Guests Bed Room
Some of us might contemplate the prospect of hosting with trepidation.
I enjoy entertaining, and I love having guests to stay Chez Moi, in the South of France.
The very essence of hosting is making sure your guests are having a good time, and feel pampered . This means ensuring they are been well fed, they have been offered drinks at regular intervals, and they have a relaxing bedroom room and a comfy bed.
To achieve it, I try to create a luxurious experience, as well as making their bedroom as relaxing and cosy as possible. It’s rewarding when someone comes down for breakfast telling me they had the best night sleep.
My HOSTING TIPS:
1. MOOD BOARD
A Mood Board is a great tool for getting you started on the decor.
The vital elements are colours, patterns and texture.
I like to combine furnishings from different periods and different styles.
Don’t be afraid to adopt contradictions. Mixing is cool.
Early in my career as an interior designer, I learn any room should have an element, a colour, or an object, which doesn’t fit into the scheme. It makes the room come alive.
2. Play being an HOTELIER
I enjoy staying in hotels, and I like to recreate, Chez Moi, the atmosphere of a luxury hotel.
How nice to find in your guest room all the things you would expect to find in a 5 Stars hotel:
A small bunch of fresh flowers, a dressing gowns hanging on the door, slippers, bottles of water on the bedside tables, in the bathroom, piles of fresh towels, body wash and shampoo, a hair dryer, as well as a laundry bag.
3. DECOR
The BED is the center piece.
It might sound strange, but the smaller the room, the bigger the bed should be.
Adding something super-sized gives instant Brownie points.
The same applies to the HEADBOARD. Upscaling creates an instant striking statement.
The famous hotelier Kit Kemp, designed dramatic headboards in all the rooms of her hotels. They set the tone.
Don’t skimp on a good quality MATTRESS. It can make or break a night sleep.
One pattern CUSHION is insignificant, double it and you create excitement.
If you have a CHEST OF DRAWERS, I recommend lining the drawers with pretty paper, and living lavender pillows in them.
A full-length MIRROR is always appreciated. It can be hang on the back of the bathroom door.
A LUGGAGE RACK is a useful touch. Better than having suitcases on the floor.
When possible a TV is a nice addition. Some guests like to watch the news as they wake up, or a film before they switch off the light.
LIGHTING
The LIGHT is what creates the atmosphere, the ambiance, the mood of the room.
It’s is important to make it as calming as possible. Dim overhead lighting – too hard . And focus on table and wall lights. Choosing the right bulbs is important. I go for warm white, dimmable and clear.
Small Spaces
4. HOW TO DRESS THE BED
It matters how you dress the bed. Pure cotton or linen feel luxurious. Be generous.
Alcoves
5. TREATS
In hotels, I always enjoy the sweet left on the pillow. Chez Moi, I put biscuits in a pretty tin.
6. MOOD CHANGES
Finally, don’t get stuck into one lay out, move stuff around. With the seasons, I like to vary the mood without spending a huge amount of money. Different cushions, a throw, a rug, flowers, will do the trick – cosy and warm in winter, fresh and cool in summer.
HAPPY HOSTING