How to Decorate a Guest Bedroom

What do you envision when you think of what a guest bedroom should look like?  It should be considered a mortal sin to decorate this extra room with throw away pieces of furniture, shabby sheets, and your grandmother's dusty old throw pillows.

Believe it or not, your guests will judge you on how comfortable the bed is, how interesting the wall and window treatments are, and how clean the room is overall.  Even though your family or friends may only stay for one night, you should make them feel special in your home and instill within them a desire to return.

The Basics

Every guest bedroom should include a fully made bed (not a cot, blow-up mattress, sleeping bag, heavy blanket, sofa cushions, hammock, tent or any of that crap), night table, lamp, alarm clock, radio, television with cable, or either an antenna providing local channels or a DVD player with up-to-date DVD's, floor mat, a closet with empty hangers, at least one wall picture, a mirror, a small trash can, an empty dresser (if possible), and window treatments (if applicable).

The Essentials

One year my then husband and I took a pleasure trip to Florida and stayed with one of my cousins.  He put us up in his second master suite which consisted of a bedroom with a large closet and its own bath with a separate grooming area.  It reminded me of my parents' master suit when we lived in Georgia.  During another year, my son and I took a pleasure trip to Florida and stayed with my aunt.  She had a luxury condo which had two master suites.  The one we used had a nice sized bedroom with a large bathroom.  We had our privacy and a pleasant stay.

Well, not everyone has a master suite to offer their guests.  But that doesn't mean they can't feel like royalty in your home.  Anyone who has stayed at my house has told me I'm a very good hostess.  Whether they ended up in the guest bedroom or on the sofabed, they were supplied with a luxury Charter Club towel and wash cloth, a new bar of soap to take home (either a luxury bar from The Body Shop or a Yardley bar from the grocery store), etc., which leads me to admonish you to do the following.

Place a fresh, clean towel, wash cloth, and a bar of soap (one set per guest) on the guest bed.  Another stylish method for supplying such items is to fill a small basket with the following items, most of which come in travel sizes:

• a rolled towel 
• a rolled wash cloth
• new bar of soap
• unopened tooth brush
• toothpaste
• mouth wash
• dental floss
• 2-5 alcohol pads
• shampoo
• conditioner
• hand cream 
• comb
• 1 pack of facial tissue 
• a disposable razor
• can of shaving cream
• cotton balls in a sandwich bag
• nail polish remover
• an emory board

The Extras: Tip the Scale By Adding Luxurious, Yet Functional, Items

It's the year 2012.  So let's be real, folks.  Almost everyone needs their electronics fix on a daily basis.  I realize that everyone cannot afford to provide themselves, much less their guests, with expensive electronic devices and such.  Nonetheless, this is what you should strongly consider providing your guests with if your wallet or purse will allow.

• a charging dock for cell phones, iphones and other wireless devices
• a guest account to use on the family computer or a small desk with an internet-ready computer or wifi for their own laptop, tablet, etc. (don't forget to leave an index card on the night table with the security key or access code)
• a mini refrigerator stocked with bottles of water and/or seltzer water, ginger ale, 1 or 2 small bottles of beer, white wine or champagne
• a dimmer switch instead of a flip light switch (helps to save electricity if they fall asleep with the lights on)
• at least 8 wooden hangers (plastic hangers are too cheap-looking and wire hangers can be dangerous and can snag clothing)
• at least a 300 thread-count sheet set  

Important Things to Remember:

Make sure the sheets, blanket and pillow covers are freshly washed and spot-free.  Apply a mattress cover, especially if the mattress is old or has stains.  Do the same for the pillows as your guest could be allergic to dust or other irritants which may be in or on the pillow.  Please do not use cheap, plastic grocery store bags to line the trash can.  Purchase a box of small garbage bags or clear liners.  Goodyear offers a box of 20 for $0.99 which are sold in many grocery and dollar stores. 

How to Decorate a Kitchen

Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. A kitchen is more than just functional. It's the place where the meals that keep you alive are prepared, where you spend time with your family and friends, where you may have your morning coffee or tea and where fond memories are made due to the wonderful aromas which help you connect memories with emotions.

Whether you will be the one cooking or not, you will end up spending more time in this room than you anticipated. If your kitchen is pleasing to the eye, you'll spend more time in it, cook better meals, and be happier in your home.

You will decorate your kitchen the way that shows your own personality. Although there isn't a cut and dry way to decorate every kitchen, there are some basic items that each kitchen needs. Let's go over the basics first and then I'll describe ways to customize the various types and sizes of kitchens that exist.

Some interior decorating shows may leave you with the impression that decorating a kitchen is difficult.  Yet, it's actually the easiest room to decorate.  You need very little to make it look beautiful.  Whether your kitchen is new, old, large or small, beautifying it is just a matter of color coordinating your walls, appliances, floor and accessories.



