HOW TO MAKE GUESTS FEEL WELCOME
Designers come up with some creative ideas to accommodate visitors, even in tight spaces
Because many apartments, townhouses and condos can be tight on space, it’s going to take some creative thinking, and maybe a trip to Costco for paper products, to get through visits from a large number of guests, unexpected and otherwise.
We polled several designers for creative ideas on how to deal with such larger numbers, whether providing reasonably comfortable sleeping accommodations or making sure you have a clean towel for everyone.
There are plenty of things you can do to help out-of-towners feel welcome, even if they’re not getting their own luxuriously appointed bedroom with 500-thread-count sheets and a private bathroom.
UPGRADE YOUR INFLATABLE BED
It’s been a couple of decades since inflatable beds became the standard for kids’ sleepovers and in-law visits. (You sleep on it while your in-laws sleep in your king-sized bed.) The one that designer Iantha Carley thinks is best of class is the Frontgate EZ Inflatable Guest Bed (frontgate.com). She bought it in queen size. It inflates and deflates with a push of a button. “I was looking for something relatively inexpensive and easy to store; it deflates into a storage case,” she says. Carley recalls that when her kids started bringing college friends home to visit, she realized that her house needed a comfier couch-surfing zone. She and her husband bought a tailored model from Lee Industries (leeindustries. com; check site for Canadian distributors), and she says that if you remove the back cushions, it’s a pretty good single bed. Everyone should have their own towel, says designer Maria Crosby Pollard. And include a bar of soap and a washcloth as well. She suggests giving each guest a plastic cup with their name written on it with a Sharpie for whatever beverages they consume while bunking in.
CREATE YOUR OWN BEDROLLS
A place to sleep doesn’t have to involve sheets and towels. For one client, Pollard sewed two comforters together face-to-face to create extra bedding. The Company Store St. Tropez DownFree Comforter (thecompanystore. com) is a good choice, she says, because it comes in lots of colours. They can be laundered in a large washer and dryer.
CREATE A (REALISTIC) SENSE OF ADVENTURE
Designer Mary Drysdale says people coming together for a shared experience can be a blast, like one long slumber party. The key is to manage expectations by telling everyone in advance that they will be sharing bathrooms and maybe living rooms, Drysdale says. Then put out some little flower bouquets in jars, stock up on snacks and breakfast foods, and count your spare keys.