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After living in apartments for my entire adult life, my husband and I finally took the plunge to purchase our first home together. And with that, we have a guest space to host friends and family when they’re in town. In furnishing this 300-square-foot space from scratch, I collected a few tricks-of-the-trade. Read on for how I created a home-away-from-home.
Making The Most Of Your Space
My guest space has to serve many purposes in a small amount of square footage. Day-to-day, it’s my husband’s office, but it needs to seamlessly transition into a guest suite for family and friends. Here are some of the products that helped me create a space that can flex.
Wall-mounted lighting
In a small space, floor and table lamps take up precious space. That’s where wall-mounted lights from Gantri come in. Gantri works with a range of designers and leverages 3D printing to create its products on-demand in California. And best of all, these wall lamps have a standard cord and plug that works with any outlet, so you don’t need to do any complicated electrical work.
Multi-purpose items
Furniture that can serve multiple uses is key for a guest space. These stacking stools ($195) from Burrow can serve as seating, side tables, or storage. And, when they’re not in use, they take up no space at all.
Creating Comfort Like Home
If someone’s staying in my home, I want them to feel as comfortable as they are in their own space. These products are exactly what I’d want out of a guest space.
A cloud-like mattress
There’s nothing worse than an uncomfortable mattress when traveling. The Saatva Classic Mattress ($1,770 Queen) is my go-to for myself and my guests. It’s a Goldilocks mattress—not too soft and not too firm.
Hotel-quality sheets
Who doesn’t want hotel-quality sheets when they’re away from home? Boll & Branch offers my all-time favorite sheet set ($278 Queen), and I want only the best for the guests staying in my home.
Morning pour-over
While we have lots of coffee shops that can offer a morning latte within walking distance of our home, I like to give folks the option of making their own. Fellow’s Rookie Kit ($252) offers all of the products my friends and family need to make a cup of coffee when they first wake up, or need an afternoon pick-me-up.
It’s All In The Details
Little details go a long way when you’re hosting a guest in your home. These items take very little effort, but go a long way in helping friends and family settle in.
A luggage rack
This luggage rack ($158) from Innit comes in a range of colors, giving plenty of flexibility to fit in with your decor. Its curved legs allow it to stand sturdily, whether it’s folded up and tucked away or opened up with luggage set atop.
Top-notch bathroom products
I like to save my guests the trouble of packing their entire set of toiletries, so I invest in top-tier bathroom products to have on hand in my guest bathroom. Necessaire is a one-stop shop that offers shampoo and conditioner ($45), body wash ($25), and lotion ($25) that are loved by all.
Aperitivo at arm’s reach
There’s nothing better than having an afternoon snack and beverage, so I like to have provisions for my guests. My go-to is a bag of potato chips and stocking the fridge with Ghia’s Le Spritz ($60 per 12-pack) for an on-hand aperitivo.
Whether my friends and family members are stopping through for 1 night or staying for a lengthier amount of time. I’m confident that they’ll be comfortable staying in our guest space. And, when guests aren’t around, many of these items make for an enviable office space too.
