Decorating Guest Rooms for the Holidays

Decorating guest rooms while entertaining for the holidays can be stressful if your guests don't feel at home and you are constantly worried about making them comfortable. These simple tips will help everyone feel more relaxed.

If you don't have an actual guest room, this may add to the discomfort, but you can make any space feel welcoming with a few simple touches. It may be the office, or we may have our kids double up so one of their rooms can be used as a temporary guest room. It really doesn't matter what kind of space it is, it can easily become an inviting area for your guests.

Adding new pillows is one of the best ways to make the area feel comfortable and homey. Purchase inexpensive new bed pillows and also add lots of fluffy throw pillows. You can make throw pillows yourself to save money. Adding softness in this way is sure to make your guests more comfy.

An additional blanket, especially a snuggly throw, will add to the sense of feeling at home. Your guest may not be ready to climb into bed but may want to wrap up in a blanket and cuddle up with a good book. Providing a chair for dressing or reading is also important. An office chair is suitable, or a folding chair will work if you add an inexpensive or homemade chair pad to it and slipcover it to make it more inviting.

If you're using a child's room, put away as many toys as possible and give the room a more adult feel by changing the bedding to something a bit less bright and whimsical.

Keep a set of neutral sheets and a neutral-colored comforter or blanket handy for such occasions. The best way to do this is to find sheets on sale, then buy two extra flat sheets that match or coordinate with the set to make a simple duvet cover for an existing spread or comforter.

A duvet cover is very simple to make, much like a large pillowcase. The easiest way to make one is to attach snaps or Velcro to the edges of both sheets and simply close them around the existing blanket. You can use the bedcover that is normally used on your child's bed and simply cover it temporarily for your guest. This is far less costly than having to purchase an extra comforter for occasional company.

Another good idea is to set up a folding table right over the top of your child's toy box. Cover with a tablecloth or a hemmed piece of attractive fabric to not only hide the toy box but to create a space for the guest's personal items. Your guest can lift the cover and place a suitcase on top of the toy box, where it will be hidden from view, and place other items such as reading glasses or a makeup case on top of the table for easy access. If you don't have a folding table, simply cover the toy chest with an attractive tablecloth or nice fabric to create a surface for your guest's belongings.

Be sure to plug in some nightlights around the house so your guests can find their way to the bathroom or to the kitchen for a late-night drink of water. A nightlight in the bathroom, one in the hallway and one in the kitchen should be sufficient. This is probably the simplest, least costly way to make your guests feel more comfortable.

It only takes a few simple touches to make your guests feel at home, and it will help both you and your guests enjoy the holidays more.