Getting ready to host overnight guests? Let’s assume you have a bed or air mattress and coverings on all the windows. That’s a great start! This list will help fill in all the little things your guests will want to have on hand for a comfortable night’s sleep. What you won’t find is season-specific decor, extra charging cords, books and other optional extras that your guests might enjoy, but can live without. Instead lets focus is on versatile, key pieces to get your guest space up and running so you’re ready for visitors, no matter when they arrive.

Water Carafe

Needing a glass of water but not knowing where to get one can be frustrating and uncomfortable for guests. And after traveling by car or plane, they probably need to hydrate. Be prepared with a glass carafe filled with water, and add an extra glass if you’ll be hosting a couple.

Coordinated Set Of Bedding

Since your guest bed is probably used far less often than the master bed, there’s no need to go all-out with top-of-the-line bedding, unless you want to. But a good-quality set of sheets and a quilt or duvet in a coordinating hue will make your guests feel well cared for. A neutral palette will look appropriate year-round.

Bedside Lighting

Good lighting is key to making your guest room feel welcoming. At minimum, place a lamp on each bedside table — lamps with three settings are ideal, so guests can adjust the light levels to suit their preference.

Full-Length Mirror

Your guests will appreciate having a simple full-length mirror propped against the wall or attached to the back of the door. If the mirror is in a dark corner of the room, draping a strand of white twinkle lights on it is a quick and inexpensive way to add a warm glow.

Extra Blankets And Pillows

Help your guests out by providing a few extra blankets and pillows so they can get comfortable. This is especially important on chilly winter nights, but if you have central air conditioning, your guests may reach for an extra blanket even in summer.

Wastebasket

This is a small but important detail that will help your guests keep their room neat without making frequent trips to search out garbage cans in other parts of the house. Whatever you opt for, choose an attractive wastebasket that enhances your guest room style.

Extra Toiletries

Have a few spare sample-size toiletries in a drawer? Gather them together in a pretty bowl or basket and add a new toothbrush so guests won’t stress if they forgot something.

Bath Towels

A stack of fluffy white bath towels on the bed is a welcoming touch. Be sure to include a wash cloth, hand towel and bath towel for each person.

Wall Hooks

Unless your guests are staying for a week or more, they probably don’t need an empty dresser to unpack their clothes into. A few sturdy wall hooks will do for hanging damp towels and with the addition of a hanger or two wrinkle-prone outfits.

Coffee And Tea Makings

Considerate guests won’t want to bother you if they get up before you do. Including a little tray with everything they need to make a morning cup makes it clear they are welcome to help themselves.

The holiday season is a mix of happiness and stress. But, you can regain your center and enjoy a peaceful, joy-filled season. Here are some self-care ideas to try during the holidays. 

Create A Bedroom Retreat

Having a soothing, clutter-free space where you can rest and unwind at the end of a long day can do wonders for relieving stress and promoting sleep. Leave the digital screens at the door and read from a real book or write down your thoughts in a journal before turning out the lights.

Bundle Up And Get Outdoors

Even if it’s cold, going outdoors each day can be a real mood booster. And if you are lucky to live on the Sunshine Coast, getting out into the woods can be a great way to decompress and regain your center in the middle of a busy holiday season.

Soothe The Soul With A Bath

Essential oils can completely transform a bath into a blissful sensory experience. Try a few drops of eucalyptus oil to open the lungs, or soothing lavender to relax before bedtime. Add the essential oils to your warm bath when it’s about half full, and the whole tub will be fragrant by the time you’re ready to get in.

Try An Unplugged Evening

Simple pastimes like playing chess or games, or working on a puzzle, can provide a nice chance to catch up with family without everyone staring at their own screens. To boost the ambiance even more, turn off the overhead lights and play by the glow of candles and twinkle lights.

Warm Up By The Fire

If you have a fireplace or wood stove, now is the time to put it to use. Light a fire, use a cozy throw, and settle in with a hot drink and a good book. It doesn’t get much more relaxing.

