How to host overnight guests in a small-space home
Hosting guests without separate guest space can be a challenge – yet still be the preferred option. See how you can fix a space-efficient arrangement that’s relaxing and enjoyable for all.
Set up a wall for privacy
A room divider is effective for sectioning off personal space in e.g. a living room. Use a clothes rack – better still, two in a row – to create a provisional wall that helps to put both guest and host at ease. Also, it offers a spot to hang party outfits.
Snacks and drink within reach
Running errands around your home risks leaving visitors feeling intrusive. To lessen the need, set up a station for basic refreshments. If there is room for personal things and a good read, even better.
Just in case: a pop-up vanity nook
A small complement to your bathroom will likely be a welcome addition (it tends to be occupied even without outside company), enabling guests to leave the room with confident strides.
No matter how close you are with your guests, hosting someone in a small home can easily create unnecessary tension. On the other hand, a few adjustments will go a long way towards minimising uneasiness.”
Kristina Pospelova, IKEA interior designer
Always the perfect light
We all have individual ideas about light – before, during and after sleep. Leave it in your guest’s hand to decide with a dimmable, remote-controlled bulb (and without having to move). Add black-out roller blinds and curtains, and you cover all possibilities.
Electronics department
WiFi and a charged phone aren’t recognised as basic human needs – yet – but it’s a close call. A host does well to offer the essentials: passwords, cables, adaptors and the power to run them all.
All bolstered up for a good night’s sleep
Bathrobes and slippers add a hotel-like dimension to the stay. They also simplify moving about when you’re less than fully clothed. For absolute hospitality, arrange a comfort kit with an ergonomic pillow and throws for temperature adjustment.
The vanishing hotel-room trick
Hosting guests has its upsides. Yet getting back to normal is a reward in itself. Luckily, restoring the room likely takes less than ten minutes. Naturally, the same goes for prepping for a new round of guests.
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