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Green Guest Room
By L. Hilliard | NOV.17.08
Spoiling your guests and caring for the planet don't have to be mutually exclusive. |
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The holidays are quickly approaching and you'll have lots of planning and preparation to do. Why not take some time now to cozy-up your guestroom for your overnight guests? It's all about making your visitors feel comfortably right-at-home in a space that caters to all their needs, keeps their wellness in mind and respects mother earth at the same time. There are a number of
ways you can provide your guests with the amenities of a fine hotel or bed and breakfast without giving up your commitment to eco-friendly living with a bit of thoughtful planning and the right
shopping know-how.
The starting point for any great guest room is a comfortable bed. Provide the ultimate in comfort with luxurious organic bedding that will envelope them in comfort. Your friends and family will thank you for making the bed up with pure organic cotton sheets like the ones at Gaiam or the incredible softness of bamboo sheets, which are naturally anti-fungal and promote air circulation. We love the 100% bamboo fiber sheets at Soft Surroundings, available in six soothing colors to go with any décor. Of course, no bed is complete without some plump pillows, and a few super comfortable buckwheat pillows will adjust to your guest's sleeping position and stay cool all night long using natural materials. Check out Harvest Pillows to learn more about these unique pillows and their stress reducing qualities.
Your guests will feel even more at home if you provide them with a plush robe and some slippers they can slip into for relaxing evenings after a bath or shower. Hanging an organic cotton robe in their closet is a welcoming gesture they'll love. Gaiam's is plush and absorbent in either natural or a range of jewel tones, while Rawgantique offers what may be the thickest, plushest organic hemp and linen bathrobes you'll ever find. Tuck a pair of cotton and woven bamboo slippers next to the bed in once-size-fits all styles for men or women that will let your guests pad about the house in the middle of the night in comfort. At Bamboo Home USA, attractive slip-ons have woven foot beds that absorb odors and massage tired tootsies with each step!
You'll want your overnight guests to feel just as welcome when they head to the bathroom to wash up or shower, so be sure they have towels and soaps of their own. Organic cotton or bamboo towels are absorbent and luxurious for drying off and wrapping themselves in comfort, so provide a fluffy stack of them. Set an attractive dish next to them filled with a selection of natural soaps so your guests can choose one or two that suits them. As usual, Gaiam comes through with sumptuous organic towels at their wonderful site, and you can find all natural soaps at Ella's Botanicals or Herbaria, where you'll find an amazing array of scented soaps using essential oils that are super-fatted with ingredients like olive oil and avocado.
As the evening wears down and your guests retire to their bedroom, graceful touches such as a decanter of filtered water and a naturally scented candle on the night table will bring them pleasure and encourage them to relax. The Gum Drop Carafe is a charming tableside addition that's at home in any décor and will prevent stubbed toes if your guest wakes up in the middle of the night and wants a drink of water. For some soothing candlelight, eco-friendly soy candles burn cleaner than wax. The ones at Blue Wick also use organic cotton paper wicks. One of their mini six packs will let your guests choose from a variety of luscious fragrances (we love the Parker Collection, with Mandarin Lychee, Pineapple Currant, Pomegranate Berry, Lime Blossom, Plum Cassis, and Tamarind Fir).
Would you like to provide your guests with some reading material for relaxing in the evening? Don't go out and buy new books or magazines. Why encourage the waste of all that paper? Go to your local library and pick up a few volumes you know they'd enjoy reading and place them next to the bed. You can return the books after they've left or read them yourself before returning them for something else. Seasonal titles are always a great idea this time of year!
Spoiling your guests and caring for the planet don't have to be mutually exclusive. And who knows? The example you set might just be one your guests carry home with them!
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| | By L. Hilliard | FOKaL Writer |
| [ NOV.17.08 ] |
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