top of page

Home for the Holidays

Do you have company coming over for the holidays? This year that phrase holds extra special meaning to those who haven’t been able to host family so far this year. Unfortunately, that same pandemic that gives us extra cause to celebrate may also be the reason there’s extra wear and tear in our guest rooms. For this month’s blog, I want to focus on how to turn your guest room into an inviting space that guests will enjoy during the holiday season.

One of the most important elements for setting the mood of a guest room is color scheme. Keep in mind to throw in white elements throughout your desired color palette to offer a luxurious finish. Some of the ways to create a fall themed color palette is to mute traditional fall colors for a softer vibe. An example of a muted fall palette would be deep gray, bright white, sage green, blush pink, and pale peach. This color palette plays off the traditional orange, red, and green associated with fall leaves. Another great color scheme to incorporate into a guest room is a cool color tone including: light blue, dusty gray, sage green, and sandy tan. Cool tones help to calm guests as they settle in for a nice family visit.

After choosing a color scheme for the guest room, start incorporating soft items for a cozy tone. Soft items include throw blankets, duvets, comforters, pillowcases, and accent pillows. A simple white comforter for a guest bedroom really gets across to your guest that you have cleaned and prepared the room just for them. Layering can begin by adding a beige or tan throw blanket and some accent pillows that go with the color scheme. Normally two square accent pillows and a longer solid color pillow is more than enough to add a pop of cozy color onto the bed. If you happen to have a chair in your guest room then that is a great place to drape a fringed fall blanket over to invite your guest to sit down and unwind.

Inspirational guest signs are one of my favorite parts of a guest room. Personally, I’m partial to sayings about blessings, gratitude, and kindness. These little details will make your guest feel appreciated and thankful that they have come to spend time with you. They will also lend a positive air to the room. In a guest room, you want your visitors to come into a positive realm which I believe is more important than ever this year.


Another area to keep in mind when preparing your guest room for friends and family is to think about all the little details. With many people visiting your home throughout the holidays, they will probably need things like toiletries, extra charging chords, extra towels, and some refreshments. Some may think that this area is a little over and beyond with only close friends and family visiting however, keep in mind that everyone has a had a long year and that going the extra mile is never the wrong thing to do. One way that you can present some of these items to your guests is having a decorative tray placed on the bed or nightstand with these small things in them and a pleasant card. One other creative avenue would be to make them feel as though these were a gift by placing them in a chic party bag and placing it within eyesight on the bed or even on a bathroom counter if it is for their own personal use.


Make sure that when adding in some accessories to brighten up your guest room that you do not forget to add at least one table lamp to the nightstand or a floor lamp on one side of the bed. Finally, be sure to have a good book with the lamp on the guest night stand. This will help your guests feel like they are not pressured into sleeping right away when they turn off the main light but rather that they can gradually fall asleep by reading or perhaps by journaling.

One of the things that I always recommend for guest bedrooms is to enhance the breathability by purchasing fresh flowers the day before your guests arrive. This gives the room a subtle hint of freshness and a little extra to make your guests feel welcome. A splash of color and breathability with a bouquet of flowers are also a great way to pull in seasonal décor. I have always said that a house is not a home until they have fresh flowers somewhere present.


A final item to keep in mind while prepping your home for the holidays is making sure that the guest bathroom is clean for your guests. Yes, this is part of the guest room ambience. If you create a perfect guest room but neglect to show care to the bathroom, it will change the entire holiday mood. Simple clean white touches to a bathroom creates a spa ambience which your guests will appreciate.

My philosophy behind a guest bedroom is simple. It should not be a place to cast all the mismatched, unwanted, ugly pieces of furniture. It should be a place where people will get a taste of your hospitality. A guest bedroom needs to make the guest feel at home. Present this room in the most beautiful way by enhancing its positive features.


Photography by Lancer Smith

Design and style by Esther Hernandez

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page