House guests 101: Crafting the perfect welcome for overnight visitors

Fall's annual organizing/nesting frenzy isn't just a great excuse to clear out the detritus of an action-packed summer; it's also an exercise in preparation (self-preservation, even) as the holiday season, with its inevitable visitors, looms.

Hosting requires planning, energy, patience and a great attitude, as well as sometimes being a space engineer. Not everyone has an extra bedroom or two, a designated guest bathroom or even a furnished basement with Murphy bed, pull-out couch or air mattress.

Moreover, many homeowners don't understand what makes a guest room most comfortable and worth a return visit unless they've been a guest themselves. That's why some hosts test drive their accommodations with an overnight stay to see how well the space performs. Here are suggestions from design pros for what helps turn your guest room into a space that guests may never want to leave. Think hotel style, if you have a separate bedroom. The best guest bedrooms are rooms inspired by a luxurious hotel suite. The room has a door for privacy and an adjacent bathroom. This way guests don't feel they're intruding on their host's privacy.

"There's nothing more special than being shown to your room, which makes you feel pampered from the second you place down your bag," says Sam Allen, a Westport, Connecticut-based designer.

What's needed?

A comfortable bed should have beautifully ironed or no-iron, crisp sheets, says Allen, plus plump pillows, soft blankets, quilt or duvet. How hard or soft should the mattress be? Designer Barbara Elliott, who co-owns a Decorating Den franchise, Sisters and Co., in Stone Mountain, likes it medium-hard to please a range of guests.

Empty some drawers and fill them with sachets of fresh lavender or another pleasant scent, and empty out a closet and line the rod with lots of hangers. Making a robe available in the closet or on the back of a door hook is a nice touch, Allen says.

A table at the right height for the bed should be kept fairly bare except for a vase of fresh flowers, good reading lamp (or hang one on the wall), clock and carafe for water and a glass, Allen says.

A cozy club chair tucked into a corner creates a little sitting area for guests to have coffee, read or take a nap if it's paired with an ottoman, Allen says. Extra room? Add a table or desk and chair.

Window treatments depend on the room's style, window size and amount of light. If they're large, consider curtain panels; if smaller and shorter, try Roman or roller shades.

A ceiling fan is a nice touch for when weather gets stuffy.

A TV with a guide to local channels helps raise the bar on the room's comfort level.

Wall-to-wall carpeting or a large area rug give the room a finished touch and bare feet some warmth. Allen prefers an area rug that covers almost the entire floor except for 6 inches of wood flooring showing around the perimeter.

Make your Wi-Fi code easily accessibly by leaving it and the password in a pretty notebook with pen in the room, says Allen.

Area guide books and maps are another nice touch, so guests can learn about an area and even sightsee on their own. You get free time then, too!

If you don't have a separate room, pretend you do. Many homeowners, especially those in expensive metropolitan and suburban areas, don't have the luxury of an extra room, and don't want to give up their bedroom for guests. You can still make them feel welcome with a new model sleep sofa that doesn't have the old-fashioned, uncomfortable metal bar, or with a Murphy bed that gets concealed during the day and comes with handy storage. In worst-case scenarios, a traditional sofa or day bed or air mattress can be made up at night quite comfortably with proper bedding. If you go one of these routes, improve the experience:

Clear out a closet in the room or nearby.

Make room in a nearby bathroom for their toiletries, and add some more in a pretty basket just in case they forgot a toothbrush and other essentials.

In the end, what's most important is that hosting isn't really about the space you can offer but showing you're delighted that guests have come to spend time together.