Make house guests feel right at home

 

Make house guests feel right at home


1. Set Out Throw Pillows
Throw pillows should serve more than just a decorative purpose. A layer of cushions instantly corrects the problem of a too-deep sofa. But avoid over accessorizing a shallow one — remember, people need space to sit. 

2. Offer Light Reading
Stock guest rooms with good reads and encourage visitors to take books home with them.

 3. Keep Lighting Dim
Everyone looks (and feels) better in low lighting. So consider installing dimmers on your overhead fixtures, especially in the dining room.

4. Offer Storage Space
Give visitors an obvious spot to stow coats and bags. A row of pegs or hooks in a foyer does the trick. 
  
5. Place Furniture Strategically
Furniture arrangement is integral to conversation. Chairs and sofas don't need to match, but they should all be about the same height so people can talk eye-to-eye.

6. Conveniently Accessorize Anticipate the need to set down drinks by positioning small side tables next to living room seating

7. Create Comfort
Extra blankets ensure a good night's sleep. Place a warm throw or two at the end of each bed to prevent guests from having to search — or worse, ask you! — for more covers in the middle of the night. 

8. Add a Colorful Touch
Keep little vases on hand for fresh flowers. Diminutive vessels, like mint julep cups, don't demand much more than a few blossoms, and they add a cheery touch to bedside tables. 

9. Create a Comfortable Space
Provide a handy surface for toiletries. A cabinet, table, or stool in the bathroom guarantees visitors won't have to balance their Dopp kits on the edge of the sink. 

10. Provide Teacups for Necessities
Pretty containers bring elegance to basic necessities. Fill teacups with Q-tips and cotton balls and display them on the washroom counter for anyone who's forgotten their own. 

11. Offer a Seat
A gracious guest room includes a place for a suitcase, such as a bench where folks can also sit when removing shoes. 

12. Provide Nightstand Goodies
Outfit bedside tables with the essentials: a light for reading, a bottle of water with a glass, an alarm clock, and a box of tissues.

13. Set Out a Beverage Stand
The key to a casual cocktail party? Drink stations. Invite friends to be their own bartender by setting out portable tray tables in different rooms and stocking each one with glasses, liquor, mixers, and an ice bucket.

14. Supply Yummy Nibbles
Adopt the same self-serve strategy for snacks with plates of nuts, olives, fresh vegetables, and cheese straws placed throughout your home.



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