Solihull Living Nov - Dec 2020

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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
SAVE ON ENERGY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT GRANTS GREEN HOMES GRANT SCHEME AND THE RENEWABLE HEAT INCENTIVE If you currently use oil or LPG to heat your home, then the savings by switching to a heat source pump will make you feel all warm and cuddly! Even if you are currently using natural gas to heat your home, then the grant and the renewable heat incentive will slash your heating bills this winter! We are an accredited installer for Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan air source heat pumps. The heat pumps are an extremely efficient heat exchange system, they use the same technology as your fridge. In the case of a heat pump this technology runs in reverse, they use the air outside your home to heat water and heat your home. Doric House, 8 Church Street Studley, Warwickshire B80 7LG www.fenlanddireck.uk 01527 857750
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Solihull Living Nov - Dec 2020

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