With the holidays in full swing, it's not unusual to end up with last-minute guests on your doorstep this time of year. If you have a guest bedroom with a made-up bed then that’s a good start, but you'll want to make it special for your guests to really feel at home. When you literally only have 10 minutes to turn your space around, there’s still plenty you can do to give their room a cozy and relaxing feel that they’ll be sure to appreciate. To find out what easy updates you can make without leaving the house, I spoke to an interior designer who gave me four super simple tips to create a welcoming feel in your guest bedroom using items you already have around the house.
1. LAYER COZY FABRICS
First things first, you need to make sure your guests are comfortably warm this time of year, so make sure you style the bed appropriately. ‘Swapping thin blankets for thicker textures and richer colors creates a cozy feel,’ says interior designer Iwona Budnik. 'Add more of them, perhaps on an armchair, as well as across the bed.'
2. ADD A LOW-LEVEL SOURCE OF LIGHT
You want your guests to feel relaxed and have a good sleep in the environment you’ve created for them, and the right bedroom lighting plays an important role in achieving that. Add sources of low-level lighting (you don’t need to buy these, just bring some in for the night from a different room) that will create a calming atmosphere.
3. CREATE A WINTERY FOLIAGE DISPLAY
You can instantly make any room feel special and elevated with a flower or winter foliage display. It’s good to have a few vases in the house that you can quickly take out and, with some seasonal foliage foraged from the backyard or local park, you can create a simple and beautiful display.
4. LIGHT A SCENTED CANDLE OR NATURAL OIL DIFFUSER
Before you light a candle or natural oil diffuser open the windows and let in some fresh air to purify the space. This, together with choosing the right spot to place your scented candle, like a side table, will help the scent propel into the room more easily as the air will feel less heavy and stuffy.