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How to prep a guest room for fall visitors

Now is the perfect time to think about planning the perfect guest room retreat for this season's holiday visitors. These ideas will help you go beyond the basic comforts and identify those extra touches that make guests feel at home.

“Your home is the place where you share the best of yourself with others. When your home is open and inviting it creates a mood and emotion that nurture all who enter,” says Jane Schwab, co-author with Cindy Smith of “The Welcoming House: The Art of Living Graciously” (Rizzoli, 2013). Schwab and Smith run the decorating firm Circa Interiors, with stores in Charlotte, N.C. and Birmingham, Ala., and were encouraged to write the book by a friend.

The design duo's philosophy: “A house with an open door is like a friend with an open heart: inviting, generous of spirit and constant to the core.”

So what should a proper guest room include? They say it is important to remember, “No matter the size of your guest room, just remember that comfort is key and preparation essential.”

Schwab and Smith are fans of those details that make a person feel welcome. “Chocolate and flowers are a special treat for your guest.”

During the summer as temperatures rise, they also recommend “bedside ice and extra water, plenty of towels and the option to control the thermostat.”

In the book, they cover “Guest Room Essentials,” which include the basics. “You want to provide your guest with as many comforts of home as possible. Comfortable bed linens with extra pillows, a space to stow a suitcase and a place to hang clothes, a bottle of water, shampoo and lotion, a lamp for reading and a place to charge electronics.”

Your home's Wi-Fi password printed on a card on the nightstand can be a thoughtful touch.

Giving guests a taste of local history can help make a visit memorable. Printing out a list of nearby activities can be a way to give guests a sense of place.

Two double beds and two handy ottomans in a bedroom by Circa Interiors. Courtesy of Laura Resen, "The Welcoming House: the Art of Living Graciously" (Rizzoli, 2013)

How to set the scene

Priscilla Fenlin who has her own design firm based in Villanova, Pennsylvania, shares four tips for designing a guest room:

• Choose a palette that is soft and soothing.

• A comfortable, not-too-soft mattress with simple white cotton sateen sheets and a lightweight comforter or duvet are always a good choice.

• Select pillows both firm and soft to give your guests options.

• A nightlight in the bathroom is thoughtful.

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