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Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
I’ve always looked forward to hosting overnight guests. Yes, I’m admittedly a homebody, but I relish the opportunity to have loved ones here with us at home, especially this time of year.
As you may remember, I shared my five steps to get the house “guest ready” a few years ago. It’s one of our most popular posts with its easy entertaining inspiration and hotel-like details to replicate at home. It’s still a favorite of mine as well, but I’d like to say I’ve honed my house guests prep game even more since then. Today’s post is the proof.
The secret to hosting friends and family throughout the holidays (and really any time of year) is in the details and little luxuries that so many people overlook; include things that make them feel like they’re staying at a 5-star hotel. Think of the necessities you need and the extras you would want, but wouldn’t want to ask for! I’ve broken the details down to five separate areas below with none being outlandish or fussy, but instead achieving that warm welcome and feelings that will make guests never want to leave. Truly, MKR
Nothing beats clean sheets and gorgeous bedding…it’s the obvious statement of the room that can always easily be changed. I recently bought a new comforter; I realized I was sort of over duvets in general and how they lay. So being ready for a fresh change, I ordered this punchy comforter and sham set. I’d say it was just the refresh the room needed!
The personalized sheets are a detail I just love too; they’re subtle, crisp and simply timeless.
I always like to prepare a tray or two with the necessities that people never want to ask for. That includes things like Advil, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, razors, and even your wifi password written out on a piece of paper.
These rattan trays are great because they’re easy and functional as they organize and corral all of these necessities. They don’t have huge handles, so they add just the right amount of texture without being overpowering to the overall design.
You want to make your guests feel welcome—almost as good as home—and one of the easiest ways of doing that is by providing cozy details. A huggable throw blanket and sets of pajamas are two of my go-to’s when creating am oasis for guests. But remember: when buying pajamas, you’ll always want to have them bigger than smaller, so size up if you want to offer a standard pair.
One of the reasons being away from home gets wearisome sometimes is the feeling of dependency over the little things. By offering plenty of refreshments in the bedroom, you give your guests the chance to feel more at home…on their own.
To celebrate the season, I knew I wanted to hang a giant boxwood wreath above the bed. Hanging a wreath is nothing new, I know. But unlike other wreaths, boxwood won’t allow trimmings to fall on your guests’ heads in bed. Boxwood and eucalyptus are my preferred greens whenever hanging a wreath like this one. I hung this one with a gorgeous green velvet ribbon; one that was substantial enough to hold the large wreath and had wire to make a nice bow. And to keep things fresh, spritz frequently with a homemade Balsam Fir spray (check out @thewellcode) for more on that.
I also displayed paperwhites I sprouted from the bulbs, along with a basket of white poinsettias. Both are so festive, but a lot less expensive than other flowers this time of year. But you’ll want to be careful with your poinsettias on the ground if you have furry friends around.
Lastly, I like to have a few magazines, newspaper and any other reading material on-hand for guests. I also place a guestbook on the dresser; it’s such a nice tradition to have people share memories, especially at Christmastime!
My bed is my oasis. It’s as simple as that. And that oasis doesn’t end in my bedroom. When I have guests in town, I want them to feel like they have their own little slice of heaven in the guest bedroom, too. Part of that “slice of heaven” feeling is crisp sheets and covers on a well made bed. The problem, I’m actually not so great at making the bed. I keep telling myself it’s because I don’t have my dream machine yet, (the Miele Rotary Iron), and once I have room for that sweet piece of machinery there’s no bed I won’t be able to conquer. But since it doesn’t look like the Miele will be joining the Rye household anytime soon, I figured it’s probably time I taught myself how to fold hospital corners, and that dang fitted sheet once and for all.
You may remember this bedroom scene from our recent One Room Challenge final reveal. Well this gorgeous Pine Cone Hill bedding became the ginny pig for my “how to properly make a bed” challenge. I Googled, and You Tubed, and tried out about a dozen different techniques to “properly make a bed,” and when it was all said and done, came up with the eight below. And because we could all use a little refresher now and then (and some added inspo for holiday hosting this weekend!), I’ve outlined those eight easy steps to properly make a bed below. And I’d love to hear if you’re a bit Type-A when it comes to making the bed, any tips?? Truly, MKR
P.S. On a side note, this bed made me decide it’s time to do away with duvets; I’m Team Quilt going forward! I mean it just lays so much nicer then a duvet, does it not??
No. 1…Iron your sheets. There’s no denying the look of crisp, smooth bedding. The only true way to achieve it, unfortunately, is by pulling out the iron (or the Miele…please Santa)! It’s a pain, yes, but it’s totally worth it to find wrinkle-free sheets come bedtime. And if you’re considering steaming don’t. Steaming may release a few wrinkles, but it does nothing for crispness.
No. 2…Place your fitted sheet on the bed. After pulling your mattress pad smooth, tuck the fitted sheet in tightly on top of your mattress and mattress pad. Also take this moment to flip or turn your mattress…a key tip in making your mattress last longer. And take a vacuum to it while your at it.
