Our Guest Bedroom Makeover (and a Brooklinen Sale)

We have a small room in our house, which we used as a workspace during the pandemic. But, inspired by friends and family visiting Brooklyn, we decided to turn it into a guest room. Here’s the makeover, with help from Brooklinen, the wonderful bedding brand we’ve loved and used for more than a decade…

Sheets: Luxe Sateen. Navy pillows: Lightweight Shams. Pink blanket: Textured Throw. Floral cushion: Etsy. Wallpaper: Rebecca Atwood.

First off, we made the bed with Brooklinen’s airy and buttery smooth sateen sheets. I have these on my bed, too, and they’re beyond comfortable to climb into at the end of a long day. (Pro tip: We got the Luxe Hardcore Bundle, which comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet cover, and four pillowcases, and saves you 25% overall.) We also layered in navy shams with pretty stitching; they feel good to lean against while reading.

Sheets: Luxe Sateen. Tissue box cover: Heather Taylor Home. Carafe: Maison Balzac.

When close relatives — like my mom or dad — come to stay, we like to put a photo of them on the bedside table. It’s an easy way to make them laugh and feel welcome.

Sheets: Luxe Sateen. Navy pillows: Lightweight Shams. Stool: Zara Home. Lamp: Menu.

We also leave out a few books for guests to flip through, like funny essays, poetry collections and photo books. (This dog one is Anton’s favorite.)

Frame: Framebridge.

Years ago, I came home from work and found this note taped onto the front door: “Clean house made by Toby and a teeny tiny bit of Anton who did not help.” It made me laugh so much that I ended up framing it, as a surprise for guests to notice when heading to bed.

Pink blanket: Textured Throw. New York print: David Ehrenstråhle.

Another thing I appreciate is when guest rooms have artwork of the place you’re visiting. (It’s sort of disorienting to walk into a Michigan hotel room filled with posters of Paris!) So, I moved our New York poster here to get guests excited for city adventures.

Candle: Happy Hour. Small tray: Chloe May Brown.

This room is small, so we set a candle, smelling of citrus and cedar, on the windowsill. “You don’t even have to light it,” says English designer Rita Konig. “Just leave it in the room, and it gives off a nice soft fragrance, and it’s so much better than dusty potpourri.”

Towels: Super Plush.

Finally, we leave out several hangers and a stack of fresh Brooklinen towels. For the longest time we had ratty bath towels, and switching over to these hotel-like ones was a game-changer. They’re super thick and plush but also absorbent. They’re made with Turkish cotton and come in 13 colors and patterns (I like the stripes!).

Sheets: Luxe Sateen. Blanket: Textured Throw.

How much do you want to climb in? We love Brooklinen, the Brooklyn-based company run by a husband-and-wife team. All their designs are simple and classic, like their pink textured throw. And right now they’re having their big birthday sale, where you get 25% off sitewide, good through May 8th.

Blanket: Textured Throw. Mirror: Schoolhouse. Wallpaper: Rebecca Atwood.

What Brooklinen pieces would you add to your home? Here are a few more…

Great news for all readers: Brooklinen is having their big birthday sale with a whopping 25% off sitewide. Click here for the discount to auto apply at checkout. See everything here, if you’d like.

What are your secrets for a cozy guest room?

(Photography by Kate Jordan, styling by Oliver Cano for Cup of Jo. This post is sponsored by Brooklinen, a brand our family has used and loved for years. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Cup of Jo running.)