Welcome to Our Home!

A wreath on the inside of the front door!

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Sunflower doormat for summer

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Nice extras for the guest room: Carafe of water Fresh flowers Scented candle and matches Stack of interesting books Power strip to plug in laptop Grab-and-go snack items: chocolate, granola bars, nuts

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Nice extras for the bathroom: Small basket of sample-size toiletries Hair dryer Fresh flowers Bathrobe Spare toothbrush (new in the package) Hook for hanging a toiletries kit

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Have a guest-friendly kitchen. When family has traveled from afar, their eating schedules can be thrown way off. Make it obvious where the snacks and breakfast-making supplies are by keeping everything right out on the counter, and your fam can help themselves whenever hunger strikes.

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Provide the latest glossies. Current magazines are a great touch. (But don’t be like the doctor’s office and lay out three-month-old issues of Time.) The nicer and better outfitted your guest room is, the more it will keep your visitors content and happy … and away from you for a bit. I know you love your guests, but every host needs a break from company now and then.

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Add a comfortable chaise or occasional chair. Having a place beside the bed for sitting and reading or talking on the phone is really a nice addition. When you’re expecting guests, tuck a power strip nearby for charging — you don’t want their phones, Kindles, laptops etc. junking up other spots in the house.

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Dress the room for guests. Many of us make the most of a guest room by using the space as an office, project room or gym (or, in this case, a ballet studio). If you have a Murphy bed, pull it down and make it up nicely, and add a small side table if you don’t have built-ins like these. If your guest room doubles as your office, put all of your papers and supplies away.

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Leave empty space on the nightstands. Guests will need it for water, a magazine and a mobile phone. I love the uncluttered nightstands and dresser in my guest room — I struggle to achieve the look in my own bedroom. Also, that top dresser drawer is off-limits to you. I know it seems like a waste of good storage space, but your guests deserve some space for their unmentionables, as well as some hanger space in the closet.

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Outfit the nightstand. Guests will appreciate an alarm clock and tissues. Also, give them a nightlight or flashlight, so they won’t be banging around an unfamiliar space in the middle of the night.

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Provide ample reading light. I have stayed in several guest rooms where there wasn’t adequate reading light. (An overhead ceiling light does not cut it.) Make sure table lamps or wall-mounted lights are the right height and brightness for nighttime reading. Form usually follows function: Lamps that give off enough light at the correct height will usually be the right scale for your room. If your guest room has two separate nightstands, tie two different table lamps together by using similar lampshades.

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Add fresh flowers. I know I sound like a broken record with the flowers, but they are such a nice touch. Even if it’s one little rosebud in a tiny vase, or magnolia leaves picked from your yard, this gesture will make guests feel extra welcome.

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Put water bottles on the nightstand in a basket.

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Make sure guests have enough blankets. An extra throw at the foot of the bed is practical and adds a special photo-stylist touch.

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A portable luggage rack like this one would fit the bill as well. If space is tight, you can stash it under the bed or in the closet when it’s not in use

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Designate a piece of furniture for suitcases. A suitcase on a bed is gross — think of all the yuck it’s picked up around the airport, on the ground and in the trunk of a taxi. Place a stool or two, a small ottoman, a flat-topped trunk or a bench at the foot of the bed.

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