A functional kitchen should have the following:

• refrigerator
• stovetop
• oven
• sink
• lighting
• cabinets
• drawers
• counter

The following are optional, yet extremely useful items:

• dishwasher
• microwave
• table or bar
• center island
• pantry
• broom closet
• deep freezer
• coffee maker
• toaster oven
• electric can opener
• electric knife

Now, these lists are pretty cut and dry.  These are the things that you will need to be able to function well in your kitchen on a daily basis.  The basic items do not need any explanation as to why they are important to have.  The optional and, of course, luxury items serve a purpose as well. 

A dishwasher can free up 3.5 to 10 hours of your time each week.  Washing dishes the traditional way (hand-washing) takes up more of your time, ages your hands, spreads more germs due to the use of soiled sponges and dish rags, and increases the likelihood of dropping and breaking dishes.

A microwave allows you to warm or cook a quick meal which adds to the extra time you have to do other things. 

A table or breakfast bar gives you the opportunity to eat while you prepare food.  It gives your family a chance to spend time with you instead of waiting in another room while you cook. 

A center island is a luxury, yes, but it gives you all of the additional space you need to prepare large meals or to bake your favorite cakes and cookies.  If you add some stools your center island can function as another spot for family and friends to congregate while you cook up their favorite meal. 

A pantry is wonderful for storing all of the extra food.  You can save yourself some trips to the supermarket if you have a pantry to store that extra food. 

If your pantry isn't deep enough to store your broom, dust pan, and mop you'll want to have a broom closet within the kitchen.  Keeping the broom and mop within the kitchen saves time.

A deep freezer can easily be kept in your garage or basement.  Yet, one in the kitchen would make accessing the frozen food that won't fit in your ordinary freezer quite convenient.  It also will save on trips to the supermarket. 

Having a simple coffee maker will allow you to save money, especially if you take into consideration the cost of gas and the price markup you incur by buying from a coffee shop. 

A toaster oven is absolutely great to have.  Not only can you make toast in it, you can use it to bake and broil meat, small cakes and pies, other breads that won't fit into an ordinary toaster and more.  I've used mine for years when I don't want to use my oven.

An electric can opener lets you to open a can while you take care of another task.  It, also, saves you from hand strain.

Finally, an electric knife gives you the ability to swiftly slice tough meats thin, thick and as close to the bone as you wish.

There are other high-end luxurious kitchen accessories that can make your life run smoother, but these are the most popular ones.

Now that you know what needs to go into a kitchen, let us now start decorating it. 

Choose a wall color that makes you happy.  The most cheery colors are yellow, white, olive, mustard, white and beige.  Next, choose flooring that will compliment the paint color.  Compliment doesn't necessarily mean matching.  You want the color of the floor to make the color of the walls look good.  You should opt for a medium to light color so that you can see the stains on the floor.  Dark colors give the illusion that the floor is clean when it is not.  The most modern floor material is ceramic tile.  It can be a bit pricey but it's durable.  Wooden floors are wonderful but vinyl is the most economical.

It is usually best that your refrigerator, stove and dishwasher match.  So, if your stove is made of stainless steel so should your refrigerator.  If you have a kitchen table you can choose a table cloth with matching napkins and mats (vinyl tablecloths don't come with napkins), or simply opt to use table mats, matching napkins and a nice centerpiece (a plant or vase, maybe) and table accessories.

If you're lucky enough to have a window to look out of, you'll want to purchase window treatments such as drapes, mini blinds, wooden or faux wood blinds, plantation blinds, or fabric blinds.  The wall between your cabinets and your counter is where you can add a backsplash.  Your blacksplash can consist of tiles, wallpaper, or plain 'ol paint.  You can choose to use stone, marble, glass, or any material that is appropriate for a kitchen.  Lowes and Home Depot have trained employees who will walk you through what they have and how to apply it to your own wall.

Add the finishing touches to this space by hanging a wall picture or two, changing the switchplate to a style and color that matches your personality (if you love animals you may install doggie switchplates), replacing the cabinet and drawer handles with more modern ones or stainless steel handles to match your stainless steel stove, adding a salt and pepper shaker to the table or counter, adding a set of canisters, paper napkin and paper towel holders.  Remember a matching pot holder, pots, pans, a dinnerware set, and silverware.  Macy's cellar has many deals on quality items.

How to Decorate a Foyer

A foyer in an average sized home will not look like a room, per se.  It will look more like a hallway or a small, extra space that ones sees when first entering the home.  In a much larger home or even a mansion, the foyer will provide enough space to add small pieces of furniture.  Your home may or may not include a foyer and that's fine.  You may skip this section and move on to How to Decorate a Kitchen. 

You may be wondering what is the purpose of a foyer?  The foyer sets the tone and feel of the rest of the house and how you can expect for it to be decorated.  This area provides a place for the homeowner to quietly and privately greet guests before introducing them to the remainder of the family sitting in the living room, kitchen, etc.  It allows the visitor time to remove and store their coat, shoes and other belongings so they don't have to needlessly carry all of that around the house while interacting with everyone. 

