Top tips for giving your guest bedroom a refresh

For those of us lucky enough to have enough space for a guest bedroom, keeping it clean and tidy can be a struggle. More often than not, ours gets piled high with the everyday stuff that comes along with bringing up kiddos! I am yet to organise it into somewhere other than a place to dump coats, summer clothes, various bits of sports equipment as well as souvenirs from their childhoods – I have a whole chest of drawers filled with paintings and Mother’s Day cards from them alone.

However, cleaning out your guest bedroom can be a great thing, especially as we head towards warmer weather and the possibility of summer BBQs, kids’ parties and Friday-night dinners when a friend or two might end up staying over rather than heading home and risking disturbing a sleepy little one!

To give mine a refresh, the first thing I do is make a conscious effort to clear out the clutter. I get the kids to help, sorting things into piles of ‘keep’ or ‘don’t keep’ then lugging it all to the charity shop once we’re done. It’s amazing how much space can be unearthed simply by sorting things into labelled piles or storage boxes. I like these from Plastic Box Shop – I get four different colours so the kids know whose is whose and there’s no confusion.

The next thing I do is add a little colour and texture. A lifelong love of vibrant shades, it’s a lot cheaper (and quicker) to invest in some stylish scatter cushions or a new blanket for the end of the bed than to paint the whole room a new brighter colour, or wallpaper one feature wall. Hand-printed cushions from Arlo & Jacob are just perfect for our house. In bright cobalt blue with cute woolen pom-poms at the edges, they bring a bohemian touch to the plainest of rooms and have that fun festival vibe that I love so much down to a tee.

The last tip for reviving your guest bedroom is to add a few personal touches. You don’t want your guests to feel like they’re staying in a hotel as that makes the whole visit pretty impersonal, but a few touches borrowed from a cosy B&B never go amiss for making people feel welcome and comfortable. I always place fresh flowers on the windowsill or side table in my guest room if I know people are coming to stay, and as spring approaches the amount of seasonal blooms to choose from has multiplied. I love daffodils and hyacinths for spring and summer.

I also place folded towels and a chic hand soap at the end of the bed. I discovered this Portuguese company recently and always pick them up wherever I see them. Delicately scented and featuring the most gorgeous packaging, they delight everyone who I show them to and won’t go amiss with your guests. Personal touches like this ensure your visitors feel happy and at home in your home.

What are your top tips for reviving a tired guest bedroom? I’d love to hear them!