Solihull Living Nov - Dec 2020

clear a descent amount of space. In a guest
room, less is more – more space, more
comfortable, and more welcoming. Get rid
of anything you would not find in a hotel
room. Keep only the most useful items in the
room, like a clock, a make up mirror and a
waste-paper bin.
MAKE SURE THERE’S A
COMFY PLACE TO SIT
Remember that your guests might like a little
relaxation time away from the rest of the
house, so make sure they have somewhere
nice to sit in the room. Some people do
not feel comfortable sitting on a bed and
your guests shouldn’t have to. Place an
upholstered armchair or side chair in the
room with a table and lamp close by.
BRIGHTEN THINGS UP
One of the biggest hotel decor missteps is
when an otherwise nice room has no light to
read by - make sure your room doesn’t fall
prey to the same issue. It’s always helpful
to have a light control near
the bed so your guest won’t
have to stumble around in
the dark just to turn a light
on. If nothing else, provide
a good reading light near
a chair or over the bed.
Another fixture or lamp
near a
desk would be great. A small night light is
helpful, and a lit magnifying makeup mirror
is a real luxury.
CLEAN THE WARDROBE
If your guest room shares space with a
home office, clear at least a foot of pole
space in the cupboard. Or purchase an
inexpensive over-the-door hook that can
accommodate some hanging clothes. It’s
likely that guests will have items they’d
like to hang. Don’t forget a supply of six
to eight hangers. A simple hook on the
wall or behind a wardrobe door can hold a
robe, coat, or a handbag.
ADD SOME PERSONALITY
Guest rooms can suffer from being
personality vacuums - try to let some
of your personal style infuse the space,
or try out some decorative ideas that
inspire you. We love spaces that mix midcentury
modern furniture with boho soft
furnishings, or fabulous colour on a single
wall with dramatic wallpaper. Maybe dare
to go dark with dark navy on the walls and
gold detailing. Have you got artwork that
evokes some feeling on the walls? Or a
grand full length mirror? Even table lamps
can inject some personality. You can afford
to have a bit of fun and creative license
with the styling of these kinds of spaces.
MAKE SOME
DRAWER SPACE
If you have an extra chest of drawers,
that’s ideal, but if not, clearing out at
least one or two drawers
for small items is
sufficient. Both you and
Left to right: Stucco
Table Lamp, £120 and
shade £58, pooky.com;
Cressida Tassel Pillow,
£39, hauslife.co.uk;
Rattan Table, £179,
ellajames.co.uk; Detroit
Side Table, £169.99,
oakfurnitureland.co.uk;
your guest will feel better with odds and
ends out of sight.
DON’T FORGET
SIMPLE BASICS
A lit clock next to the bed is a great
amenity, and an alarm clock or clock/radio
is even better. Provide paper and pens,
scissors, tape, tissue, and a hairdryer to
have all the bases covered. If you can,
provide somewhere to sit in front of a mirror
so guests can do make up or style their
hair. If you don’t have an extra iron and
ironing board to offer, be sure to tell your
guest where they can find yours.
PROVIDE PRIVACY
You might know that the big willow tree just
outside the window camouflages everything
going on, but your guests won’t. Choose
window coverings that add to the character
of the room and also provide privacy and
light control. If you need to keep it simple,
blinds work great. You can always add a
beautiful valance or side panels later.
NO BED, NO PROBLEM
Over the last few months, many of us
have had to use guest bedrooms as home
offices. Rather than spending 360 days of
the year edging around the periphery of
a large and mostly unused bed, consider
swapping it for a smart sofa bed. This gives
you more usable space in the room, and
somewhere to take a quick coffee break
away from your desk. Just make sure the
bed element is comfortable and supportive.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Add some lovely finishing touches to the
room - a reed diffuser to fill it with delicious
fragrance and pop some throw pillows on
the bed or chair. If you like them, add some
cut flowers to a dresser or move some of
your existing houseplants into the space
for some greenery. If you don’t use your
room much during the year, be sure to open
the windows for a few hours before guests
arrive to help air it out.
22 | www.solihullliving.co.uk