Try Meditation

If you’ve found meditation frustrating in the past, try exercising before you meditate. A bit of movement can help settle your body and prepare it to be still and focus. When you’re ready, find a comfortable sitting position, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. And remember, there is no one judging you. Even a minute of meditation can have a positive impact on your day.

Practice Mindful Tidying

A bit of daily tidying can go a long way toward keeping a home that feels light, spacious and relaxing. If you find yourself resisting, try gently reminding yourself that by doing just a bit each day, you can savor your home even more.

Take a Cue From Your Furry Friend

If you have a pet at home, you might want to consider it your resident Zen master. Take a cue from your lounging, care-free cat or happy-go-lucky pooch, and enjoy the present moment to the fullest.

If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in the corner of your living room or family room, you know that it can be both cozy and confounding. You might wonder how you should orient your couch and rug. And where should the TV go? Doorways, tight square footage and other variables can make those decisions even harder.

These rooms feature fireplaces built at an angle in the corner. Check out how home professionals and homeowners approached this common design challenge and read some helpful tips. Then, if you’ve designed around a corner fireplace, tell us how and post a photo in the Comments.

Arranging Seating 

Sofas and Chairs 

A fireplace is an architectural focal point — and furniture is usually directed toward a room’s focal point. So why is it hard to find a couch facing a corner fireplace?

While every room is different, designers often advise against that layout, since it causes a couch’s corners to stick out awkwardly in the room, impeding flow. Instead, orient a couch and rug parallel to a wall. A chair or chairs can then be placed at an angle.

Hot Tip: 

• Draw it! Map how you think you want your furniture arranged and how traffic is likely to flow through the room. Then make sure large and sharp-edged pieces of furniture aren’t in that path.

Another Option: 

Place two chairs or a loveseat facing the fireplace and at 90 degrees in relation to the couch, to create an L shape. A feature wall, facing the couch, is a secondary focal point.

A room could have a second seating area, which is a nice addition whenever space allows. An armchair next to the fireplace, paired with a side table, creates a cozy reading spot that can still feel connected to the conversation area.

The furniture placement in a living room with a large opening into adjacent rooms can be challenging, as the busy travel path goes right through the middle of it all. To keep the path as clear as possible, scale down a rug, chose tailored pieces and push the couch and chair against the walls.

Hot Tip: 

• Swivel chairs let you change your orientation from the conversation area to the television or the fireplace.
• You’ll want at least 3 feet of width for paths of travel. If there’s a rug in that path, opt for a thin flat-weave and make sure there’s a nonslip pad underneath.
• Rounded furniture, such as circular coffee tables and rounded-back chairs and sofas, also deemphasizes angles in awkwardly shaped rooms while being easy to navigate around.

Sectionals

An angled sectional is conducive to conversation, but it can create a pleasing continuity with the angle of the adjacent fireplace.

Placing a chair directly in front of a fireplace is best avoided if possible. But it can work if the fireplace isn’t frequently used and the chair is visually light and easy to move out of the way.

Hot Tip: 

• In a small room used mainly for conversation, consider omitting a couch altogether. Instead, group four comfy club chairs around a circular coffee table in front of the fireplace.

Adding A TV

On The Adjacent Wall 

Optimal TV viewing height is eye level when the person is seated, and heat and electronics don’t mix. So placing a television above a console or a built-in entertainment unit versus above the fireplace mantel is often the best solution.

Because the fireplace and the entertainment center are on adjacent walls, those seated on the couch can enjoy both. Two additional chairs opposite the couch can be placed so they don’t block the view but do allow for conversation.

Even though the television becomes the dominant focal point an angled sectional can help to invite the fireplace into the furniture grouping.

On Another Wall

Doorways, windows and other architectural elements also can leave few places for the television. But wherever the TV ends up, the seating arrangement ideally will allow for comfortable viewing of both it and the fireplace.

