• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Umami Girl logo

  • Welcome to Umami Girl
  • Recipes
  • Topics
    • Family
    • Food
    • House + Home
    • Adventure
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Welcome to Umami Girl
  • Shop
  • Favorite Things
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Lifestyle » House + Home » Interior Design

    Guest Bedroom Ideas for the Holidays

    December 4, 2018 / Updated Jun 09, 2020 / by Carolyn Gratzer Cope / Leave a Comment / This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.

    No one has a lot of extra time around the holidays. Luckily, making your overnight guests feel loved and just the right amount pampered doesn't have to take a lot of time and effort. These five bite-sized guest bedroom ideas will go a long way toward keeping your guests happy. And the best part is, you can do them all in advance.

    1. Swap in a few festive accessories

    It's great to have a few items (like the tall blue vase pictured here) that go with both your holiday look and your everyday look. 

    A few inexpensive accessories like throw pillows, LED string lights, and votive candle holders are all you need to make your guest bedroom feel festive. You don't have to spend a lot, and you can pull out these items year after year. 

    Here's what we have:

    • One strand of these tiny, battery-powered LED string lights, which we drape around the mirror
    • A few pretty gold votive candle holders (each one a little different), like these
    • Throw pillows in vaguely holiday colors. You be you, but we think it's fun to give a nod to the holidays without going overboard. Find lots of great options here.

    2. Be thoughtful about lighting

    BEDSIDE LAMPS

    Even if your room has good overhead lighting, it really pays to have a couple of lamps flanking the bed. That way guests can tuck in and read before drifting off without getting up to flick off the light switch.

    These days you don't have to spend a lot to find great-looking lamps. Target is our favorite place to find whimsical bedside lamps, often for under $20.

    WHEN GUESTS ARRIVE 

    A super-easy way to give guests a cozy first impression is to set the mood with good lighting before they arrive. Turn off overhead lights, and turn on bedside lamps and those LED string lights. It's the easiest way to create a little bit of magic.

    3. Make like a French lady and layer, layer, layer

    We've never met two people with the same temperature preferences, and being too cold or too hot at night is a great way to interfere with sleep. In wintertime, we like to start with a set of cozy flannel sheets, which you can make more or less holiday-themed to suit your preference. Flannel doesn't need a high thread count or a high price to feel good.

    We also like to adorn the bottom of the bed with a throw blanket or two on top of the regular bedding. These can be smaller than the size of your guest bed, since often only one person will want to use them.  

    Depending on your living space and climate, you may also want to offer guests a space heater. This space heater is our longtime favorite, super-effective, affordable, and amazingly small option. 

    4. Don't forget about books 

    Nothing makes a house feel more like home than a great book collection. Place a small stack of your favorite books from different genres in the guest room. This little touch doubles as something for your guests to do and a chance for them to get a little voyeuristic peek into your inner life. You know, if they're into that kind of thing. 🙂 Find some of our perennial favorites here.

    5. Spend five minutes thinking about your guests' individual needs

    EMOTIONAL PREFERENCES // NEEDS

    Did you read that popular NYTimes article a while back that said the question you should ask on all first dates is, "In what ways are you crazy?"

    We've all got our ways of being special, and a little bit of thought about what your individual guests might want or need can go a long way. This may seem like unnecessary advice, but the holidays can be such a busy time that you really have to take a conscious moment here and there to check in.

    Fierce independent streak? Maybe leave a house key on the dresser. Recent major life change? How about a teddy bear on the bed.

    BONUS

    Having taken a moment to focus on your particular guests ahead of time will only enhance the fun and connection you have with them once they arrive.

    And hey, if this is the way in which you're crazy, it could be worse.

    Talk to you soon. xx

    Carolyn 

    Guest bedroom photos in this post were taken by the lovely Shilpa Iyer for Umami Girl

    More Interior Design

    • Half bath to full bathroom renovation
      Half Bath to Full Bath Renovation: Hendrickson Place
    • A grey, white and wood kitchen renovation with IKEA and Semihandmade cabinets
      Kitchen Renovation Before and After: Hendrickson Place
    • Krinner Tree Genie XXL Christmas Tree Stand
      Krinner Tree Genie: A Life-Changing Christmas Tree Stand
    • Camellia Centerpiece Ideas | Umami Girl
      A Camellia and a Candle: The Easiest of Centerpiece Ideas
    • 56

    About Carolyn Gratzer Cope

    Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope. Welcome to Umami Girl, where I've been sharing recipes and more for thoughtful folks since 2008. Learn more.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    WELCOME TO UG

    Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope, founder and publisher of Umami Girl (Est. 2008). Join me in savoring life, one recipe at a time. Learn more.

    THE FRIDAY NEWSLETTER

    Start every weekend off right with our Friday newsletter.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Most Popular

    sushi rice in a shallow white bowl over a napkin

    How to Make Sushi Rice (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

    How to make an epic fruit platter

    Fruit Platter 101: How to Make an Epic Fruit Tray

    basmati rice pilaf in a bowl with a spoon

    Basmati Rice Pilaf

    The Best Sauteed Mushrooms Recipe 780 | Umami Girl

    Easy Side Dish: The Best Sautéed Mushrooms Recipe

    Spring Favorites

    vegan refried beans in a bowl

    Vegan Refried Beans

    garlic scape butter on parchment with a small knife and a garlic scape

    Garlic Scape Butter

    Gin Grapefruit Cocktail The Sidelong Glance Valentines Day

    Gin Grapefruit Cocktail: The Sidelong Glance

    French 75 Sour Cherry Cocktail in a coupe glass garnished with homemade maraschino cherries

    Sour Cherry Cocktail: A Seasonal French 75

    Footer

    As seen on

    a few examples of where umami girl has been featured

    Make It Tonight

    watermelon cucumber agua fresca in a pitcher and two glasses

    Watermelon Cucumber Agua Fresca

    Instant Pot sweet potato chili with black beans, buckwheat, and chipotle in a white bowl garnished with lime, sour cream, and cilantro

    Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili

    rotisserie chicken tortilla soup in a white bowl

    Rotisserie Chicken Tortilla Soup

    carne asada tacos

    Carne Asada Tacos

    totchos (tater tot nachos) piled high on a plate

    Tater Tot Nachos (Totchos)

    vegetarian nachos on a sheet pan

    Vegetarian Nachos

    • Welcome to Umami Girl
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    © 2008-2022 UMAMI GIRL LLC