10 Easy Ways to Turn Your Guest Room into A True Retreat

Summer season is here, and with it comes welcome visits from family and friends.

Right now is the best time to take your guest room to the next level before they arrive. No need to reach for a hammer or call a contractor, we’ve got ten quick and easy updates that will make their stay so pampered they may never want to leave!

What’s one of the best things about staying in a luxury hotel? Those oh-so-incredible sheets. Let your guests experience that level of lux in your home with a great set of high-quality bedding. SHEEX Midnight Label line is a collab with the company brrr° that combines a proprietary mixture of cooling minerals, active wicking technology and quick drying fabric that’s also ridiculously soft and smooth. In fact it’s so smooth it won’t cause friction to your skin or hair, making bedhead and those morning crush wrinkles a thing of the past. What guest wouldn’t appreciate all that? The collection comes in four, nicely neutral color options including porcelain, spa blue, mist gray and stone. Oh, and it comes in Queen and King sizes…just in case you want to get a set for yourself…

SHEEX, Midnight Label Flat Sheet $150 (Queen) and Midnight Label Pillowcase Pair $85

Imagine walking into your guest room and immediately being put at ease by subtle relaxing scents? The Paddywax Wellness collection of 100% essential oil-infused candles are made with zero phthalates or formalehydes. That means they are clean burning for hours of enjoyment. The collection includes six different options including our favorite called “Calm” with notes of Eucalyptus, Clary Sage, Lavender and sweet Geranium. There is also “Mindful” (Lavender, Rosemary and Cedar), “Peace” (Cedar, Cardamom, Black Pepper), “Vibes” (Yuzu, Grapefruit, and Orange), “Relief” (Sage, Geranium, & Chamomile), and “Breathe” (Peppermint, Rosemary and Eucalyptus).

PaddyWax, Wellness Collection Calm $21

It may not always get the fanfare of other furniture items, but a roomy, storage bench for the end of your guest bed is a must have. Not only does it allow your guest easy access to extra blankets and pillows, it’s the perfect place for them to unpack their suitcase, take off their shoes and gives them an additional place to sit. This tufted beauty from Christopher Knight’s home collection has plenty of storage, cozy cushioning on top and two sturdy armrests. Available in six color options, the light grey (shown below) is a staff favorite.

Christopher Knight Home Collection, Keiko Storage Bench $329.99

If you truly want to understand how your guests will feel in their room, the best way to know is to spend the night there yourself. The number one item people usually notice is not up to snuff? Those older, lumpy pillows you put in there. Hey, we get it. Maybe you ‘gifted’ your guest room with them after you upgraded your own bedroom, or you bought some on sale somewhere because you needed something quick. But if you really want your guests to get a great night’s sleep, quality pillows are a must have.

Now, we all know that people have different sleeping positions (back, side, belly) so you may think it’s impossible to find a pillow that works for all three. You would be right. The solution? Purchase some specialty pillows and let your guest take their choice! The Original Performance Side Sleeper pillow from SHEEX is made of hypoallergenic down alternative performance fiber fill, with a 2″ gusset to properly distribute the fill for a consistent loft across the entire pillow. This will provide perfect neck support and better spine alignment for side sleepers (we found it for 25% off. YW!). Speaking of SHEEX, their Infinite Zen Performance Pillow was created to be the softest, most resilient and responsive pillow on earth. With antimicrobial protection and Serene•Chill™ Memory Foam to keep your guest cool all night, it has a medium firmness and low profile that is ideal for those stomach sleepers. Finally for those back sleepers, the Tempur-pedic Symphony bed pillow has a gentle arch support that cradles the neck, allowing the head to easily relax and get those Zzzzs going.