Hot Tip: 

• A neutral, monochromatic palette keeps a room with multiple focal points from looking cluttered.
• Echo the materials and design of your fireplace surround in other elements of your room to create a cohesive look.
• If your room’s proportions allow it, place the longest side of your sectional toward the focal point you want to emphasize.
• Another way to avoid the big-black-box look is to use a Frame television, which resembles artwork when it’s off.
• When you have a corner focal point, populate the room’s other corners to create symmetry and balance.

Above The Fireplace 

The concept of placing the TV over the fireplace sparks a lot of debate in the design community. If you have a low, linear fireplace that doesn’t emit much heat, or if your seating is far away from the set, it can work well. But the configuration can be bad for your TV and a pain in the neck — literally and figuratively.

But there’s no denying that installing a television above the fireplace is popular, and it has the advantages of being space-efficient and creating a single focal point in a room.

Hot Tip 

• If you’re still scratching your head about where to put the TV, consider a pull-down screen and a projector.

Placing A Rug

Rugs are great for grounding conversation groupings, but they can conflict with hearths and draw attention to awkward angles. A round rug, resolves the “In which direction should the rug go?” question.

Hot Tip: 

• Organically shaped rugs, such as hides and sheepskins, faux or real, and multiple rugs layered to create asymmetrical shapes also can help to ground a seating arrangement and add softness without having a distinctive directionality.
• Designers usually advise having all furniture legs, just the front legs or no legs at all on top of an area rug.
• Wainscoting or built-in cabinetry can help to spread out the visual heft of an ornate fireplace so the room feels more balanced.
• If you have a wood burning fireplace: prevent sparks and embers from lighting your rug on fire, place the rug at least 12 to 18 inches away from the fireplace and invest in a pretty fireplace screen. Flame-retardant hearth rugs are available as well.
• Read: 11 Area Rug Rules and How To Break Them

Having a small yard or other limited outdoor space, whether it’s a little patch of land, patio or deck, doesn’t mean you have to give up on growing a tree. While they’ll never reach the height of a stately elm or oak, the following trees and tree-like shrubs can add a focal point, shade and even wildlife benefits in limited space. Here are some trees recommended for growing in containers.

‘Emerald Green’ Arborvitae  Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald Green’, syn. ‘Smaragd’

Why This Tree: 

This small evergreen tree boasts a beautiful green color, dense foliage and a conical form, all of which can be easily appreciated when it is grown in a large container. 

The cultivar was developed in Denmark, which explains both its preference for colder climates and its name “smaragd”, the Danish word for “emerald”.

Growing Tips: 

Arborvitaes are naturally slow growers. Lightly pruning the new growth will keep wayward branches in check and also control the overall growth.

Water thoroughly when the top inch or so of the soil is dry. Don’t overwater; that can result in root rot. You also may need to provide some winter protection in the coldest climates.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 42.8 degrees Celsius - Zones 2 to 7

Water Requirement: Moderate

Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade

Mature Size: 12 to 14 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide when planted in a landscape, but it stays much smaller in a container.

Dwarf Citrus  Citrus spp.

Why This Tree: 

Dwarf lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges and kumquats are stars in container gardens. They’re naturally small but can be kept even smaller with pruning. They stay green all year and you can add seasonal plants under it and make it decorative. 

Growing Tips: 

You’ll need to start with the right container. A large pot is necessary to provide insulation from hot air temperatures for roots. 

Growing citrus in containers also makes it possible for gardeners and citrus lovers in colder regions to enjoy the fresh fruit. If you have a sunny and warm spot indoors, let the plants spend the winters there.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 3.9 degrees Celsius - Zones 9 to 11; in colder areas, plan to bring it indoors during the winter. In warmer areas, cover it when frosty nights are expected.

