Guest Rooms

By LuAnne Silvia
Tis the season to host overnight guests. There are many elements to consider when designing the ultimate guest bedroom. Think simplicity, comfort, and function; and don't forget a little luxury. It's the little details that go a long way in making your guests feel right at home. At LiLu Interiors our guest bedroom check list includes:
Beds/Headboards
The driving factors behind the bed verses headboard decision in the guest room: personal taste, room size, and budget. We don't think it has to be one or the other, just something simple and comfortable. The style and scale should fit the room, fit your home, and appeal to most. Upholstered headboards add extra comfort.
Night Stands and Dressers
Select furniture pieces that offer lots of storage solutions that are easily accessible. We love multi-purpose bed side tables. Consider pieces that offer storage in the form of open shelves, drawers, pull out trays and expansive surfaces.  A well designed room will have a space for guests to keep their things.
Seating Pieces
We like to incorporate some sort of seating piece into every guest bedroom for comfort. A spot for guests to retreat other than the bed. Having a place to relax, read, take off their shoes makes the room feel like home away from home. Maybe there is a room for a bench at the foot of the bed, a pair of chairs by the window, a chaise for lounging. Guests come in all varieties which is why at LiLu we like to include that magical seating piece that works for everyone.
Lighting
Designing lighting for a guest room starts with thinking like your guest, make it easy for a guest to maneuver in an unfamiliar space. Switching locations should be easy to find and easy to operate. We like to create a path through the space. Think variety and a hierarchy of lighting levels: overhead lighting on a dimmer, lighting at each side of the bed with separate controls, night lights that illuminate a path to the bathroom.
Window Treatments and Bedding
There are as many types of sleepers as there are window treatments and bedding. One size does not fit all. Your guests may like a room darkening black out treatment that creates a cave like environment or a light filtering treatment that allows the morning light to enter the room. Some guests want to crawl in deep under the covers and others will prefer something lightweight. There are options that fit every style and work well in combination together so your guest can choose. Skillfully layering draperies, shades, shutters, and sheers at the window and providing bedspreads, coverlets, quilts, and duvets on the bed is what we do. At LiLu we love thinking through these details and will find just the right thing for you and your guest.
Personal Touches
Find a spot for a decorative mirror. A stack of local magazines or coffee table books. Box of tissue. Fresh flowers. Drinking glasses. Plush towels and wash cloths. Robe and slippers.
Tune in this week as we examine the details of the ultimate guest bedroom...
Some inspiring bedroom photos as seen in Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home, Architectural Digest, and Veranda: