The Guest Wing

I absolutely love hosting.

When we lived in our apartment, the extent of our hosting was usually limited to dinner parties, small gatherings and holidays. I loved every second of it, but there was only so much we could do in a smaller space. Now that we have moved into our new home and actually have a guest bedroom, I can finally dive into an entirely new category of hosting: the overnight guest.

Or, as I have already started referring to it in my head, the guest wing.

Is it technically a wing? Absolutely not. But does calling it the guest wing make having someone stay over feel significantly more charming? Absolutely.

To me, there is so much love in hosting someone in your home, and I genuinely think there is a little bit of an art to it too.

As someone who loves making people feel cared for, the idea of creating an overnight experience that feels like something pulled from a beautiful boutique hotel is honestly one of my wildest dreams. I want someone staying in our home to feel like we genuinely thought about them before they arrived. I want them to feel comfortable enough to help themselves to a glass of water, wrap themselves in a robe, make a coffee in the morning and settle in without worrying that they are inconveniencing us.

I want them to feel welcomed, cared for and completely at home, but also just a little bit spoiled.

Which is exactly why I wanted to share everything I am currently doing, slowly collecting or planning for our overnight guest experience.

I am getting into everything from the absolute necessities to the charming little extras and completely unnecessary luxuries. Because while nobody technically needs an embroidered robe or a water carafe on a linen cocktail napkin, these are also the exact details that make hosting so much fun.

So, buckle in. Let’s get into it.

The bed is obviously the centre of the room, and I want ours to feel classic, layered and almost impossible not to climb into.

Before getting into all of the pretty linens, the actual bed matters. I love a timeless, substantial frame with a proper headboard. I love a wingback upholstered headboard, a walnut bed frame or a stunning canopy bed. It instantly makes the room feel more finished and gives guests somewhere comfortable to sit up with a coffee or book.

The mattress is just as important because, as beautiful as the room may be, nobody is going to care if they barely slept.

I think a supportive, medium-firm mattress is probably the safest option for most people, but my biggest recommendation is adding a down-filled mattress topper. They are commonly used in five-star hotels and add the most unbelievable amount of softness and comfort. It gives the bed that cloud-like, sink-in feeling without losing the support of the mattress underneath.

Next is bedding…

And I will always love white bedding in a guest room.

White sheets feel timeless, clean and a little bit hotel-like. There is something so comforting about climbing into a crisp white bed when you are sleeping somewhere unfamiliar.

But I don’t want the bed to simply look pretty. I want it to actually be comfortable.

I love the look and feeling of a deeply layered bed with crisp sheets, a duvet or quilt, a lighter blanket and a soft throw folded at the bottom. Some people sleep freezing cold and need every possible layer, while other people wake up sweating under anything heavier than a sheet. Giving guests options means they can make the bed feel comfortable for them without having to come looking for another blanket in the middle of the night.

The same goes for pillows. I want a mix of softer down-filled (or down-filled alternative) and more supportive (memory foam) pillows. The option allows them to choose, especially if they didn’t travel with their pillow from home.

My ideal guest bed would have:

• Crisp white sheets

• A duvet or quilt

• A lightweight blanket

• A soft throw folded at the foot of the bed

• A mix of soft and supportive sleeping pillows

• Extra bedding stored somewhere obvious

• A few beautiful decorative pillows that can easily be moved

And because I am incapable of leaving anything completely simple, I would also love to add embroidered pillowcases or a subtle monogram to the top sheet. Maybe a small family initial, our last name or a tiny household crest.

It’s completely unnecessary, but it would make the bed feel like it belongs specifically to our home, which is exactly the kind of detail I love.

One of the details I am most excited about is having a beautiful embroidered robe hanging in the guest bedroom or bathroom.

I know this is slightly over the top. I also know it would make me incredibly happy.

There is something so luxurious about arriving somewhere and seeing a fluffy robe already waiting for you. It immediately makes the room feel like a little retreat.

I would love to have ours embroidered with our family name, initials or a custom household crest.

• The Meloffs

• Be our guest

• Chez Meloff

• Maison Meloff

• House Guest

• The Guest Wing

• Or just a simply “M” in a crest frame

The embroidery could also be more subtle, with just a small crest or symbol on the chest pocket.

I love the idea of creating a tiny household motif that could appear throughout the room. Maybe a house outline or our initials or even a little French bulldog silhouette. It would feel personal without everything being aggressively monogrammed.

Although, to be completely honest, I am not entirely opposed to aggressively monogramming everything.

One thing that makes staying in someone else’s home uncomfortable is not knowing where anything should go.

• Where do you put your suitcase?

• Where do you hang your jacket?

• Do you leave your toiletries on the bathroom counter?

• What are you supposed to do with your dirty clothes or wet towels?

I never want a guest to feel like their belongings are in the way, so I think it’s important to create actual space for them before they arrive.

That means clearing:

• A section of the closet

• Several empty hangers

• At least one drawer

• A luggage rack, bench or sturdy chair for their suitcase or weekend bag

• A hook for a handbag, robe or coat

• A small tray for jewellery, a watch or loose change

I also think a hamper and waste bin are absolute necessities. Neither is particularly glamorous, but they remove so many potentially awkward little moments. A guest should not have to wander through the house holding a used face cloth, tissue or piece of packaging because they have no idea where the garbage is.

The same goes for laundry.

I love the idea of having a small monogrammed laundry bag hanging in the closet. It could be embroidered with the family name, household crest or simply the word “laundry.” It gives them somewhere to put worn clothing, but it also feels like something you might find in a beautiful old inn.

I think the bedside table is one of the easiest places to make someone feel genuinely cared for. My dream setup is a glass and small water carafe sitting on top of an embroidered linen cocktail napkin. I’d also have a bottle of water in case they prefer that over tap (always stock still and sparkling just in case you don’t know their preference).

The beside would include:

• A warmly-lit bedside lamp

• An easily accessible outlet

• A phone charger already plugged in (I bought a variety pack of phone chargers from Amazon so I can accommodate every common type of phone in case they forget theirs at home).

• A small box of tissues

• A little tray or catchall

• A book or stack of magazines

• A small clock

• A candle in the signature “guest wing” scent

I also love the idea of leaving a little bedside treat. It could be a wrapped chocolate, a few homemade shortbread cookies, a small bowl of cherries in the summer or clementines in the winter.

Just something that makes the room feel like it was prepared specifically for them.

I think the guest bathroom is probably where people feel the most unsure.

You are standing in somebody else’s shower, maybe surrounded by a collection of half-used bottles (or possibly none at all) wondering which ones you are actually allowed to touch.

Which is why I love the idea of having shampoo, conditioner and body wash mounted directly onto the shower wall in matching refillable bottles. They are clearly there for guests and nobody has to awkwardly inspect your personal shampoo bottle.

I would choose products that are gentle, neutral and likely to work for most people.

The guest bathroom would ideally include:

• Body towels, hand towels and face towels

• A bath mat

• Shampoo and conditioner

• Body wash or a fresh wrapped bar of soap

• Hand wash

• Hand lotion

• Cotton pads and cotton swabs

• Hair ties and bobby pins

• Period products

• A hair dryer

• A fresh loofa or mitt

• Extra toilet paper easily accessible and visible

Unnecessary but nice add-ons:

• A gentle face cleanser

• Moisturizer

• Toothpaste, unopened toothbrushes, floss, dental picks

• A darker makeup-removing cloth or individual makeup removing wipes

• A shower cap

• Mini deodorant

• A few basic first-aid supplies

I love the idea of having a small drawer or basket labelled: “In Case You Forgot”

It feels much more inviting than hiding everything in a cupboard and making guests wonder whether they are allowed to use it.

And while it may not be the most glamorous part of this post, a plunger and toilet brush should also be discreetly available. I think we can all agree that having to ask your host for one would be much worse.

A guest should never have to wonder which towel they are supposed to use.

I would have a full set placed clearly in the bedroom or bathroom before they arrive:

• Two generously sized bath sheet

• Two hand towel

• Three to four face cloth

• One darker makeup-removing cloth

• One robe

I would love for the guest towels to have a subtle embroidered monogram, cute text or household crest. Just a little detail that makes it clear they were intentionally placed there for them.

Note: There should also be enough hooks or a towel rack for everything to dry properly.

I think scent is one of the quickest ways to make a room feel memorable and I love the idea of choosing a signature scent specifically for the guest wing.

Something like:

• Fig and cedar

• Orange blossom

• Lavender and linen

• Rose and sandalwood

• Something clean, soft and slightly woody

The scent could appear in the hand wash, lotion, room spray and candle so everything feels connected. I would probably reserve it only for the guest spaces.

That way, over time, it becomes part of the memory of staying there.

Years later, someone might smell something similar and immediately think of a weekend spent in the guest wing.

I absolutely love the idea of a home having its own scents, rituals and tiny traditions that people begin to associate with it.

I think the most charming guest rooms have a few details that are almost entirely unnecessary.

They’re not things anyone would expect but they’re those little touches that make the experience feel specific to your home.

A few embroidered pieces I would love to slowly collect or make:

• Monogrammed pillowcases

• A small crest on the top sheet

• Linen cocktail napkins for the bedside water

• An embroidered guest robe

• Guest hand towels

• A darker cloth with “makeup” or “face” embroidered in one corner

• A fabric laundry bag

• A tissue box cover

• A linen pouch for phone chargers

• A breakfast napkin for morning coffee

• A fabric bag for slippers

• A tiny lavender sachet for the closet

I would keep the embroidery consistent and relatively subtle. The same small motif could appear throughout the room, almost like a little hidden signature.

This is probably my biggest philosophy when it comes to hosting someone overnight.

A guest should never have to ask for:

• Water

• The Wi-Fi password

• Toilet paper

• Towels

• A charger

• A hair dryer

• Period products

• Another blanket

• Somewhere to put their suitcase

• Somewhere to hang wet towels

• Somewhere to put garbage

• Permission to use the kitchen

• Basic toiletries

I would love to leave a little handwritten card in the room with the Wi-Fi information and a note reminding them that they are welcome to help themselves.

It could be written on household stationery with the same monogram or crest at the top.

Something simple like:

We are so happy you are here. The Wi-Fi password is below, extra blankets are in the closet and please help yourself to anything in the kitchen.

I think the most thoughtful kind of hosting is personal.

Before someone arrives, I would ask:

• How do you take your coffee?

• What do you normally eat for breakfast?

• Do you prefer still or sparkling water?

• Is there anything you don’t eat/dietary restrictions?

• Do you sleep warm or cold?

Seeing someone’s preferred oat milk in the fridge or the exact tea they always drink sitting on the counter makes them feel known.

My go-to breakfast options for when guests stay over:

• Good coffee

• A freshly made loaf (usually chocolate chip banana bread or pumpkin loaf in the fall)

• Fresh bread or pastries

• Butter and jam

• Fruit

• Yogurt

• Eggs

I also think a handwritten breakfast menu would be very charming, something like:

Coffee, tea, toast, eggs, fruit and whatever else you can find in the fridge.

It makes the morning feel special without making anyone feel like they need to appear downstairs at a specific time for a formal breakfast service.

Sleeping in an unfamiliar home can be slightly disorienting, especially when you wake up in the middle of the night and cant remember where the bathroom is.

A small night-light in the bedroom, hallway or bathroom makes everything so much easier.

I would also include:

• Blackout curtains or blinds

• A fan for warm sleepers

• An extra blanket for cold sleepers

• A full-length mirror

• A clothing steamer

• An umbrella they can borrow

I would also mention any strange noises or quirks in the house before bed. Like how the dogs bark when someone walks through the hallway. Or maybe if the heating system makes a strange sound. Or that one of the stairs creaks dramatically.

These things are significantly less alarming when you know what they are.

Once all the actual necessities have been handled, this is where hosting gets especially fun.

A few extras I would love to include:

• A handwritten welcome note

• Fresh flowers in the room

• A book chosen specifically for them

• Their favourite snack

• A pair of slippers

• A tray for morning coffee

• A local bakery treat

• A guest-room playlist

• A candle used only when visitors are staying

• A little parcel of baked goods or leftovers to take home

I also love the idea of keeping a guestbook in the room. Imagine a beautiful linen-bound book where people can date their stay, leave a little note or write down a favourite memory from the weekend. Over time, it would become part of the history of the house.

A beautiful overnight experience doesn’t require a dedicated guest wing, an ensuite bathroom or a household crest embroidered on absolutely everything.

Someone can feel completely cared for while sleeping on a pull-out sofa if the bedding is fresh, the towels are ready, there is water beside the bed and they know they are genuinely welcome.

The goal is not to impress someone with your house, it’s to make them feel comfortable inside it.

And maybe, just maybe, you will love staying with us enough that you will already be planning your next visit before you have even left.