Water Requirement: Moderate; less once established

Light Requirement: Full sun, ideally about 8 hours per day

Mature Size: Varies from 2 to 8 feet tall; it can handle pruning to keep it in check

Japanese Maple Acer palmatum cultivars

Why This Tree: 

Few trees offer the delicate beauty and stunning color of the Japanese maple. Japanese maple cultivars grow in a range of shapes, styles and colors: multibranched or with a single trunk; upright or spreading; evergreen or deciduous; and with foliage colors including red, yellow, orange, green and even purple, pink or white. Choose a dwarf or semidwarf variety and make it the solo plant of a container to highlight the form and foliage.

Growing Tips: 

Japanese maples are slow-growing and easy to keep in check. Prune during the dormant season. You may need to provide additional protection in colder climates or if you expect a freeze. 

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 26.1 degrees Celsius - zones 5 to 8; provide afternoon shade in Zone 9

Water Requirement: Moderate

Light Requirement: Soft dappled shade or morning sun with afternoon shade is best; too much sun will scorch its leaves.

Mature Size: Varies; dwarf varieties are generally 3 to 8 feet and can be kept smaller with pruning

Hinoki Cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa

Why This Tree: 

This evergreen conifer is naturally upright and slow-growing, so it will take years for it to outgrow a pot. As a bonus, it also provides year-round foliage color ranging from dark green to yellow with minimal to low maintenance. Naturally low-growing choices include ‘Nana Gracilis’ and ‘Nana Lutea’.

Growing Tips: 

Lightly fertilize it in spring. Spring is also the season to do any pruning; you should prune new growth and only as needed to shape the plant.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 34.4 degrees Celsius - zones 4 to 8

Water Requirement: Regular

Light Requirement: Sun to partial shade

Mature Size: 3 to 8 feet tall

Dwarf Pomegranate Punica granatum ‘Nana’

Why This Tree: 

Showy orange-red flowers and glossy leaves that mature from bronze to glossy green to bright yellow make this small hummingbird-friendly plant a standout addition to a small space. Other bonuses are the reddish-brown bark and the small fruits, which are decorative rather than edible. Although usually deciduous, the plant may be evergreen in very warm areas.

Growing Tips: 

This plant loves sun and heat. Prune to keep it to a manageable size and to shape it as a tree.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 17.8 degrees Celsius - zones 7 to 10; move it indoors when the temperature drops below 4.4 degrees Celsius

Water Requirement: Moderate to regular; do not overwater

Light Requirement: Full sun

Mature Size: Reaches 3 to 4 feet tall; can be kept smaller, even as a bonsai, with pruning

Olive Tree Olea europaea

Why This Tree: 

A staple of Italian, French and Spanish gardens as well as those in California and southern Arizona, the olive tree is right at home in a container. It’s naturally slow-growing and shallow-rooted, and can live in a container for years. Choose a fruitless variety, such as ‘Swan Hill’.

Growing Tips: 

Judicious pruning will keep it within bounds, and you’ll be able to enjoy its gray-green foliage, smooth gray trunk and gnarled branches for years. Be aware that the oily fruits will stain when they drop. This tree also may do well in slightly colder climates if you provide shelter in winter.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius - zones 8 to 10

Water Requirement: Moderate

Light Requirement: Full sun

Mature Size: Can reach 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide, but can be easily kept smaller in a container with pruning

Dwarf Palm Trees

Why This Tree: 

Want your patio to resemble a tropical garden? Dwarf palm trees are the way to go. The hardest part may be choosing just one of the many dwarf and miniature varieties available. Some popular palms that do well in pots are the butterfly palm (Dypsis lutescens), Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) and lady palm (Rhapis excelsa).

Growing Tips: 

If your climate is subtropical or tropical, your palms will likely survive outside year-round. In colder regions, bring the containers inside to enjoy when the weather gets cold.

Where They Will Grow: 

Generally hardy to minus 1.1 degrees Celsius - zones 10 to 13; some are hardy to minus 6.7 degrees Celsius - zone 9; container-grown palms can thrive in all zones if brought inside during cold months.