 

From Left to Right:

• SHEEX, Original Performance Down Alternative Side Sleeper Pillow $74.25

• SHEEX, Infinite Zen Performance Pillow $104.25

• Tempur-Pedic, Symphony Bed Pillow $119.99

Something we often overlook in our guest room is proper lighting. Most likely there’s a single switch light panel for a ceiling light as guests enter the room. But what about later when they want to get settled in? Having to get up, turn it off and then stumble your way back in the dark to the bed is no way to treat a guest. A table lamp by the bed is a welcome option, but why stop there? Let’s give them a USB port where they can easily charge their phone and a handy outlet right next to it in case they also need to plug in other items they brought with them. More so, what if you have more than one guest sharing the room and one of them would like to read without disturbing their significant other? This Possini Euro Design table lamp has all of that at your guest’s fingertips. It has a sleek, contemporary standard table light and a smaller gooseneck reading light built in, along with a USB port and two built in outlets, all within easy reach for your guests.

Possini Euro Design, Dexter Nickel Finish Desk Light $169.95

Okay, let’s be honest – walking into that 5-star hotel your eyes wander to that little mini fridge and you say to yourself “Oh, I’ll never eat those snacks”. Then the late night snack attack goes off. Take a hint from those hotels and give your guests some nibblies which they can snack on right in their room. You don’t need to get too extravagant but some tasty, easy to munch on treats will go a long way to quell any late night tummy rumbling. Our pick is Harry & David’s Snack Lovers gift basket. There’s sweet and savory options with everything from chocolate-covered mini pretzels to dried fruits to a few bags of their highly addicting Moose Munch. It comes in its own cute basket, which you can offer to your guest as a parting gift if they like!

Harry & David, Snack Lover’s Gift Basket $69.99

Staying in someone else’s home can make us feel a lack of privacy. You may know, for example, that your pretty dogwood tree outside the guest room window provides decent coverage from seeing in, doesn’t mean your guests may feel the same. Providing shades and blinds will go a long way in making your guests feel comfortable in their space. But again, why bother your guests with having to pull heavy shades back and forth, or navigate a jumbled set of chords? Upgrade those shades with Norman Smart Shades. They’re easy to set up and once installed, a tension motor controls the cord so just a light pull and the shades will go up or down automatically in seconds. Maybe your guest wants the blinds just a little open? They just tug once to activate the opening sequence and tug again to stop it where they want. They come in all manner of color, size, fabric and style options (so prices will vary) but once they are in, they have a lifetime warranty.

Blinds Express, Norman Smart Shades $108 (for a 24″ x 36″ – pricing will vary)

Closet space is at a premium in every home, but if you’ve been using your guest closet as a backup location for your own clothes and other items, you should find another temporary location before your guests arrive. No one wants to try and navigate their clothes around someone else’s. Clean it out completely, or at the very least move all of your items to one side to give plenty of room for your guest to stash their stuff. Also at a premium in homes are hangers. Seriously, just when you thought you had plenty, suddenly you’re running around the house trying to gather enough to make your guests comfortable. Skip the drama and purchase a set that’s just for the guest room. We found this 25 pack from Honey-Can-Do that are slim but sturdy, with notches for hanging skirts or tops with skinny straps. Big bonus! They’re made from natural wheat husk, making them not only useful but eco-friendly!

Honey-Can-Do, Natural Wheat Husk Hangers $21.99 (set of 25)

If you have guests staying for a while, and/or doing a lot of their own activities while you are out and about, having a spare set of house keys they can borrow is a real life saver. We found this adorable option from Ace Hardware (you can have your key made in shop there as well). The charming tiny home design will make it easy for your guests to remember which one is yours and it’s just a little something extra that will bring a smile to their face every time they use it.

Ace Hardware, Hillman 3D House Key $6.99

Finally, a truly wonderful way to pamper your guests is with gifts. A soft pair of joggers, some comfy slippers or a cozy robe they can wear immediately while they visit and take with them, along with all the wonderful memories they’ll have of enjoying their time with you. SHEEX sleepwear joggers (see below) come in men and women’s sizes and are made of performance material that will let your guests sleep cool and comfortably. Splendid Cecil makes uber-cozy slippers for men and women to keep their toes toasty and unisex waffle-weave robes from Linum Home have front patch pockets and easy-roll sleeves that guests can’t wait to get into.

From Left to Right:

• SHEEX Women’s Modern Jogger $55.50

• SHEEX Men’s Modern Jogger $59.25

• Splendid Cecil Slippers (unisex) $35.99

• Linum Home Textiles, Unisex Waffle Weave Robe $62.99