When you are entertaining guests, whether it is only for a few hours or a few days, you want them to be comfortable in your home. One often overlooked area in your home to consider is your guest bathroom. It is easy to put out a few guest towels and soaps, but to really improve your guest’s experience, you should consider the following ideas.
Have everything your guests might need on hand and in plain sight
Ideally, you wouldn’t want your guests to have to ask to borrow anything, especially as it pertains to something as intimate as the bathroom. Stock extra toilet paper and towels (both hand towels and bath towels), and include easy-to-forget staples such as a good hair dryer, Q-tips, tissues, nail files and nail clippers, razors, moisturizer, feminine products, and facial wash.
Choose a playful theme
Small rooms are fun spaces to deviate from the rest of your home’s style. Choosing a theme for your bathroom can help define the space as a comfortable room in your home. Nautical and beach themes are popular because they exude a sense of vacation time and relaxation but you can be creative and maybe consider a style that your regular guests would enjoy. There are plenty of opportunities to add character to a guest bathroom without blowing the budget. Consider adding wallpaper to the wall behind the vanity, or a custom made shower curtain.
Make sure your window treatments are functional and effective at maintaining privacy and light control
Even if you know that no one can see into your guest bathroom, your guests may feel uncomfortable if they feel they may be overlooked. Similarly, if there is too much or too little light coming into the room, this can interrupt sleep or make it hard to get ready in the morning.
Consider adding plants to your guest bathroom
Plants that do well in high humidity, low sunlight areas are great additions to a guest bathroom. Aloe vera is a great bathroom plant which takes up very little space, as are orchids. Fresh cut flowers are another option that can brighten up a guest bathroom. If you have the right configuration, hanging plants or plants in a glass globe near a window can be a lovely touch. Of course, once your guests leave, you will need to find a new home for them or they may be easily forgotten!
Consider adding a small personal touch that reflects your family’s personality
This could be something as simple as an accessory that reflects your favorite place or culture, or perhaps artwork reflecting your family’s hobbies (photos of mountains if you hike, or photos of cities you’ve lived in, for example).
Include a statement mirror
Having a large statement mirror in place of a standard sink mirror can help define your guest bathroom. Choose an unusual shape or an ornate frame for your mirror. This will look even better if it is set against a backdrop of an interesting wall covering, tile or rich paint color.
Make your house guests as comfortable in your guest bathroom as they would be in their own homes with these tips.