Guest bedrooms and guest homes can serve multiple purposes. Whether they are for constant or the occasional guest, tenants or rental purposes, they can be designed in various ways. When looking to create an appealing room or space for guests, here are some Design Recipes tips to keep in mind.
DO:
Create an environment that is gender-neutral. This will allow the space to be more appealing and versatile.
Decorate with soothing and calm colors. Cool colors are often best.
Make the room or space feel open or spacious. A spare room or guest house used mostly for storage and castaway items will not feel welcoming or relaxing to your guests.
Be a good host. So often with our busy lives, we forget that our guests are excited to spend time with their host, as opposed to purely being on their own.
Incorporate some luxury items such as quality sheets and bedding. Your guests will surely appreciate the gesture.
DON’T:
Personalize the space.
Forget to provide potentially forgotten toiletries and perhaps even surprise goodies like a map of the area or locally sourced items such as jam or a bottle of wine.
Overstuff the guest room or space with too much furniture.
Forget to add adequate lighting. Spaces that are dimly or poorly lit often feel dreary or drab.
Forget to deep clean. Often guest rooms and homes are seldom used; don’t assume your space is clean and guest-ready without giving it a once over.
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Cathy Hobbs, based in New York City, is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert with offices in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C. Contact her at info@cathyhobbs.com or visit her website at www.cathyhobbs.com .
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