Moreover, the foyer is a place where they may sit and wait for someone if they are just picking the person up but don't intend to stay.  This is especially good if the living room has light-colored or expensive carpeting and it would be inconvenient for the guest to remove his or her shoes only to leave a couple of minutes later when their friend is ready to go.  A guest may want to freshened his or her breath before communing.  Therefore, they'd be more at ease after grabbing a piece of candy from your handy dish sitting on the console table.  Your visitor or a handyman may desire to quickly jot down a message or phone number.  This would be easier done if you have a pen and small pad on the table or in its drawer.

Now, let us get to the juicy part.  So what does a foyer need?  The contents chosen for a foyer are contingent upon its size. 

A small foyer needs a:

• wall mirror
• door mat
• half moon table
• chandelier or lighting fixture
• wall-mounted hat/coat rack (unless coat closet is present)
• wall picture
• accessories (a dainty lamp, candy dish)

A large foyer needs a:

• (all of the above)
• free-standing hat/coat rack (unless a coat closet is present)
• bench or 2 to 3 chairs
• round center table or 1 - 2 half moon or narrow console tables
• umbrella container
• floor runner (carpet or plastic, if a doormat isn't present)

So, now you have your shopping list.  Now allow me to walk you through the what's, whys, and how's.  All of the items needed for a foyer is present for worst-case scenario entries.  Picture yourself coming home from a snow storm.  You walk in with soaking wet boots, a drippy umbrella, messy hair from pulling your hat off, and an armful of shopping bags.  Everything you need is at your disposal.  You wipe your feet on the doormat, put the umbrella into the container, hang your hat and coat on the rack, adjust your hair in the mirror, rest your keys on the table, sit down on the bench to remove your shoes and lay your bags beside you.  Now it all makes sense, right? 

Decorative accessories, such as a picture on the wall, a colorful flower arrangement or an expensive crystal vase on the center table functions as both eye candy and conversation pieces.  Instead of saying "Nice weather we're having" as one would when riding on an elevator with a stranger, your guest may loosen up by saying, "Wow, what a beautiful, crystal vase.  Where did you get it?"

Positioning the Items
Place the wall mounted or free-standing hat/coat rack in a corner near the front door or on the wall catercorner from the door.  The mirror may be placed anywhere but best positioned on the wall on the doorknob side of the door.  This may help the person already in the house to be able to see who is entering the home.  The mirror should measure 16" to 26" long, in a small foyer, and at least 36" in a large foyer.  It is okay to have both an outside and an inside doormat.  If you choose to have an outdoor mat this will give the home a more cohesive appearance for those who want to use a floor runner.  Do not use a floor runner and an indoor mat.  That would be overkill and not pleasing to the eye.  Position them centered as close to the door as possible. 

The umbrella container should be placed on the same wall as the hat/coat rack or in the corner near the door.  The table should be placed directly against a wall a few steps away from the door.  If your foyer is 180 square feet or more, a round or drum table may be positioned in the middle of that space directly underneath the lighting fixture.  It is fine to have both a center table and a wall table if space permits.  The bench should go against the wall opposite the console table or against a wall a few steps from the door.  Additional chairs should only be placed against the wall and not right next to one another unless the chairs are identical.   

Finally, a foyer isn't a foyer unless it has a chandelier or ceiling lighting fixture.  It should measure 5" to 12" long for an 8 foot high ceiling, 16 inches or more for 9'+ high ceilings, and at least 24" for a two story high foyer.



Furnishing On a Budget
When you're first starting out you may have to skimp on quality and purchase what I like to call disposable goods.  Although these pieces of furniture and accessories may look very attractive, they aren't built to last forever and may not yield a high profit if sold at a yard sale, flea market or online.  You may shop for such items at stores such as IKEA, Walmart, Kmart, Jarons Furniture, The Christmas Tree Shopps, Family Dollar, Target.  IKEA is very well known for providing lots of
furniture at especially low prices that you assemble yourself.  They do sell some high-quality items as well but don't look for these online.  Go directly into the store so you can see and feel the quality yourself.

If want to quality furniture and have some time to shop around go to your local Goodwill store, visit flea markets, search classified ads for estate sales (major deals may be found at low prices), online 'free' and 'for sale' sections at Craigslist.com and Backpage.com and by asking family members for pieces they no longer want.  Snoop around their basements, attics, garages and sheds.  Then ask them how much they want for the pieces you're interested in.  If they don't need them you'll most likely get it for free but be prepared to pay for shipping or transporting them yourself.

Got Money to Blow?
If you have the money to purchase high-end furniture, you may want to start looking at stores like Reymour & Flanigan, Bloomingdales, Mealy's Furniture (excellent prices on the same furniture you'll find at some high-end stores but shh! don't tell anyone I told you).  Whether pine, cherry, maple, oak, ebony, etc., quality furniture is made to last for many years, saves you money in the long run and may be passed down to your progeny for many generations to come.

Think of your foyer as the receptionist you see when you walk into your doctor's office.  The nicer she looks or the more pleasant she is the more likely you are to return.