Hosting guests can be a fun and rewarding experience or a dreaded nightmare depending on who you ask. Some people love having their friends and family stay overnight, whereas others become fearful of negative judgement about their home or their hosting skills. Inviting loved ones to spend a night or two in your home doesn’t need to be a stressful occasion, however. The key is to provide a comfortable space where your guests can unwind on their own. With this guide, you will find out how to design a guest room in your home that will make your guests feel welcome and relaxed for the duration of their stay.
Why Should You Pay Attention to Creating a Great Guest Room?
No matter who you have to stay, it’s essential that your guests have somewhere they can enjoy their privacy, despite not being in their own home. Even if you and your guests are extremely close and get along well, having time apart is important, especially if they are staying with you for multiple nights in a row. If you have a spare bedroom in your home or are building a home from scratch, don’t underestimate the need for a comfortable and well-designed space where guests can unwind. Not only will anyone you invite to stay be grateful for it, but you will also find yourself more relaxed whenever you host, since you know that your guests are taken care of.
What Kind of Guest Room Are You Creating?
There are plenty of different reasons you might be designing a guest room. Perhaps you have a spare room in your home and you want to give it a useful purpose, or maybe you are building a new house and want to make sure that there is space for any friends or family who might come to stay. You may even be hoping to start a rental business where guests can book to stay in your guest accommodation for a fee. This can be a particularly good way to make some extra money, if you live in a desirable area for tourists or have appealing local amenities. Whatever the case may be, you probably want to design a guest room that will leave anyone who stays there feeling rested and relaxed.
What Makes the Ideal Guest Room?
Of course, there is no such thing as the perfect guest room since guests will have a variety of needs and preferences which you won’t be able to anticipate. However, there are a few common considerations and touches you could include in your guest room to make it as comfortable as possible to any likely guest. A great rule to follow is to imagine what you would want if you were staying there as a guest rather than as the property owner. This way you can put yourself in the shoes of a visitor and more accurately discover what is lacking in your guest space. Take a look at some of the following important aspects you should consider when designing a room to please even the most discerning of guests.
Shared or Private Bathroom Facilities
Whether your guests have access to their own private bathroom or not will depend on the current layout of your home or your desire to build an en suite. You may already have an en suite bathroom connected to your guest room, in which case make sure that it is clean and ready whenever you have guests coming to stay. If not, there is no need to rush and install another bathroom, particularly if you aren’t planning on other home renovations. However, make sure that your guests know where the essential facilities are and have a deep clean before their arrival.
Adequate Heating and Air Conditioning for the Climate and Time of Year
Being a guest in a room that is too hot or too cold can ruin an otherwise enjoyable stay. Give your guests as much choice over the temperature of their space as possible by making sure that any air conditioning or heating controls are easy to use. You can even incorporate these essential fixtures into the design of the room by installing steel column radiators for a stylish finish, for example. Depending on the time of year your guests are visiting and what your local weather is usually like, you will need to provide methods of either staying warm or keeping cool for your guests to feel truly comfortable.
Storage Space
If your guests are staying for more than one or two nights, it can be helpful of you to offer somewhere for them to store their luggage and belongings in their room. This means including a chest of drawers or a hanging rail with hangers, so they don’t feel the need to live out of their suitcase for their entire stay. Some guests don’t ever feel like using a room’s storage and prefer to keep everything in their suitcase, but it’s important to give them the option.
Bedding and Towels
Clean towels and bedding are a must even for the briefest of visits. Make sure that any guest beds are neatly made before their arrival and that plenty of towels are available. For people staying more than two nights, consider putting extra linens in their room or letting them know where your linen closet is so that they can help themselves to more should the need arise.
Electronics
Some guests might appreciate being able to iron their clothes in their room or quickly dry their hair after a shower. This means that including an iron, ironing board, hairdryer and other household electronics can make a guest feel more at home. Just make sure to find somewhere convenient yet out of the way to store these items so that your visitors can easily access them but don’t have to look at them all the time. A basket under the bed or a box in the closet should be fine.
Toiletries and Cleaning Products
Most guests will tend to bring their own toiletries when visiting; however, it can be helpful to make sure the bathroom they’ll use is stocked with enough toilet paper, soap, and shower gel. While fancy hotels may also offer shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion, this isn’t necessary unless you want to go truly above and beyond the call of duty. Providing a toilet brush and some simple cleaning supplies can be useful if your guests make a mess that they want to clean themselves rather than mentioning it to you. This allows for added privacy and choice.
Privacy Options
Speaking of privacy, this is an essential consideration if you want your guest room to be the best it possibly can be. Even though you have invited your visitors to share your home, both you and your guests still need the option of privacy. Make sure that any windows in the guest room can be covered, both for privacy and light control purposes. A simple lock on the door can also help guests feel more secure both overnight and when leaving belongings in their room.
Food and Drink
While hotels may have a minibar or a setup for making hot drinks, there is generally no expectation to provide these for visitors to your home unless they are staying as part of a booked rental. For family and friends, letting them know where they can find snacks and food in your kitchen should be sufficient, although putting some water or other treats in their room upon their arrival can be a kind gesture.
Internet Availability
For some people, different parts of their home have different strengths of internet connectivity. If your home has thick walls or your internet router is at one end of the property, other rooms may suffer from low internet speeds. Some guests may require internet access for work reasons, so you can either opt for stronger internet access from your provider or install a signal booster in parts of your home where your guests might have trouble connecting.
Comfortable Furniture
The functionality and comfort of the furniture in a guest room is far more important than how it looks, but attractive design is always a plus. Choose a quality mattress with a sturdy bed frame and a bedside table for your guests to put their smaller belongings. An armchair or desk can also make a guest room feel more welcoming, as well as comfortable pillows and warm blankets. Having somewhere inviting to retreat to can make a huge difference to the quality of a guest’s stay.
Entertainment
Since your guests have most likely come to your home to enjoy your company, there isn’t an urgent need to provide them with entertainment. Most people now own an internet-connected device if they want to access entertainment, but you may want to include a television or a radio in your guest room just in case. A selection of books is also a great addition to any guest room in case your visitors have nothing to read and can’t get to sleep. Just make sure to provide reading lamps beside the bed.
Of course, there is no way to anticipate every whim of each guest that might pass through your home. Tastes vary hugely and one guest’s expectations of a host might be completely different to another’s. In the end, your guest room is still a part of your home and you should design it in a way that you enjoy. Simply provide your guests with a clean, comfortable place to rest and anything else you offer is an added bonus.
