the inviting guest room| Make Your Guest Quarters Rival a Luxurious Boutique Hotel
Kim Kroner REALTOR� Associate
Broker
the
inviting guest room
WRITTEN
BY BLAKE MILLER
Make
Your Guest Quarters Rival a Luxurious Boutique Hotel
Sometimes getting away is just that:
getting away from work, the kids, and house chores by booking a trip to a
resort where the number one item on your to-do list is relax. But as spring
break nears and you travel to visit friends and family, oftentimes the
accommodations (read: a blow-up mattress on the living room floor) aren’t so
relaxing.
While your friends and family may
not be in the know, you have an advantage in creating a guest suite sanctuary
that rivals any posh boutique hotel so that your guests have the most enjoyable
and comfortable stay while in your home. “There are so many small but
meaningful things you can add to your guest room to make it inviting and like a
home away from home,” says interior design expert Ronique Gibson from InStyleModern.com,
a top source for trendy, chic, and affordable contemporary furniture. “Special touches also make your guest feel
special and welcomed.” Here are six ways to make the most inviting guest room.
QUALITY
MATTERS
It doesn’t take much to make a room
feel luxurious and relaxing and it starts with the quality of materials you add
to your space. “Guests will feel like they are in a five-star hotel with a few
simple luxuries,” says national etiquette expert and owner of The Protocol
School of Texas, Diane Gottsman. “Invest in the best mattress you can afford,
and add soft, solid-colored sheets, a warm blanket, and pretty duvet. Plush
toilet paper and tissues for the bathroom and bedside table are sure to be
appreciated, as well.” Don’t forget the toiletries either. “Set out amenities
such as a toothbrush and sample sizes of toiletries in a decorative bin. Makeup
remover pads, disposable razors, and shaving cream are items guests often
forget.”
KEEP
IT FRESH
It may seem like a no-brainer, but a
clean guest room is the best kind of room; however, because it’s one of the
least used spaces in your home, the guest room oftentimes gets pushed off on
your cleaning to-do list. Besides the all-important dusting and vacuuming,
“fill a basket with laundered blankets and pillows, and provide a clean
wastebasket,” suggests Gottsman. “Nothing is more inviting than crisp and clean
bed linens and towels. Curtains ironed with lavender or orange blossom water
add a touch of luxury.”
Photography provided by
©iStockphoto.com/monkeybusinessimages.
GO
LOCAL AND PERSONAL
Hotels and resorts always have local
magazines on hand for their guests and you should, too, says designer Charlotte
Lucas. “I always keep The Scout Guide and other local magazines in the
guest room for guests to keep during the day if they are exploring the city,”
she says. “I also love putting a coffee-table book up in the guest room that I
know my guest will be interested in. I was a guest at a friend’s house this
fall and they just got a new interior design book, so she left it on my bed to
read that night! I loved the thought, and loved reading it in bed.”
MAKE
IT SMELL GOOD
Scent is one of the most powerful
senses, so make sure your guests’ resting place is one that, well, smells good.
“Do a sniff test of the closet, drawers, towels, and blankets, ensuring that
they are not musty or mildewed,” advises Gottsman. “Place scented sachets in
strategic locations to ensure a pleasant fragrance. Cinnamon and vanilla are
particularly festive.”
PROVIDE
SNACKS
“Take a cue from nice hotels and
place a small coffee pot or electric tea kettle in the room so your guests can
help themselves to a cup of coffee or tea when they wake up,” suggests Gibson.
Also, “tuck a few snacks in a side-table drawer. Small packs of trail mix,
granola bars, or even sweets are a nice touch for your guests. Put a bowl of
fresh fruit like apples or bananas on the dresser too. If they get the munchies
or if they are hungry before bedtime, they will have something they can easily
grab without having to ask you or make noise in the kitchen.”
PROVIDE
A TURNDOWN SERVICE
Those thoughtful chocolates on your
guests’ pillows go a long way. But take it one step further. “If you know your
guest’s taste, chilling their favorite wine ready to enjoy will make them feel
especially welcome,” says Gottsman. “A night tray with biscuits and hot cocoa
or a daily tray of afternoon tea and scones will wow anyone. Place a special
trinket on their pillow such as a vintage greeting card or pretty ornament.
It’s all in the details.”
Kim Kroner REALTOR� Associate Broker
800-961-1328
703-946-2526
Kim@KimKroner.com
As
featured in Home By Design Magazine
Information
deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All measurements are approximate. Copyright
2016 By Design Publishing. All rights reserved.
Download a Flyer Below
Comments
Post a Comment