Over the last few days, we've been working to get our guest room in shape for our family that is arriving this Friday for the holidays! You can see all the plans here.The room is not complete yet, and I'm not sure everything will arrive in time (only stressing a tiny bit about that), but I thought we'd give you an update on how things are progressing.
I once read that a guest room should make guests feel at home, but also like they're away. Cozy, clean, and minimal with a few special touches. Here's how we're accomplishing that.
This was Greta's old room and the 3/4 Rose Quartz pink walls got 2 coats of Farrow & Ball's Wimborne White. We actually had a gallon leftover from the girls' new bunk room and love the warmth of the white. We paired it with off-the-shelf bright white trim paint which warmed up the walls even more giving us that especially clean look we were going for.
Peonies are available at Bouqs.com for the month of December (!!!) and I had to get some for my sister's nightstand. Flowers from The Bouqs Company are cut the day you order and shipped the next day, so you’ll receive them sooner and they’ll last longer. In our experience, typically 2 weeks or more, which means these beauties should last us through the holiday. Flowers are shipped directly to your door from the farms and they have super fast, same day delivery in some locations. There's flat, affordable pricing, too.
I also wanted a little touch of holiday, so I ordered this fresh cut wreath from Bouqs.com and tied it to the foot of the bed with a simple red ribbon.
It smells amazing and every room needs a little bit of greenery.
A few other tips and details we included in the guest room:
• Display the Wifi password prominently somewhere (I downloaded this printable), like framing it on a nightstand.
• Have some travel-sized toiletries stocked. We put shampoo, conditioner, body wash and toothpaste in each nightstand, just in case they forgot something.
• Include light reading material. Nothing says vacation to me like thumbing through glossies. Stacked in the nightstands we have everything from BonApetit to People to Sports Illustrated.
• Allow for temperature control. I love layering soft sheets, with a light coverlet and then a warm duvet so our guests can choose how many or little blankets they need. I also put a basket with extra blankets by the bed--you never know!
We're hoping for a full, finished guest room reveal next week. For now, whether you're expecting guests or not, use the code HOLIDAY20 at Bouqs.com and get 20% off the entire site. (Expires a few days before Christmas)
SOURCES
Wreath, Peonies, Wall Color: Farrow&Ball Wimborne White, Bed frame, Art Print by Kelly Money, Floating nightstands, Wall-mounted lamps, Flower vase, Picture frame, Wifi Printable, Rug, Tassle Coverlet, Striped Duvet (the softest!), Faux fur pillow
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Where is the bedding from? It's beautiful!
You can see all the guest room sources here.
Hi, Julia.
Wondering if you're happy with the bed frame. I'm a bit worried about ordering it without seeing it in person. Does it feel sturdy and is the finish nice?
Thank you in advance!
Erin
Hi Erin! The bed seems really sturdy so far. Beds like this can sometimes get loose at the joints over time, but that's a pretty quick fix - replace the lock washers and tighten the screws. For a guest bed it's ideal, because it's the nightly movement that makes the screws loose. Since the bed is only used when guests come, we don't anticipate having to tighten the screws for a long time, if ever. But I think this bed would do just fine for nightly use as well. We've been impressed with the quality of it for how much it cost.
Thank you, Chris!
The painting over the bed, what size and what color is the frame? Noticed on the web site there are multiple options. Thanks!
It's the 40x30 in the Natural French Farmhouse frame.
Oh wow! I just love this. Have just painted the feature wall in our master beDroom a very similar colour!
This room is so welcoming and cozy! Would you mind sharing what size the art print is over the bed? Thanks!
Hi! When you installed the rejuvenation sconces did you have trouble getting them balanced and tightly secured to the wall? I have the same one and it keeps wanting to rotate off the wall if I move the arm too far off from center. The screws are like 1/8 from the face of wall which is tighter than the directions and seemed to help. Any tips would be much appreciated!
Sarah I always have the same issue! Queen bed and queen duvet and it doesn't hang down on the sides half as much as Julia's here.
