. Personal taste quite rightly comes into play here, but there are certain colours that work well for bedrooms. Studies have shown that tones of blue and green have the strongest impact on our circadian rhythm, while these are also seen as relaxing, soothing colours. Soft, light neutrals also work well in a bedroom, while bright hues or colours towards the warmer end of the spectrum such as red and orange aren’t as well suited for sleep.
Avoid any unnecessary clutter in the room, to create a serene space, but also try to keep bold patterns and prints to a minimum. Two or three carefully considered patterns, such as wallpaper, a headboard or textiles can create a stylish aesthetic, but more than this can be chaotic and distracting.
Carefully consider the lighting in a guest bedroom, opting for warm-toned bulbs and providing table lamps so your guests can turn off the ‘big light’ to wind down surrounded by a softer, more ambient glow. Also, check that the blinds or curtains in the room effectively block light pollution from outside.
Provide storage for your guests
Depending on the size of your guest bedroom, ensure that you provide adequate storage space for your guests to unpack their luggage. If your guest room is large, a wardrobe, chest of drawers and luggage rack would all be appreciated by visitors. For smaller spaces, a simple clothes rail is sufficient, or consider a divan bed with concealed storage covered with a lovely valance. Also consider how long your guests will be staying with you. Overnight guests may not need to fully unpack, but if you’re expecting visitors to stay for longer you may want to empty drawers to make space for their belongings.
Expecting visitors? Read our companion guide to preparing your guest bathroom.
Discover our bedroom collection for bed linen, bedspreads, throws and cushions.
