The holidays are all about homes full of family and friends. Are you preparing your house for guests? If so, this post is for you! We’re gathering all our favorites and sharing tips for getting your guest room ready. And, as in our case, that could be your kids’ rooms that have to work for both kids and guests! Two of our three are coming home from school, and we have guests coming to stay too. Some may think there’s no way a kids room can double as a comfy, inviting room for guests — but we’re here to tell you it can serve both purposes! Follow these steps and you’ll feel ready and able to entertain guests over the holidays … like a pro.
CLOUZ HOUZ TIP: To make guests feel welcome and comfortable, it’s the simple things ? For example, I like to add travel-sized toiletries to nightstands in case anyone has forgotten items like toothpaste, aspirin, earplugs, charging cord, etc. Also, a carafe of water and a glass for an easy middle of the night sip is always a nice touch. Your guests will appreciate these small gestures!
image: Clouz Houz / Photography: Zee Wendell
Treat whichever room you’re designating as a “guest room” as a special retreat for your guests. Whether it’s a den with a pull out sofa or an office with a blow up mattress, you can create a cozy space for family and friends where they can relax and enjoy their time in your home. See below for some items that we think are not only comfy and inviting, but also practical and budget-friendly. Adding these will make a “5 star hotel” experience in your own home!
CLOUZ HOUZ TIP: We needed a nightstand in our daughter’s bedroom since she took her furniture with her to college. So, we turned a chair into a surface by adding a stack of books. Then we placed a small dish to collect guest’s jewelry, etc. and set out a tray to hold a glass of water or a phone.
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Water Carafe and Glass
Make everything feel special, even a late night sip of water! This water carafe and glass set is so cute. It's the perfect addition to the guest room to make visitors feel like they're truly being spoiled with simple luxuries.
I love this little tree for placing on a nightstand to make your guest's room feel festive. Add lights for a night "glow" in the room, or leave naked for a cute touch to any space. I bought two of these this year, and just ordered a couple more for the kids' rooms. They would also look sweet with ornaments.
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Flannel Sheet Set
New sheets always feel luxurious, and these are sooooooo good! They're inexpensive, but feel really nice on a cold wintery night. And, let's not forget how handsome they are as well! I got a couple of sets or the kids' rooms this year, and they love them. It's a win-win as kids and guests will love to curl in for the night!
We purchased this duvet and these shams for our daughter's room, and now I'm on a mission to get the same ones in the green colorway. The quality of the linen is really really good, and I love the relaxed yet preppy look it adds to her room. I've purchased Serena & Lily bedding over the years, and I have never been disappointed.
If you want to turn a den or TV room into a guest space, I recommend investing in a good air mattress. This particular one has rave reviews, with air-filled coils and a built-in air pump to adjust the firmness of the mattress. Add some nice sheets, a down comforter and fluffy pillows and your guests will feel spoiled all through the night!
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Sheepskin Throw
I use sheepskin throws all the time, whether they're thrown a chair or sofa or as an easy solution to put something cozy and luxurious to the floor! I placed a couple next to the bed in our daughter's bedroom where we will host guests as well. It adds just a little something extra that will feel so good when stepping out of bed in the morning!
We've had the bed in our son's bedroom for years, and I still love it as much as I did the day we got it. It's a classic style -- not too childish, yet relaxed enough to feel casual and comfortable. The natural quality of the rattan goes with many styles of bedding. It looks especially amazing with hotel-inspired bedding, with classic embroidered sheets and beautiful duvets.
I can't say enough about how much I love this floor lamp! I've used it for clients' projects as well in our home. Both our boys have them as a reading light over their beds. I really like the contemporary, cool vibe it gives to their rooms. It has a handy touch sensor for ease in the middle of the night. And, you can't beat the price for the look! It's a great dupe for a designer look.
Full article on Between The Layers (link in bio) 🤎
Sharing the real cost of our High Desert Tumalo Ranch living room felt a little vulnerable, if I’m being honest.
We invested in some areas and saved in others, because good design has never been about choosing the most expensive option—it’s about knowing where to spend.
The biggest lesson? A beautiful room alone isn’t automatically going to make you happy. The best spaces are designed around the way you actually live, what brings you comfort, and what you believe is worth investing in.
This isn’t what every living room should cost. It’s simply the real budget behind one of our most-requested projects, shared in the hopes of bringing a little more honesty to the conversation.
I think you’ll walk away thinking a little differently about renovation budgets.
Sometimes the perfect paint color doesn’t exist... you have to mix it! 🫐 Save this custom formula for the next time you’re looking for the perfect moody blue.
Had to jump on this trend. I know “chic” means something different to everyone. But if you ask me? It’s less about what’s expensive or perfectly styled, and more about a life that’s been thoughtfully collected over time. These are a few things that will always feel chic to me.🤍
Last week I shared one small piece of this project- the dry bar replacing the old built-in desk. Today I wanted to show you how that decision fits into the bigger picture.
The existing space had great bones, but our clients weren’t feeling the palette anymore. Bright white cabinetry, cool gray finishes, and a collection of individual elements that didn’t really relate to one another. Our goal was to give it more warmth, more character, and a stronger sense of identity.
One of my favorite additions is the breakfast nook. Rather than filling the corner with another standard table and chairs, we’re designing a built-in banquette that feels intentional and inviting.
Throughout the kitchen, we’re layering in richer materials, softer tones, and moments of contrast that make the room feel collected instead of builder-basic.
The goal is for everything (from the cabinetry to the breakfast nook to the new dry bar) to feel like it belongs together rather than feeling like separate updates.
A good renovation shouldn’t feel like you replaced everything. It should feel like you uncovered the version of the home that was always meant to be there. I can’t wait to watch Meadowridge Revival come to life!!
Seems crazy for me to say this because I love summer... but I think I’m starting to crave fall.🤎
The sweaters, a fire going, slower mornings, being a little more cocooned at home. Maybe that’s what has me thinking about how much the smallest things in a home can change the way a day feels.
Not the big renovation decisions. The mug you always reach for. A lamp that makes the room feel extra ozy at night. The old chair in the corner that somehow gets better every time someone sits in it..
None of it has to be important (or expensive) to make everyday life feel a little more special. I think you just have to notice what does.
Videography: @bozemanmediadesign
But before I get ahead of myself... are we ready for fall yet?
I can usually tell within the first few minutes of meeting someone what kind of client they’re going to be. Not because of their style. Not because of the size of their house. It’s in the way they talk about their home. Sometimes they’ll apologize for it before we even walk in. “I know it’s kind of all over the place,” or, “We’ve lived with this for years.” And almost every time, I find myself thinking the same thing: Your home isn’t the problem. It’s just waiting for someone to make a few confident decisions.
I think people assume interior design is about having better taste than everyone else. It isn’t. It’s pattern recognition. After twenty years of walking through homes, I don’t see a room the same way most people do anymore. I’m noticing what your eye keeps getting stuck on. Where the proportions feel off. Why one side of the room feels heavier than the other. Which thing is quietly throwing everything else out of balance.
Those aren’t things most homeowners should have to know. That’s what we’re here for. And honestly, that’s one of my favorite parts of this job. If you’ve ever hesitated to reach out or don’t know where to start with your project... message me, I’d love to chat!
CLOUZ HOUZ TIP: To make guests feel welcome and comfortable, it’s the simple things ? For example, I like to add travel-sized toiletries to nightstands in case anyone has forgotten items like toothpaste, aspirin, earplugs, charging cord, etc. Also, a carafe of water and a glass for an easy middle of the night sip is always a nice touch. Your guests will appreciate these small gestures!
