As the holiday season comes to a close and the guests all make their way home, I’m sure the last thing on your mind is entertaining and hosting overnight company. Trust me, I am probably one of the last people who is thinking about wanting more people in her home right now. In a span of 14 days, we hosted out-of-town family and friends for a total of three different Christmas gatherings and two New Years’ Eve parties-oh-and closed and moved into our custom new home.

*Alexa, play Crazy by Patsy Cline*

Despite my need for retreating back under my rock, I think now is the perfect time to start thinking ahead for the next overnight event. But I am not talking about meal planning or buying presents: I am talking about creating a warm and inviting place for your guests to retreat to in the evening.

I love my people. And I always want them to find my home as a reflection of comfort and ease. A welcome place where they can let their guard down, their children can run free, and they can find restful sleep after a day of fun. That’s why I put so much thought into creating spaces they can enjoy as well.

Like most of my home, I treat styling my guest bedroom as a jog, not a sprint. Cozy places often take time to curate-it’s okay if everything isn’t perfect on day one!

Here are some tips for styling a great guest (or main) bedroom where the retreat is welcome:

1. Start with neutral base pieces that anchor the room, but can adapt to many color palettes and styles

I like to start with the most important aspect of a bedroom: the bed!

Finding bed separates are key in making a space flexible and interchangeable over time, so opt for a platform bed frame in black, white, or wood tones and a headboard that can either be mounted to the wall or attached to your bed frame.

Check out some of my favorite bed choices HERE

2. Pick a color palette and style that reflects your home

After all, your guest bedroom is inside YOUR home. YOU have to also love it and while you design it with your guests in mind, your guests will love seeing a reflection of your style.

Does choosing colors make you nervous? Don’t stress: an easy trick is to anchor your colors off a piece of art, or a rug you like. Then it will all be tied together.

3. Choose quality bedding and linens

Whether you are a white bedding fanatic like me or opt for colored linens, pick a quality thread count and nice pillows. Bedding can set a room apart and makes or breaks the whole “overnight” experience.

If you really want to get fancy, use lots of layers! Sheets, duvets, quilts, throw blankets, and pillows all make an ordinary bedroom feel like a luxurious hotel getaway.

4. Add room-darkening curtains

Sleeping in or needing to put a little down for a midday nap? Buy the room darkening curtains.

My favorite curtains are these from TWOPAGES. The price for quality is unmatched, and you can customize them!

5. Ambiance lighting

Lamps, Sconces, Pendants.

However, you choose to do it, add in calming ambiance lighting. We joke here about why we even installed overhead lighting because I use it so infrequently.

6. Take your time adding accent pieces

Accent pieces elevate a room, but are not necessary. I love to hunt for functional accent pieces like chairs, benches, wardrobes, and side tables at antique stores to add a mix of old-world charm, but you can find these pieces wherever you shop! These pieces are where your style can really shine-so don’t worry about needing to rush!

Creating these spaces is supposed to be FUN! So this is your permission to take your time and find those things you love. It doesn’t have to happen overnight, or even be perfect according to a textbook: this is your home, make it what you love. I always like to design virtual mood boards to help me make those tricky design choices that come with shopping online. That way you can be sure you love how an item looks in the space before committing to purchasing.

To see more of my evolving, work-in-progress, guest space or to shop my guest bedroom: Click HERE.

Talk soon.

xx, Lanna