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.
3
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.
It’s honestly so hard for me to share updates without giving away everything or without waiting until it’s “perfect.” (which... will it ever be?😂) I say this to Derrick all the time and he just rolls his eyes because he knows... I’II change my mind, move something, tweak a detail. That’s kind of the whole point though, right? A home is meant to evolve.
Even when I finally share a “reveal,” I already know there will be a version two... and probably a version three after that.
But truthfully, this past month has felt like a turning point. We’ve gotten so much done, and for the first time it’s actually starting to feel like a home-just in time for guests coming to stay with us this month (no pressure 😅).
More reveals coming soon, but for now... here’s a little peek behind the scenes.
Introducing Between the Layers… my Substack- a new space where I can share more than what fits here.
Comment ‘YES’ and I’ll send you the link, or head to the link in bio to subscribe. 🫶
Think of it as a behind-the-scenes look at how I see and think about design… and everything around it. I have been dreaming about this for a bit and I can’t wait to take you along!
Less “perfect posts,” more real life. More context. More depth. More of the why. When we are working on content here, Emma (my daughter and social media manager) is always saying “we can’t say all of that, it’s too long”... I guess I have a lot to share! 😂
Inside you’ll find: – how to make confident design decisions – real project breakdowns (what worked, what didn’t) – building a home you want to be in – what I’m loving, wearing, cooking, saving – the in-between moments that shape how a home feels
It’s for anyone who loves design… but also wants to understand it.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make it all come together, this is for you!
Comment ‘COTTAGE’ if you have your eye on something from this look!
These location posts (live on the blog!) might look effortless, but they’re rooted in something very real to our process: clarity. When you’re overwhelmed by options, trends, and a thousand saved images, what you need is direction.
That’s what we do.
We take the feeling (in this case: windswept, layered, storied) and translate it into real decisions. Paint colors. Hardware swaps. Furnishings that work together. A space that finally feels cohesive instead of halfway there.
Whether you have a vacation home, a second property, or a family home that just needs thoughtful cosmetic upgrades... you don’t have to figure it out alone.
We work with clients nationwide - from full renovations to simple, impactful refreshes.
If you’re ready for your home to feel like the dream you’ve been pinning, let’s bring it to life.
Pretty much sums it up. And honestly, I have been working really hard on the life part lately. Getting out and enjoying this new beautiful area has been so fun when I prioritize time exploring. But also counteracting with finding new ways to do this work really, really well. You know… work smarter not harder mantra, well that’s an overriding theme in our studio lately.
Here’s just a few photos from my camera roll these past few weeks that I think demonstrate a work/life balance pretty damn well if I do say so myself. 🥰
Setting up our sweet living room, a yummy breakfast @perennbakery, checking out @urbancowboy_nashville (it’s a whole vibe and I must take Derrick back to sit out on their patio!), Kaylei sharing her work on the go in Bend, drinks @hermitagehotel when Em was visiting, a good cab, and the bar at our Tetherow Timber House project is shaping up to be stunnnnning.
Easter, how I love thee. Throwing it back to one of my all-time favorite shoots in Oregon. I’ve always loved this time of year…nature coming back to life and the days growing longer.
And I guess it’s also because whenever I gather the people I love it just makes me happy. ❤️
If you’re hosting next week, let this be your reminder: A simple tablesetting, seasonal flowers, a small bowl of dyed eggs, candlelight, and your people. That’s the magic.
For over 20 years, I had been designing our homes… but when Derrick lost his job, everything shifted. What felt like everything falling apart was actually the beginning of something new.
After years of being a stay-at-home mom — the role that meant everything to me — I stepped into something completely unknown and started my design business. I was terrified.
Somewhere along the way, Derrick and I found our rhythm, and what started as helping each other turned into building something side by side… Clouz Houz.
And then… we did it again.
We left everything familiar and moved to Tennessee, starting over in a place where no one knew us. No reputation. No safety net. Just a dream… and a lot of faith. And if I’m being honest, it’s taken more grit and determination than I ever imagined. Because starting over midlife hits differently — when so many around you are slowing down, you’re asking yourself to dig deeper, push harder, and believe bigger.
There have been moments I’ve questioned everything. Moments that felt heavy, lonely, uncertain. But also moments that feel like… this is it. This is the life we fought for.
“Life is Short. Make it Beautiful.” came from one of those turning points — when we realized life wasn’t going to wait for us to feel ready. So we chose to begin. Again.
And in this season of rebuilding, I’ve found myself being pulled toward something new… a different way of sharing what I’ve learned, what I see, and what I love. It’s stretched me in new ways — and in some ways, it’s been unexpectedly therapeutic.
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!
