The much-welcomed nip in the air, coupled with the last of the candy corn, heralds the beginning of the season of holidays. Thanksgiving is too quickly followed by Christmas; then there’s New Year’s Day, Twelfth Night and Carnival. So very soon, we’ll be engulfed in winter houseguest season.
To be prepared, our thoughts must turn to the guest room, that often-neglected back bedroom we typically avoid like the plague. It is the catchall room filled with furniture waiting to be repaired, stacks of books, boxes of tax records and perhaps, for the very organized among us, early Christmas gifts waiting to be wrapped. In essence, that cluttered extra room is the entry-level effort for your appearance on “Hoarders.”
If family and friends will be staying at your place this visit, and unless you truly dislike them, it’s time to tackle that guest room. But where to start?
PURGE: Ideally, you begin by removing all of the things that simply do not belong in the room. Now is a great time to decide what is of value and what is not.
Find homes for the things you wish to keep, give some things to charity and pitch the rest. This step includes clearing out the closet or at least enough space to meet the needs of a weekend visitor.
Organizing your house this way is cathartic, and you’ll feel better for the effort.
CLEAN: Housekeeping is very important. Both the bedroom and bathroom should be super clean. This may extend to washing windows as few things look as fresh as light coming through sparkling windows. Do not neglect the baseboards and do clear out anything that has been stashed under the bed. My mother called this “cleaning on top of cleaning.”
FURNISH: Next, think about what furniture is necessary for a comfortable stay.
Obviously, there should be a bed with a good mattress and bedside tables with lamps and sufficient clear surface for your guest to spread out their things.
There should also be a chest, a comfortable chair and perhaps a desk or writing table, as many of us conduct business on a near-daily basis.
It was interior design legend Elsie de Wolfe who first furnished public guest rooms in this way about 100 years ago; she established what we have come to expect as standard hotel furnishings. Before Elsie, hotel rooms were sparsely furnished with a bed, a chest and a tiny chair.
UPDATE: Time permitting, consider painting the room. The range of paint colors popular for guest rooms is broad and includes deep blues and charcoal, pale cream, sage and blue greens, and warm whites. If the painted trim is in good shape, let it be and just paint the walls. Consider painting the ceiling a 25% formula of the wall color.
New bedding will immediately freshen the room and might inspire that new wall color. Your wish that your guests enjoy their stay will be reflected in your fabric and color coordination.
Princess Margaret once commented, “Everywhere I stay, there is the scent of fresh paint.”
FLUFF IT UP: This is also the time to take stock of linens. Mix solid and patterned bed linens for a luxe layered look. Extra pillows, blankets and quilts are much appreciated.
Lucky is the house guest who is offered a bedroom with an en suite bathroom. But either en suite or otherwise, take stock of bathroom amenities.
As in good hotels, anticipate what a guest may have forgotten. Include extra rolls of TP.
Providing a few books about New Orleans would be thoughtful, as would current publications highlighting restaurant listings and current events. Bottled water, snacks, a pad and pens, and a phone charger are also welcome additions to the guest room.
Short of room service, think about what you enjoy when staying in a nice hotel and aim to replicate that experience for your visiting family and friends.
MORE DETAILS FOR A GREAT GUEST ROOM
(THEY’LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE!)
- Closet space with wooden hangers (no wire hangers!)
- An empty drawer or two so your guest may unpack and feel at home; no one wants to live out of a suitcase
- A luggage rack
- A waste basket
- Fresh flowers or a flowering plant
- Bottled water, carafe and glasses on a tray or with coasters
- Snacks (preferably your guests’ favorite items; be aware of any food allergies)
- Stacks of fluffy towels
- A blow dryer and the little items furnished by hotels (toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, cotton balls, etc.)
In general, think of the little items that you would appreciate as a guest in a friend’s home and provide them for your guests.
Louis J. Aubert is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers and an avid preservationist. Some of his most visible New Orleans projects include making interior color selections for Gallier Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church and the Louisiana Supreme Court Royal Street Courthouse, and both interior and exterior selections for St. Stephen’s Basilica. Contact him at [email protected].
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