Ways to Refresh Your Guest Room for the Holidays

Saffron Marigold - Updated: October 11, 2023

The holiday season is a time of joy, warmth, and togetherness. It’s also a time when many of us welcome friends and family into our homes to celebrate. To ensure your guests feel comfortable and welcomed, it’s important to refresh your guest room or spare bedroom with some thoughtful decor ideas, from personalized welcome baskets to fresh bedding and linens. Let’s explore some tips for decorating a cozy guest room that will leave a lasting impression on your visitors.

Use Fresh Bedding and Linens to Refresh the Guest Room

Start by revamping your guest room with fresh bedding and linens. Crisp, clean sheets, fluffy pillows, and a cozy comforter or duvet will instantly make your guests feel pampered. Consider using holiday-themed or seasonally appropriate linens to add a festive touch.

Photo: Karen, Chicago, IL

Holiday color linens

A red and cream color combination creates a warm palette to anchor your guest room decor.

Declutter and Organize

Before you begin decorating, declutter and organize the guest room. Remove any unnecessary items, and make sure there’s ample storage space for your guests to unpack their belongings. A clutter-free environment is not only visually appealing but also calming.

Get organized

Say goodbye to clutter with these small room organizers.

Create a Personal Welcome Basket

Add personal touches to the room that reflect your hospitality and thoughtfulness. Consider placing a handwritten welcome note, a small basket of snacks, and a carafe of water with glasses on the bedside table. These gestures go a long way in making your guests feel at home.

Saffron Marigold

Luxurious Triple-Milled Shea Butter Soap Set

Sometimes guests forget to pack toiletry essentials like soap and shampoo. Let them know you care with these pamper-me travel-themed botanical soaps.

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Eco-Friendly African Woven Baskets – Set of 3

Place the soaps, extra face towels, travel-size lotions, and other thoughtful welcome gifts into a stylish basket.

Hang Warm Lighting to Refresh Your Guest Room and Improve Ambiance

Create a cozy ambiance with warm lighting. Swap out bright, harsh bulbs for softer, warm-toned ones. Adding a table lamp or a string of fairy lights can also make the room feel more inviting, especially during the holiday season.

Lumina Of London Co

Folklore Fairy Lights – Bohemia Style Warm White LED String

Evoke the magic of the season with extraordinary string lights festooned over a drawer or the doorway. Make sure guests have access to the power source, however, in case they prefer to sleep in a darker room.

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Yule Tree ~ Hand-Carved Wooden Tea Light Candle Holder

Or, leave a few tea lights out (preferably in seasonal scents like cinnamon spice) and a lighter so guests can make themselves cozy in their room.

Holiday decor to refresh your guest room

Incorporate subtle holiday decor elements into the room. A wreath on the door, a few festive throw pillows, or a garland draped over the headboard can infuse the space with holiday cheer without overwhelming it.

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Festival of Lights ~ Hand Painted Pillar Candles

These sunburst candles perfectly match seasonal decor in a gold and red palette. Great for guests who love the soothing ambiance candles create, minus the scent.

LB Wreath Designs

Christmas Mini Wreath with Snow Capped Cranberry

Or, wrap a mini wreath around decorative candles for that extra holiday cheer. Snowcapped berries, pinecones, and green leaves is always a winning combination.

Refresh the Guest Bedroom With New Comfortable Seating

If space allows, provide a comfortable chair or seating area in the guest room. It’s a great place for your guests to relax, read, or enjoy a cup of tea in private. A new piece of furniture is a great way to refresh your guest room without adding unnecessary clutter.

Sit back and relax

Cushion wooden chairs and loveseats with a few throw pillows decked out in patterns that speak to the season. Florals, polka dots, and chevrons are particularly nostalgic.

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Fete Royale ~ Jaipuri Razai Quilt

Fete Royale is a wonderful pattern that works through the holidays up to Valentine’s Day. Joyful with a hint of vintage, it’s the perfect choice for

Tropical Garden Throw Pillow
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Tropical Garden ~ Colorful Country Cottage Throw Cushion Cover

Celebrate the season with a tropical flair, calling on this pattern’s gorgeous blooms to add a freshness to your guest room decor.

Optimize a Functional Workspace

If your guest room doubles as a home office or study, create a clean, functional workspace guests could use. Ensure there’s a desk, a comfortable chair, and adequate lighting for your guests to work or use their laptops.

Photo: Julie Soefer

Practical decor to refresh a guest room

Items that will ensure convenience will make guests’ stays all the more enjoyable. Extra charging blocks and cords, stationery, and a box of tissues go a long way in hospitality.

Hub Pro Cali

Bamboo Desk Organizer

Provide a set of basic stationery such as a pen and paper. Keep everything neat with a desk organizer to preserve desk space.

Photograph of macrame extension cords demonstrating the idea of how to refresh a guest room with functional accessories
Wooven Stitch

Macrame Extension Cord

More aesthetically pleasing than plain old wires, these handmade accessories allow guests to access their devices while charging.

Provide Extra Blankets and Pillows

Ensure your guests stay warm and cozy by providing extra blankets and pillows in the room. Place them visibly on the bed or neatly folded in a basket for easy access.

Photo: Bryce, Findlay, OH

Cozy throws and stylish baskets

A woven basket is a fantastic decor element that can float from room to room as a blanket holder, towel basket, laundry basket, or general clutter holder.

Photograph of a throw quilt demonstrating the idea of how to refresh a guest room with extra blankets
Saffron Marigold

Mosaique Bleue – Earth ~ Jaipuri Razai Quilt

Made of super-soft cotton voile and filled with cotton batting, a snuggly throw like this will have guests feeling right at home.

Photograph of a woven basket demonstrating the idea of how to refresh a guest room with a functional blanket basket
Made Trade

Iringa Baskets – Light Black

A woven basket like this adds another touch of personality to your guest room. Beyond blankets, you might stash extra towels or bed sheets inside.

Display Fresh-cut Flowers or Greenery

Refresh the guest room with garden flowers or greenery. In this bedroom, the small vase of seasonal blooms and potted plant instantly brighten up the space.

Photo: Cynthia from Danville, CA

Cheerful plants and accessories

A dash of green and a bouquet of blooms can be all it takes to lift up your guest’s spirit.

Photograph of ceramic planters demonstrating the idea of how to refresh a guest room with holiday themed vases
NISSHOME

Christmas Ceramic Planter

These modern vases add just the right amount of festive with their white, green, and red color palette and striped pattern resembling wrapping paper.

Photograph of a christmas cactus demonstrating the idea of how to refresh a guest room with a potted plant
Earth & Jungle

Christmas Cactus

Go the classic route and decorate your guest room with a Christmas cactus or two.

Ensure Privacy and Convenience

Lastly, think about your guests’ privacy and convenience. Provide window coverings that allow them to control the level of natural light and ensure easy access to a nearby bathroom.

Joyful curtain panels

Hang up curtains that let in beautiful while protecting privacy.

With these spare bedroom decor ideas, you’re all set to create a guest room that’s perfect for the holidays. Your guests will be wowed by your hospitality, and your home will exude that warm, holiday glow. So, roll up your sleeves, get creative, and let the holiday magic begin!