Water Requirement: Varies

Light Requirement: Full sun when young; varies as the palms mature

Mature Size: Varies

‘Fastigiata’ European Hornbeam Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata‘

Why This Tree: 

Dark-green leaves and gray bark make ‘Fastigiata‘ hornbeam a handsome tree suitable for any style of garden. The yellow leaves in fall just add to its beauty. You can use it as a specimen plant to show off its style.

Growing Tips: 

While the tree can reach a height of 40 feet when planted in the ground, pruning can keep it to a more manageable height for a container.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 31.7 degrees Celsius - zones 4 to 8

Water Requirement: Moderate to high

Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade

Mature Size: Has a moderate growth rate, reaching 35 to 45 feet tall and 25 to 35 feet wide; can be kept smaller with pruning

Camellia Camellia japonica and C. sasanqua

Why This Tree: 

A favorite in warm-winter gardens, camellias add shades of white, pink and red to a garden throughout the colder months. Though they’re known as shrubs, both Japanese and sasanqua camellias can be easily trained as trees. As such, use them to flank an entry, anchor a mix of plants or create a simple focal point.

Growing Tips: 

Camellias can be fussy, so use a potting mix that contains at least 50 percent organic matter. You’ll also need to watch for sunburn, windburn and camellia petal blight, which turns the flowers brown. If you notice sunburn or windburn, move the plant to a shadier or less open spot. For camellia petal blight, pick and dispose of all affected flowers.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to 0 minus 17.8 degrees Celsius - zones 7 to 9; some newer hybrids are hardy to minus 23.3 degrees Celsius - Zone 6

Water Requirement: Moderate to regular; allow the soil to dry out between waterings

Light Requirement: Light shade but it can tolerate morning sun; sasanqua camellia (C. sasanqua) tolerates more sun

Mature Size: 2 to 20 feet tall; most range from 6 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 10 feet wide

Panicled Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata

Why This Tree: 

Shrub hydrangeas have long been a popular landscape mainstay. The panicled hydrangea takes the possibilities a step further, as it also can be trained as a standard tree. They can be used as stand-alone sentinels or base-planted with annuals for effect.

Choose a dwarf variety that is already trained as a standard tree. Either ‘Quick Fire’ or ‘Limelight’ make great container presentations, and can be used formally or casually to match the setting.

Growing Tips: 

Panicled hydrangea is one of the easiest hydrangeas to grow and will give you plentiful blooms in summer. It’s also more tolerant of sun, heat and cold than other hydrangeas.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 40 degrees Celsius - zones 3 to 9

Water Requirement: Regular; you can cut back in winter

Light Requirement: Full to partial sun

Mature Size: Look for smaller varieties, including those that will reach only 2 to 3 feet.

‘Grace’ Smoke Tree Cotinus ‘Grace’

Why This Tree: 

It’s hard to overlook a smoke tree. The new foliage is light red, followed by delicate and fluffy pink panicles that can be more than a foot long in the summer. It’s these blooms that give the tree its name. Come fall, the foliage turns shades of red, burgundy and purple. The smoke tree is a showstopper in any small space.

Growing Tips: 

The plant grows easily but can be kept in check with pruning. It’s also drought-tolerant, and pests rarely bother it.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 31.7 degrees Celsius - zones 4 to 9

Water Requirement: Average; do not overwater

Light Requirement: Full sun

Mature Size: Up to 15 feet tall and wide unless kept smaller with pruning

‘Tiger Eyes’ Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’

Why This Tree: 

Choose a Tiger Eyes staghorn sumac for its color. This dwarf sumac’s chartreuse spring foliage turns yellow-green throughout the summer.

Come fall, the foliage transforms to bright reds and oranges. This sumac even shines in winter. The winter silhouette is a noteworthy feature with its antler-like appearance.

Growing Tips: 

Staghorn sumac has a natural upright form and is easily pruned as a small tree. It’s a great choice for containers, as it can spread aggressively in the ground. Don’t be fooled by the name; the plant is nontoxic.

