If you are lucky enough to own a holiday house you will appreciate that this is a double edged sword because as lovely as it is to get away at the weekend, your precious family and friends have the same idea! Seriously though, a holiday house is a great opportunity to get together in a relaxed environment and I love to see the innovative way that people fit in so many beds. Here are my favourites and my top tips for styling a holiday house spare bedroom:
1) Think carefully about the configuration of beds. It is tempting to just line up a row of single beds but this can be reminiscent of a school dormitory so a little more flair is called for. You can simply place beds opposite each other or at right angles to mix it all up a little or you can get creative with some joinery and build in upmarket bunk beds with central stairs and lower double beds.
2) Keep the colour scheme simple and ensure it relates to the feel of the house. Basically, you wCrisp arant something in a style and colour that will appeal to adults and children alike. Remember that with so many beds crammed into a space you will need block colour and simplicity to avoid a cluttered and tizzy look.
3) Ensure that finishes are durable. Upmarket bunk beds look fantastic but remember that they will look like this to young children too who will delight in climbing all over them. A holiday house spare room needs to look inviting and relaxed so ensure that it isn’t too precious.
4) Don’t forget storage. A spare bedroom like this could be a disaster zone with luggage and holiday clothes, so build in lots of cupboards, drawers beneath beds, chests of drawers and even hooks on walls for coats, towels and hats.
5) Finally, make guests welcome and fill the room with books and magazines, spare towels and a bucket of spare toiletries. Remember all those visits to hotels? Use spare soaps, toothbrushes, moisturiser etc. to offer to friends and family who stay – they will really appreciate these thoughtful touches.
I have lots more inspiration on my Pinterest boards and would love to hear how you manage all your guests at Christmas and holiday times.
My regular colour feature in Country Home Ideas magazine was dedicated to guest room colours recently – you can read the article here:
Do you love to decorate bedrooms in a feminine style? If so you may love my article dedicated to this look – read more here: