In your brand new home, you won’t have to worry about not having the space to accommodate out-of-town guests. We’ve put together a list of some of the best tips for creating an exquisite guest room. But you’d better beware. With a guest room this nice, you may have problems getting your guests to leave.

1. Make a Comfortable Bed

Start by getting the most comfortable bed you can afford. If most of your guests will be couples, consider getting at least a queen size. Splurge on a nice mattress and soft bedding. It’s nice to have a few different types of pillows on the bed: people have different preferences depending on how they sleep. Finally, keep an extra blanket around in case your guest needs it.

2. Include a Few Books or Magazines

It’s not uncommon for someone to have several ebooks loaded up on their Kindle before they head out on a vacation, but having a few books in the room is a nice touch. Consider general interest books: perhaps something about the local history, a recent bestseller, or an old favourite. Magazines might be an even better choice because they don’t require the same time commitment as a book. Again, subscribe to a variety of magazine styles so your guests have some choice.

3. Have Toiletries on Hand

Family and friends will probably try to bring everything they need for a comfortable trip, but there’s a good chance they’ll forget something. Try to keep some of the most common guest toiletries around, and put them in a place where your guest won’t have to come to you and ask. Naturally, this includes things like soap, shampoo, and conditioner, but consider other things as well: a shaving razor, cotton swabs, makeup remover, feminine products, toothpaste, and a toothbrush just in case.

4. Make Space for Unpacking

It’s hard to live out of a suitcase, so help your guests feel a little bit more at home by giving them a place to put their things. This could be a table to place the suitcase at a better height for retrieving things, a small dresser, or some space in the closet. Speaking of the closet, resist the urge to use the closet in the guest room as a storage space for your own things. There should be plenty of spaces in the house for your storage. Instead, put things your guest might need like extra blankets, towels, and other such things in the closet in their room.

5. Put a Small Desk in the Room

Your guests may bring their laptops or tablets so they can get a bit of work done while they’re away. It’s so much easier to do this when there’s a desk in their bedroom. This means they won’t have to awkwardly sit with their computer on their lap or work in public spaces like the kitchen. The desk doesn’t have to be large. As long as there’s space for an average-sized laptop and a cup of coffee, you can’t go wrong.

6. Print Out a Cheat Sheet

A quick cheat sheet is essential if your guests will be spending time in your home while you’re away at work, but it’s nice to have for everyone that comes through. This should include some basic things like the password for the wifi, instructions for using the TV or any appliances that might be out of the ordinary, and the code for the security system. You might also include some nearby restaurants, stores, or other attractions in case your guests want to get out a bit.

7. Consider Some Treats

People have different beliefs on this one, but if you’re comfortable with the idea of your guest eating or drinking in the guest room, it’s nice to include a few treats. You might have a single-serve coffee maker, a bottle of water, and then some single-serve bags of cookies or crackers. A guest who gets the munchies at midnight might not feel comfortable rummaging through your kitchen.

8. Think About a Guest Suite

While this suggestion largely depends on the floor plan you choose and how you need to use the space on a day-to-day basis, including a full guest suite is an especially luxurious touch. For instance, a finished basement will have a bedroom, a full bathroom, and a living room area. This could be a nice space for overseas or out of province guests who stay for a few weeks. Other floor plans might have an ensuite in the guest room. Talk to your builder if this is the type of thing you’re looking for in a design.

No matter how long your guests stay you’ll be proud to show them to their room when you’ve put forth the effort to make it an amazing space!

Photo credits: towels, suitcase, couple reading