If you’re hosting this Christmas, you might be thinking about how to get your spare room set up for guests. It can be a frantic time of year, but if you feel up to it, it can be rewarding to set up a cosy and inviting space for your visitors. Here’s how to create a thoughtful and cosy guest bedroom.

Getting the basics right

To start with, it’s helpful to think about the basic requirements of a bedroom. You’ll ideally want your spare room to have curtains or blinds to block out the light, with a calming atmosphere which is conducive to sleep. That doesn’t mean it needs to be devoid of personality, but you might want to go for calming colours and patterns.

When you’ve got guests round, they’ll most likely be bringing their own belongings into the space which could include bags, so you’ll want to make sure there’s enough space not only for them to move around, but to put their own belongings.

The star of the show: the bed

The bed is obviously going to be the most important part of your spare room while you have guests, and there’s a few things you can do to optimise their experience.

Firstly, I’d provide more than one pillow on each side to suit their sleeping preferences. I’d also add a few throws on the bed for warmth if needed.

Decorative cushions don’t serve much purpose, but they do add texture and cosiness!

Furniture and layout

If you’ve got guests staying for a while, you’ll ideally be able to provide some storage space so that they can put their things away. If you’ve not got a wardrobe, doubling up chest of drawers as bedside tables is an option which avoids packing the room with furniture.

A full length mirror is a good addition, but aside from that (and perhaps a chair or bench), it’s not worth adding too much more if you can help it.

Adding comfort and convenience

The first thing I do when I stay anywhere is unpack my bags to make myself at home, so having a surface other than the bed is convenient - whether that’s a bench at the foot of the bed or an armchair.

Think about the bedside essentials - a light on each side of the bed is a must, and somewhere to charge a phone near the bed is handy too.

Thoughtful touches

At this point you might have had enough! But if you’re feeling like going the extra mile, some small thoughtful touches can really make your guests feel welcome. If they’re staying for Christmas, a couple of decorations in the room is a nice festive touch.

Other thoughtful and helpful touches include adding a glass of water and carafe, providing the wifi password, and if you’re feeling very generous you could even provide some basic toiletries. But beware - they might never want to leave!

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