The activity of welcoming guests into our homes is a great deal of fun. It is, however, the preparation for such a visit that can lead to stress. The cleaning and organisation of your home becomes a focus with the understanding that one’s home is representative of oneself. A messy home therefore could be indicative of a messy person.
While the process of preparing for visiting guests cannot be entirely negated, there are a number of ways in which it can be made easy and that the experience of hosting can be made far more enjoyable too, much of this comes down to our home’s design. If our home’s design is not conducive to adaptability and the welcoming of one or more guests at any time, the activity becomes more laborious and guests are unlikely to feel comfortable.
As such, if you are interested in making the process of welcoming guests easier and want to see friends and family, or even an Airbnb visitor, have a great time, then it is worth considering the following designs for your property.
Storage
Being able to adapt your home to the presence of more stuff, that is the belongings and presence of a guest, comes down to storage. This is because one must be able to both make room for such imposition and be adaptable to changes in demand.
Many will suppose storage space requires more capacity and, while this is certainly true, it is often found that residents will have a degree of inefficiency in their home design. Furniture, for example, is often space inefficient, especially when it is hollow or empty beneath. Storage can be installed beneath sofas and beds or simply be used as a place to conceal collapsible furniture when more space is required.
Privacy
Being able to occupy the same property while allowing privacy between individuals is a difficult accomplishment but it is one worth pursuing for its return. Guests and hosts alike will be more comfortable sharing a home when they have the ability to also enjoy a space to themselves or simply perform tasks, like brushing their teeth, without feeling the need to obstruct others.
Guest rooms are fantastic assets for this reason and some residents are even installing log cabins in their garden so as to offer an entirely separate space to stay, supporting guests’ privacy and comfort.
Comfort
For a person to feel welcome they must be allowed comfort. This may seem rather obvious but there are elements to feeling comfortable that many hosts neglect, namely compromise. Seeking to maintain a pristine and decadent home design, one straight out of a catalogue photoshoot is not possible without the feeling of discomfort. As such, it should be avoided or made clear that this is a space to be shared, not revered.
Be sure to make it clear that spaces are made to be enjoyed, finding a balance between casual design and cleanliness. If a home is able to do this well, guests will integrate effortlessly into a space without second-guessing what furniture and decor they can and cannot interact with.