Where It Will Grow: 

Hardy to minus 34.4 degrees Celsius - zones 4 to 8

Water Requirement: Low to average

Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade

Mature Size: 3 to 6 feet

Caring for Container Trees

Growing any plant in a container differs from growing it in the ground, and trees are no exception. Here are some general guidelines.

◦  Choose the right plant. Look for plants that will thrive in your climate and the proposed location.

◦  Choose dwarf or semidwarf varieties. These will do well with less pruning to keep them in bounds. Ask for advice at your nursery before buying a tree to grow in a container.

◦  Plant in the largest container you can. You should aim for a soil depth of at least 2 to 3 feet. Make sure the container has a drainage hole. Tip: Place your container on a plant stand with heavy-duty casters to make it easier to move.

◦  Water regularly. The potting mix in containers will dry out more quickly than garden soil, so check plants often. Set up a consistent watering schedule or add a timed drip irrigation system.

◦  Fertilize as needed. The nutrients in potting mixes can be quickly depleted. Fertilize regularly during the growing season, using a diluted solution of organic fertilizer.

◦  Turn your container. Rotating the container periodically will ensure that the tree grows consistently on all sides.

Material price increases, product delays and subcontractors in high demand — remodelers are experiencing pressure from all sides at the moment. Choosing products early, seeking advice from your builder or designer, and being flexible with your selections are key to keeping your budget in check and your project on track.

The Impact Of Price Increases On Projects

The price rises have affected renovations enormously. Projects that are valued over several million dollars can take two years plus for the build. Building materials, deliveries and trades have gone up about 35% in the last 2 years.

The increase in interest rates and in products and materials is changing the renovation and building industry. Rather than choosing just one product supplier for a project, which was previously often the norm, most clients now want two quotes, giving them the option to choose more cost-effective products.

International shipping delays, the tripling of container prices and port fees, and a drop in raw material supply have all contributed to a rise in project costs. Locally, delays due to lockdowns and transport issues, along with reduced staffing capacity, have also played a significant role.

Price rises have impacted the overall build and renovation costs for homeowners, which flows down to the budget for finishes and fixtures. Builders have had to adjust the materials they might typically use in favor of comparable products that are more reasonably priced and accessible. For example, if an Italian tile had been your first choice, maybe tiles that are available locally are more reasonably priced and have a shorter lead time. 

How To Keep A Lid On Project Costs

◦  Work closely with your builder and engineer during the design phase to limit additional costs. This allows you to get input on all aspects of the design.

◦  Find a builder and book a spot in advance with a good lead time between signing the contract and build commencement. Waiting means your builder can plan and book trades and order materials in advance.

◦  Choose fixtures early like appliances, windows, doors and plumbing fixtures so they are available and ready in time for the build. Making selections at the last minute will often mean less choice, higher costs and poorer-quality items.

◦  Buy and source materials locally and domestically to reduce waiting times.

◦  Choose ready-made cabinets, bathroom vanities rather than having them custom-designed. A large number of companies produce attractive off-the-shelf products at a fraction of the cost of custom styles. They are limited in sizes, but a good designer will make them work in your space.

◦  Be flexible so you can pivot and adapt to changes, price increases and delays with an alternative plan or substitution.

◦  Work with experienced designers who knows the best products at the best prices and who understands warranties and where to purchase them. Using an designer will ensure you can avoid estimates from your builder for specifications that you can have a fixed-price contract on, which avoids variations.

◦  Be patient on the timelines of your project. This allows your builder to get multiple trade quotes and means you’re less likely to be stuck paying a premium price for super-busy trades.

◦  Stage your build. Work with your builder and establish whether nonessential work, such as nonessential cabinetry, can be completed at a later time.

◦  Consider a smaller initial remodel but work with an architect or building designer to create a master plan that can be executed at a later stage. Staging a build doesn’t mean the project is less expensive overall –—in fact, it often means the project will cost more in the long run — but it can enable homeowners to get some of the most urgent work done in manageable pieces.

◦  Be open to sharing some of the price increases with your builder. This can help your builder finish the project and not feel pressured to cut corners.