Preference question! When you're buying a duvet/cover for a queen bed, do you go up to a king? I have a queen duvet/cover for my bed and it never seems to be big enough.
BTW....this (and your master!) might be my favorite rooms you've ever done! So cozy!
I always stick to the same size personally
It's lovely! Having a designated guest room feels so luxurious. Our guests have to sleep on sofabed in the living room.
Sorry if you've addressed this elsewhere, but what happened to the army blanket bed? Did it not hold up?
It actually held up great. There was a newlywed couple in need of a bed in our neighborhood and we gave it to them.
It looks fantastic. I adore your style. The room is warm and inviting without being “overdone”. I think that is what I love best about the way you approach decorating your home. Simple, understated, yet so inviting. Very unique in blog land. You always stay true to yourself, and aren’t afraid to stray for the current trend.
Well done!!! Looking forward to seeing more of your lovely home.
Can I just commend you on how you do sponsored posts? I'm typically not a fan. I get it, bloggers need to make money. But you guys just do it so eloquently, that I don't feel like I'm reading a sponsored post. As always, job well done.
I love that you put that wreath on the bed frame. What a fantastic fragrance for your guests! And peonies are my favorite flowers, so I'm off to check out that website! Great job, as always!
It looks so welcoming and your photos are great! My mom is coming for Christmas and I am trying to get our guest room comfy for her, but I'm struggling. Great tips.
I love this room! I really love the combination of textures and patterns you choose for bedding, Julia. Our guest room does double duty as the office/sewing room. Unfortunately, that means a pull out bed and it's not nearly as cute!
Love how cozy this room looks! Have you considered going dark with the ceiling?
Love your photos, as always. I think the lights on (which is probably what's making them a little more yellow, just guessing?) makes it completely cozy. Your guests are very lucky!
What is the finish of the frame around the artwork? Was is acquired through the same website linked for the art?
Yup! It's their farmhouse wood one.
Wondering if you purchased a box spring and mattress for the new bed? And if you've tried it, would you recommend it?
We had a mattress for this bed for a little while, just purchased from a local discount store. But! I will say this about the box spring, because our previous bed didn't need one and this one does. We got a small little 4-5" boxspring (like this!) instead of the full sized ones and I am so happy about it. It's very discreet.
It's a lovely room and the wreath on the iron bed and the ticking duvet comforter make it especially welcoming. Lucky sister you have! Love the printable too!
That bedroom is so pretty and welcoming :) Just my jam!
Thanks for the promo code! Just ordered some flowers for my sister. Merry Christmas!
Looks so cozy! Do you have a resource for the bed?
Yup! It's listed in the sources at the bottom of the post. But for quick reference, from here.
Your photos are beautiful as always! Love the guestroom.
I think the photos look beautiful! We live in Northern Idaho (Sandpoint) and I can relate to the days being very short--even during the day (if it's really overcast) the light isn't good at all. I love the floating side tables, minimal but functional. Beautiful work.
Your husband is very brave to be rolling those walls without a dropcloth!
I really like the duvet cover. Well, I really like the whole room so far, but especially the duvet cover. Ticking stripes are just classic.
The guest room is coming along great! It's such a nice idea to add fresh flowers and greenery to the room.
This looks so incredibly cozy! I'll be right over!
It looks amazing! I bought the dark gray duvet and it's so great! I was just wondering why you chose a floating nightstand? Do you think it makes the room feel bigger?
I love to mix modern lines and traditional and these nightstands fit the bill. But also, other $150 nightstands looked and felt cheap or generic, but these are super well made and sturdy with great lines for the same price.
I love your blog but the photos lately have been so dull and yellow.
Sorry you feel that way. These photos were taken at night, which tends to make photos a little more yellow. Chris just bought me some new Speedlites since the days are very short around here during the winter. Hopefully those will help!
I love it! Ironically, I ordered one of those lamps for my living room a few weeks back and almost ordered that duvet when it was on sale. Now I'm really kicking myself for not buying it! It looks so retro, yet modern, and so cozy.