When guests are coming to stay with you, give them a welcoming space that will feel like a home away from home. For help with creating this perfect guest room, Thompson's Station resident and interior designer Travis Hill Bennett of THB Design (also located in Thompson’s Station) is on hand to give us some great tips to create that cozy and comfortable sanctuary.
“Good bedding is important,” he says. “You should have the layers, extra pillows, coverlet, and a duvet to add that warm and cozy feel to the bed. I think it's also important to have a carafe or bottled water next to the bed as well as assorted snacks that your guests would enjoy.”
A vase of fresh flowers also adds a little luxury to the room. If there’s space, having a chair or other comfortable upholstery is a great addition so guests can have a place to sit and read or put on their shoes.
“I would also say to provide a luggage rack because you don't want that chair to become just that!” says Travis. “Make space in the closet and at least one or two drawers in a dresser as well so they can unpack and put the suitcase away.”
Instead of flipping on that bright overhead light fixture, add a table or floor lamp for softer lighting, especially for when they want to relax and maybe read at night. Speaking of reading, place some interesting coffee table books or magazines in the room that they can peruse. “This way, if they're sitting up late at night, they will have something interesting to flip through,” says Travis.
If your home has hardwood floors throughout, a nice rug to step on when getting out of bed is also a necessary touch. “Rugs add another softening layer,” says Travis. Window treatments, such as blinds or roller shades, and drapery on the windows will filter or block the morning light while providing privacy.
In the bathroom, stock plenty of towels and maybe a basket of small toiletries. “I think it’s important to add that little touch of something extra,” he says. Of course, a fresh new bar of soap or a bottle of shower gel and washcloths are necessities.
For Travis, helping clients create lovely spaces in their homes is something that he’s enjoyed doing since he was young, and he takes pride in using his many years of education and experience in interior design to do just that. “What I've heard people say is that they just can't wrap their heads around design,” he says. “I went to school for this, I have a degree, and just that little extra level of knowing something or pointing something out that maybe they didn't realize is very helpful. I’m there for them for whatever they may need. I've worked for a very high-end firm for eight years and I've been trained how to create a timeless design.” However, he is happy to work with all clients’ tastes and style preferences, from modern to traditional.
Travis, a Thompson's Station resident, moved to the area with his husband a few years ago and is excited about the growth in the area. "We have noticed more and more of our friends are moving this direction as well." He says being an interior designer in the South is a little different than being a designer elsewhere. “I think the homes in the south is so much more important to those who live here,” he says. “We take pride in our homes, we love a reason to entertain, and we also love to decorate for the holidays. Your home should reflect you.” THB-Design.com
