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Little touches make guests feel at home

It is hard to believe it is almost summer already. My kids are counting down the days until they have enough free time to play with friends and relax.

Some of you will be traveling this summer, and others will be hosting out-of-town guests. When you travel to other places — whether you stay in a hotel or at the home of a friend or relative, my guess is that you appreciate having necessary items at your fingertips. It makes for a much more comfortable stay. When hosting guests in your home, a few special details can really make your guests feel welcome. Here are some tips for creating a gracious guest room in your home.

• Guest rooms are often filled with leftover, mismatched furniture. To tie the pieces together, paint them all the same color — try a fresh, bright white. Change the look of the dresser by replacing the knobs. Purchase matching lamps for the nightstands, and dress the bed with a colorful new comforter and pillow shams. Add a few coordinating throw pillows and arrange a soft throw blanket at the foot of the bed. A client of mine, a mother of boys, decided that the guest room was going to be the one truly feminine room in the house. We painted the walls in a lovely lavender color, and she decorated the room using her favorite quilt and country collectibles. It was darling.
• Place a bench or luggage rack at the end of the bed for your guests to place their suitcases.
• Place current magazines and novels in a basket by the bed.
• Provide enough coat hangers and space in the closet for their clothes.
• Hang a fluffy bath robe in the closet for your guest to use during his visit.
• In the bathroom or on top of the dresser, provide a basket of often forgotten items such as toothpaste, razors, lotion, hairdryer, etc.
• Provide plenty of bath towels. Display them attractively by rolling them and tucking them into a large basket.
• Keep extra pillows and blankets in the guest room closet so guests can help themselves.
• Provide good light for reading in bed.
• Provide a small tray of snacks such as individual packages of crackers, nuts, and chocolates. Include a couple of water bottles as well.
• Place a clock radio on the nightstand so you don’t have to provide the wake-up call.
• A CD player with favorite CDs is a nice touch.
• Install room-darkening blinds so your guests can sleep in the morning.
• For longer-term guests, give them their own set of house keys so they can come and go as they please.
• Sometimes the host is not able to accompany his or her guests on every outing; provide a list of nearby attractions and restaurants so they can plan their own activities.

By anticipating and providing what they may want or need, you can create a warm and welcoming environment for your guests.

This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper Group papers on May 26, 2007.

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All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna Jacoby.