Guest Room Essentials

As I begin to reinvent my guest bedroom, I want to ensure that I make it cozy and inviting for guests, creating a retreat if you will. You want to make you guests feel as though they are staying at a boutique hotel, with all the extras you would find there.....

1) Luxurious Sheets and Bedding
A bed needs to be comfortable.  There is nothing worse than sleeping on a bad mattress.  Cover your bed with comfortable pillows, luxurious sheets, a nice cotton or wool blanket and coverlet.  

2) Good lighting near the bed
This room has great lighting, overhead and over the bed.   You could read in this room easily and it all looks so great too!

3) Reading material
If your guest is a night owl or an insomniac, have some books and magazines for them, just in case.

4) Extra blankets and throws
I love this one by Jonathan Adler, it would look great in my guest room.  Leave at the end of the bed, on the chair or ottoman.  

5) Little luxuries - water carafe, flowers, a scented candle

6) Plush towels for the bath
Don't skimp on cheap, flimsy towels. Oversize, white, monogrammed is best.

7) A robe
Hang it in a closet, on the back of a door, in the bathroom, just in case your guest wants to kick back and relax a bit.

8) A nice bench, ottoman and luggage rack
This room has a nice bench at the end of the bed. I may use luggage racks with needlepoint!  And monogrammed!

9) Pen and paper
I am old fashioned in many ways and still use snail mail and monogrammed paper.  Give your guests an area to write, to send a short note back home or to just jot down things.  Some of us still do this!  Really!

10) Draperies or shades that close
You should be able to close your windows from all incoming light.

Your guests will appreciate all of your fine and thoughtful touches.