How to Make a Cozy Guest Bedroom

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‘Tis the season for holiday travels and for some that means house guests so today’s post is about how to make a cozy guest bedroom.

Let’s face it, comfortable accommodations can really make a difference in the quality of your trip. A cozy guest bedroom will be greatly appreciated by your guests and score you big points.

So whether you embrace your house guests or count the hours until your home is back to yourself, I hope these tips help make preparing for house guests just a tad more fun.

10 Tips on How to Make a Cozy Guest Bedroom

1. A Comfortable Mattress

A comfortable bed is the absolute most important part of a cozy guest bedroom, because who cares if there is a fresh flower on the night stand if your guests toss and turn on a saggy, old mattress all night?

A bad night’s sleep can ruin your whole day, so I suggest investing in a quality mattress for your guest bedroom so your guests can get a good night’s sleep.  You can find good mattresses for surprisingly affordable prices. Serta’s Perfect Sleeper mattresses are a great choice for guest room – the perfect mix of affordable and comfortable.

I would recommend putting in the biggest size mattress that makes sense in the space, ideally a queen or larger, for the most comfortable sleeping conditions for couples. A larger size mattress in guest rooms can also come in handy for sleepovers with kids.

2. Cozy Bedding

To go along with a comfortable mattress, you also need comfortable bedding to go with.  I suggest placing two sleeping pillows per side, one soft and one firmer, as many people have a preference on the firmness of their pillow.

Then use really lovely, soft sheets. These sheets are my fave, have used them for years. So soft. Also add an extra Plush Blanket to the foot of the bed or store in the closet in case your guests get chilly.

3. Put Out Fresh Towels and Washcloths

I think it’s lovely to provide a set of two bath towels, a hand towel and one washcloth per guest. I like to lay the towels out on the bed so that the guest knows those specific towels are meant for them.

4. Welcome Guests With a Note [Free Printable]

People often feel like they are intruding when they come to stay in your home, and no one likes to feel like they are a burden.  Make your house guests feel comfortable by putting a little note on their towels, bed or night stand to let them know you are happy they are there.

You can click here to download and print some cute welcome notes for house guests.

5. A Place for Luggage

It is a pet peeve of mine to have to ruffle through a duffel bag or suitcase on the floor to find things, so give your guests a place for their bags, at a comfortable height.  An empty chair can work, and if you don’t have the space, consider purchasing an affordable folding luggage rack.

I like a Folding Luggage Rack with Shelf <- like this so guests can store two bags, or even shoes down below. A folding one is great so you can fold and keep against a wall or in a closet when not in use.

6. Dark Shades and Privacy

When I travel, I love how dark it can get in a hotel room, so in our guest room, my husband installed a Blackout Roller Shade in made-to-measure sizes so the room stays super dark. Now, the kids waking up at 7am in the next room is another issue, but at least they won’t be awakened by the morning light.

You also want to make sure your room offers privacy for changing, so blinds of some sort are a must!

7. Extra Toiletries

You know that feeling when you go to a hotel and realize you forgot your floss or toothpaste? I collect little travel size toiletries and other items for display when guests visit so they will not have to go without a moisturized hands or God forbid, brushed teeth!

8. Reading Material 

Sometimes it’s nice to read a new magazine before you go to bed, so I installed a cute book rack to hold magazines next to our guest bed. It’s actually a children’s book rack – but works great for magazines too!

The reading material can be switched out depending on who is coming to visit.

9. Nightstand Goodies

No, not those kind of nightstand goodies, I am talking about a fresh flower and bottle of water people. Hee hee…

I love cutting a fresh flower from the yard and placing a single stem in a vase by the bed.  It is also nice to leave a bottle of water as well as a little container or place for women to put their jewelry.

 10. Personal Photos 

If you have guests or family that come often to stay in your guest bedroom, I think it’s nice to put framed pictures of those guests in the guest bedroom.

I blew up two prints and made them black and white and framed to put on top of these glass bookcases of two favorite memories we have with my in-laws and sister-in-law, the people who stay in our guest bedroom the most often.

And those are my top 10 tips on how to make a cozy guest bedroom.

I would love to hear your ideas on things you do to make your house guests feel comfortable? Please comment and tell us!