Autumn brings long weekends, family visits and friends who finally decide to head south. It is the perfect moment to take a fresh look at that guest bedroom that spends most of the year half empty, or doubling as a box room, and get it ready so whoever sleeps there feels looked after from the moment they open the door.
You do not need a big renovation. The key is to think like a good host: a good night's sleep, light for reading, somewhere to leave the suitcase and clothes, towels to hand and a detail that says "we were expecting you". Dress it in natural materials, linen, wood and fibres, and the room takes on that Mediterranean calm that guests appreciate so much.
Here is how to do it step by step, with ideas that work in a spacious room or a small one, and pieces you can find in our shop.
In this article
Get the look
In the photo above, a bedroom in a restored house in Málaga: a bed dressed in white, green cushions and a striped padded bench at the foot, very similar to our Ardena bench. These pieces will help you recreate it.
1. A good bed comes first
It may seem obvious, but it is what guests notice most. A tired mattress or an uncomfortable sofa bed ruins any visit. If the room allows, go for a 135 or 150 cm bed, which works for a couple or a single guest; if it is small, a 90 or 105 cm bed with a good trundle underneath solves visits with children.
Invest in a good duvet and pillows of two different firmnesses: everyone sleeps differently and it is a detail that is much appreciated. A mid-season Velfont duvet with a light bedspread on top lets you adapt the bed to the mild nights of the south and the cooler ones of November.
Measurements worth remembering
2. Layered bedding, with a spare set
The guest bed is dressed just like ours: cotton or linen sheets in light tones, a duvet, a bedspread and a couple of cushions. Whites, ecrus and soft blues feel clean and fresh, exactly what we want in a room that is not used every day. If you want to go further, we explain how to layer the bed step by step.
What really makes the difference is keeping a second set of sheets, clean and ironed, in the room's own wardrobe, together with an extra blanket. That way, if the visit runs longer or it gets colder than expected, nobody has to go looking. Portuguese bedding from Torres Novas, in washed cotton or sateen, withstands frequent washing and always looks impeccable.
Key idea: Sleep one night in the guest room yourself before they arrive. It is the best way to discover whether a lamp is missing, whether the morning light comes in or whether the pillow is too high.
3. Bedside table and reading light
A lamp next to the bed is essential: nobody wants to get up to switch off the ceiling light with a book in hand. If there is room, place a bedside table on each side; if not, one table and a reading wall light on the other side work wonderfully. Find more ideas on how to choose bedside tables.
Choose warm light (2,700 K) and, if you can, a fibre floor lamp or a linen shade that softens the light. Leave a glass or a carafe of water, a charger and a small dish for a watch or earrings on the bedside table. And do not forget good curtains or shutters: the southern sun rises early.
Get the look
A blue headboard with patterned tiles, white sheets and a flexible reading light: a corner straight out of a seaside village house. To recreate it:
4. A place for the suitcase and clothes
The great forgotten element of guest rooms is somewhere for the suitcase. Without it, the case ends up open on the floor and the room looks messy from day one. A bench or bed-end bench solves both things: it holds the suitcase and gives somewhere to sit and put on shoes.
Also leave free space in the wardrobe with several matching hangers or, if there is no wardrobe, a wall or standing coat rack. A full-length mirror and a couple of baskets for laundry or blankets complete the room without cluttering it.
The minimum for your guest to get organised
- Bench or bed-end bench: for the open suitcase, at a comfortable height.
- Hangers and racks: at least six free hangers or a wall rack with several hooks.
- Mirror: full length, leaning on the floor or hung behind the door.
- Baskets: one for blankets or towels and another for laundry.
5. Towels and welcoming touches
Towels are best folded at the foot of the bed or on the bench, so guests know they are theirs. A full set per person (hand, bath and, if there is a pool or beach nearby, a beach towel) is more than enough. Choose a different colour from the family's towels to avoid confusion in the bathroom.
Get the look
White sheets, a sea-green blanket, the towel folded on a tray and a rope lamp on a round side table: the perfect welcome. These pieces are very similar:
Then come the details that turn a room into a retreat: a carafe of water with a glass, a candle or reed diffuser with a fresh scent, a lovely soap in the bathroom, a couple of local books or magazines and a handwritten note with the wifi password. It is just what we love to find in a good hotel-style bedroom. If you fancy playing with scents, read our ideas on autumn candles and scents.
6. A room with a coastal soul
If you want your guests to remember the room, give it its own character. Soft blues, stripes, natural fibres and light wood work wonderfully in Mediterranean-style coastal homes. A simple headboard (see our ideas for wood, rattan or linen headboards), a rope or jute rug and a rattan ceiling light are enough for the room to breathe calm.
Avoid filling it with things: it is a room for passing through and guests need free surfaces for their belongings. Better a few well-chosen objects that say something about your home: a hand-painted ceramic, an olive branch in a vase, a picture of the coast.
Get the look
A room facing the sea with a blue patterned bedspread, matching cushions, a fibre rug and a white fibre ceiling light. To bring that coastal light to your guest room:
7. If the room has a double use
Many guest rooms spend most of the year as a study, sewing room or dressing room. That is fine: it just needs good planning. Choose furniture that does double duty, such as a narrow desk that works as a dressing table, a bed with drawers or a storage bench, and keep a drawer and some hangers that are emptied when visitors arrive.
If the room is small and has to do everything, take a look at our creative solutions for small spaces. And keep a box ready with the basics (sheets, towels, a candle and a tray) to set up the room in ten minutes.
Quick checklist
- Mattress in good condition and two types of pillow.
- Clean sheets on the bed and a spare set in the wardrobe.
- Duvet and an extra blanket to hand.
- Reading lamp or wall light next to the bed.
- Bench or bed-end bench for the suitcase and free hangers.
- Towels folded on the bed or bench.
- Water carafe, candle or reed diffuser and a note with the wifi.
- Curtains or shutters that really block the light.
Frequently asked questions
What is essential in a guest bedroom?
A comfortable bed with clean bedding, a reading light by the bed, somewhere for the suitcase, free hangers and towels. With that your guest is well looked after; the rest (candles, flowers, a note) is what turns the visit into a memory.
What bed size should I choose if the room is small?
If the room is under 9 m², a 105 cm bed or a 90 cm bed with a trundle is the best option: it leaves 60 cm of clearance and sleeps two people when needed. Push the bed against the wall on one side to gain space and use a wall light instead of a second bedside table.
How can I decorate the guest room without spending much?
Start with textiles: a good set of sheets, a bedspread and two cushions change the room completely. Add a fibre lamp, a bench or bed-end bench and a welcoming touch, and keep the room clear. Less, but better.
At Pino & Jacaranda we believe a home is measured by how it welcomes those who arrive: calmly, with noble materials and with those small gestures that make anyone feel at home.
Because the best visits are the ones that never want to leave.