No. 3…Drape your flat sheet on the bed, pattern side down. By placing the flat sheet pattern side down, you’re saving the full presentation of the properly dressed bed for guests when they climb into it. Oooooh, mystery and intrigue for your guests; I like it!
No. 4…Layer a blanket on top of the flat sheet. “Hospital corners” are the secret to a perfectly made, crisp bed…that’s all there is to it. To get the look, pull the flat sheet’s long edges and a blanket away from the corners of the bed, forming a 45 degree angle on top of the mattress. Slide your hand under the mattress and tuck the side edges of the sheet and blanket underneath. They should form a crisp crease. This video helps demonstrate the steps if you’re a visual learner like I am!
No. 5…Fold down the blanket with your flat sheet. Draw the top of both your blanket and flat sheet down about a foot in length. By tucking the side edges under the mattress, you’ll have a taut fold.
No. 6…Add a comforter, duvet or quilt. Spread your topper of choice over the bed. You can leave the sheet and blanket you just folded in #5 visible. Here, this silky smooth linen and viscose quilt drapes to perfection atop the bed. Go Team Quilt!
No. 7…Add pillows (the more the merrier). I’m a firm believer that one can never, ever have too many pillows. But when making a bed, I usually stick to having a standard six pillows or more. I know the 5-pillow combination is popular (with a small throw pillow front and enter), but I prefer an even, stacked look. I arrange two Euro shams in the back (usually in a print like pictured above), with two standard pillow shams (matching the comforter if possible), and two small throw pillows. Discover your favorite pillow arrangement with the help of One Kings Lane here.
No. 8…Finish with a folded coverlet or throw blanket at the foot of the bed if desired. Lastly, and it’s not pictured here, I like to fold a cozy throw blanket at the foot of the bed. It gives guests yet another cozy, huggable addition to a heavenly bed. And think about switching out your throw seasonally. Might I suggest a faux fur for colder months and a nice light cotton quilt for warmer months.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’re busy preparing to set the perfect holiday spread. That of course includes pulling out our favorite Thanksgiving table essentials like these figural pumpkin serving dishes and the pretty gold flatware!
If you haven’t started scheming your holiday spread, don’t fret. There’s still time to pick up heirloom-worthy dinnerware (this collection is quintessential Turkey Day!) and festive touches (LOVE these turkey place cards). And it’s the perfect time to score some deals with Williams-Sonoma’s fall tabletop event (everything’s 30% off). Along with these gems, we’ve included 13 Thanksgiving table essentials below to get you Turkey Day ready. Tell me, what’s on the top of your list for Thanksgiving table essentials? Cheers, Kat
P.S. Looking for the turkey recipe to end all turkey recipes? Here you go. xo
Make a statement with quintessential Thanksgiving dinnerware. The rich, timeless design dresses up any table and will give your guests all the feels, long after their plates are clean and their bellies are full. Added bonus? They’re on sale!
One secret to a beautiful tablescape is all in the art of layering; add chargers to your place settings for a little depth. These gorgeous gold chargers are on the top of our list.
Speaking of depth, place mats are a must! Not only are we always a fan of rattan and jute everything, but we especially love it on the table. These beautiful straw place mats will be used long after the holidays are done, too.
These white pumpkin serving dishes and vessels are the perfect marriage of festive and functional. You’ll love bringing these out every year with tradition, and you’ll relish the chance to pass them down for generations to come.
Gold flatware…enough said, right?! This flatware placesetting has always made its way onto our tabletop (all year ’round!), and will definitely be spotted on this year’s Thanksgiving table.
Can’t forget about the serving set! This matching gold serving set is an essential for serving up a drool-worthy spread. And like the flatware, this set will quickly become an entertaining staple on all of your tabletops.
It’s time to bring out the fancy wine glasses! These gold red-wine glasses dress up the holiday table, and should never, ever run dry! Remember the importance of the day and toast your glasses to what you’re thankful for.
If you were on your A-game, you ordered a custom hand lettered menu weeks ago (I mean, how GORGEOUS?!). Crunched for time this year (it’s okay, it’s next week, after all)? Order this hand lettered “menu” stamp and print out the meal’s courses!
How cute are these napkin ties?! It’s an incredibly easy way to include a little festive flair to the table, and very kid-friendly for little fingers! And under $20, it’s the perfect addition to even the simplest spreads.
Set the scene with these white tapered candles. We especially love this set because they’re made in the USA, and are smokeless and dripless (!). This way, you can rest easy that you won’t have a big old mess on your Thanksgiving table. There are more important things to worry about and it starts with a “t” and ends with an “urkey.”
A simple finishing touch? These turkey place cards. Place cards take the question out of where to sit, and encourage meaningful conversation around the table. Why not include cute turkey designs on them while you’re at it?
