Hosting Overnight Guests – Tips and Tricks
Fall is here and the holidays are coming which means you’ll soon have a house full of guests. If you’re not exactly thrilled with the idea of hosting guests, let alone overnight guests, we’re here to help. At Home Interior Warehouse, we’ve worked with hundreds of clients who all want to turn their space into that special something. Decorating, designing, and uncovering the home you’ve always wanted is our thing. In this blog we’ll walk you through a few simple tips that will make hosting overnight guests as lovely as a nice fall breeze!
Designate a Space
When hosting overnight guests for an extended stay, it’s nice to offer them a place with privacy. Whether your home is equipped with a guest room, guest suite, or even a basement nook, you’re in business. For one, your guests may be coming from a sizable distance that included a long day of travel. Welcome them into your home by giving them a space to drop their bags, change into comfy clothes, and put their feet up. Ultimately, the focal point of your guest room/space will be the bed. We love the plush and inviting look of our Corsica King Bed, upholstered in gorgeous neutral fabric that compliments any color scheme. While some guests might be fine living out of a suitcase, it will be extra thoughtful of you to incorporate some kind of piece to store clothes and personal items. If your room has a closet, make sure it’s clear of miscellaneous household items and toss in an extra pillow or blanket for your guests’ disposal. Flanking the bed with a nightstand on each side like our Corsica Three-Drawer Nightstand will ensure your loved ones have a place to set their glasses, phones, and a glass of water before bed. Bonus: Don’t forget to pull out a few of your favorite books and leave them at your guests’ disposal. This will give them a little insight into your personality as well as offer a little bedtime reading. Having a designated space will make hosting overnight guests a breeze!
The Little Things
Speaking of water, we love to welcome house guests into their suite by surprising them with little added touches. These extras don’t require much time or energy and go a long way in making them feel more comfortable. For starters, we like to make sure there’s a bottle of water on each night stand. Personally, we like to remove the label just because it’s less distracting, but to each his/her own. Next, we like to include a little something sweet that’s local to our area. Offering our guests a tasty treat that they can’t get in their area is a thoughtful way of welcoming them. Some of our favorites include Mackinac Fudge (yum!) or chocolate covered dried cherries from Cherry Republic. Add a finishing touch by leaving your guests a short but sweet welcome note on the bed letting them know you’re glad they’re here and to let you (the host) know if they need anything. If you’re soon to be hosting overnight guests, take a few moments to dream up some creative ways to make them feel comfortable.
The Bathroom
Whether your guests will have access to their own bathroom or will be sharing with the rest of the household, you’ll want to make sure the powder room is in tip-top shape before their arrival. Fluffy towels, showering products like shampoo, conditioner, and an unopened bar of soap are all thoughtful reminders that your guests are important to you. You can choose to leave a pair of towels and washcloths on the guest bed or put a cute basket of clean towels in the bathroom. Hosting overnight guests is all about making your home accessible. We also love adding a lovely scented candle to the bathroom with a fresh box of matches to emphasize the feeling of rest and relaxation.
Breakfast, Coffee, Snacks
If you have guests coming for any amount of time, there’s a good chance you’ll be serving up food. To keep things easier for you (and your guests), create a well-placed food and beverage station. This could include your coffee maker with coffee (or Keurig with K-Cups), various teas, honey, sugar, creamer, mugs and spoons. Bonus: This offers you a fun opportunity to display your style. Set out your favorite mugs for added inspiration. If you’ve got the space, why not turn your coffee bar into a full-on snack bar with things like protein bars, fresh fruit, and individual bags of nuts. This will help your guests satiate any after-hours hunger and keep those earlier risers satisfied until breakfast without needing to awkwardly ask you for goods. We love to keep a jar of decadent chocolate available at all times because you just never know when that chocolate craving will strike! You may also want to include additional bottles of water. Having a little snack nook will help guests feel more comfortable and less burdensome. (Note: For an even less intrusive feel, offer your guests coffee and tea right in their room–the ultimate bed and breakfast feel!)
What about you? What’s your favorite hosting tip? If you have overnight guests coming to your home this season, we want to hear from you! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram and show us your style. For more ideas visit our showrooms where you’ll find the perfect piece to show off your individuality. As always, our professional staff is ready to assist you. With years of interior design experience, each of our expert staff members can help transform your space into the room you’ve always wanted. Our online store shows you just some of the many pieces we have to offer.
Be sure to check our showroom to see our entire product line. At Home Interior Warehouse there’s always something new. For more design tips and showroom updates follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s in store.
