Downstairs rooms always take up the biggest chunk in our minds at Christmastime, but giving our guests a room to call their own shouldn’t be overlooked. Far from it. While we all love the togetherness at this time of year, it’s nice to know you’ve got a space somewhere to have a moment to yourself, to unpack and settle in, to sleep soundly and to hopefully enjoy a long lie in. From the furniture to the thoughtful touchesÌýthat shows your guests just how much you care about them,Ìýthis is how to take it from spare room to a home from home.Ìý

Start with the big stuff: furniture

A beautifully crafted bedÌýwill stand the test of time so it’s a worthy investment. The same goes for theÌýmattress,Ìýwhich will help friends and family to sleep soundly.Ìý(If ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð looking to spend a bit less, aÌýluxury mattress topper is a happy middle ground).

Just like with your bedroom, aÌýwardrobe or chest of drawersÌýand a pair ofÌýbedside tables will make your guests feel like they’re very much at home. Anything that encourages them to unpack and settle in rather than living out of their suitcase. Even if they’re only stopping for one night. And don’t forget, you can use this storage all year round for giving the clothes that are getting squashed in your own bedroom’s wardrobe a bit of breathing space.Ìý

The perfect bedspread

We love feather and down bedding because it’s a sumptuous combination that looks as lofty as it feels. There’s little better in a bedroom than walking in and seeing a bed that you just can’t wait to dive into. But, if you’ve stopped at a hotel and found the pillows cloud-like in comfort and the duvet like a marshmallow, have a peek at the label to see what they’re using and then hunt down your own.

Whatever filling you choose though, we always recommend going a size up with the duvet (so a king-size duvet on a double bed, and so on). It’ll drape better over the sides that way, and there’s less chance of fighting over the covers. And not only are super-king pillows best for these largest of beds, but they also fit perfectly on single beds too and are a more luxurious option if it’s an adult rather than a child that’ll be sleeping here.

When it comes to theÌýlinen, high thread count Egyptian cotton or pure Belgian linen feel both crisp and cool against your skin, but soft and smooth too. And be sure to include a blanket or quilt for extra warmth, as well as a couple of cushions for comfortable reading in bed.

And the perfect bedside

On each bedside table place a little basketÌýor trinket tray filled with considerate bits and bobs like an aromatherapy pillow spray (we love anything fromÌý) or a pouch of garden-grown lavender. A spare phone charger, cotton pads, and a small stash of magazines are nice to have too, especially if you pick magazines that you know they love.

A getting-ready mirror

Don’t you always find it helpful when there’s aÌýmirrorÌýin the bedroom? It saves you from having to nip to the bathroom to do your make-up or fix your hair. And if you choose a full-length mirror, it means you can make sure ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð happy with your outfit before heading downstairs.

Bits for the bathroom

A fluffy towelling robe on the back of the door is a lovely find. Not only does it means you’ve got an extra layer to hand, but it avoids the awkward sprint from bathroom to bedroom or the annoyance of carting all your clothes into the steamiest spot in the house. Go one step further by putting matching towelling slippers at the foot of the bed and a richÌýhand cream. Small things that are going to make them feel a bit pampered.Ìý

Rugs for underfoot

RugsÌýare one of those easy additions that make a bedroom feel far more homely. If you can, try putting the bed over one so that when your guests step out of bed in the morning, their feet land on something warm. Or, if you don’t think you have the space for the rug you like, remember thatÌýsheepskinsÌýare your friend too. They look just as nice on a roomy window ledge to encourage your guests to treat it as an extra seat. To find the right rug for your room, take a look at our rug buying guide to help you choose the right material and size.

A carafe to hand

Christmas is a classic time to be struck with middle of the night thirst or to wake up a little thirstier than usual. So fill a ³¦²¹°ù²¹´Ú±ðÌý´Ç°ùÌýÂá³Ü²µÌýwith fresh water, and place a fewÌýtumblers on the nightstand.

Shop the guest bedroom edit and get your spare room ready for welcoming loved ones this Christmas.Ìý

And if you're shopping in stores, ²â´Ç³Ü’l±ô be sure to find one of our resident floral experts on hand to help guide you through the process. Find your local store here.Ìý

Choose a theme

An understanding of the space in which your arrangement will live and the existing colour palette in play is essential. The right combination has the potential to amplify your chosen aesthetic.Ìý

Consider vases, pots & jugs

Begin by choosing your vessel, considering scale, style and the final silhouette of your display.ÌýBudÌývasesÌýwork particularly well along the center of a tablescape, while larger wide-neckedÌývasesÌýare best suited to a console table or kitchen island for example.Ìý

‘What’s really lovelyâ€� says Poppy, ‘is to think outside of the normâ€�. Whether it'sÌýjugs,ÌýbowlsÌýand ramekins from your kitchen or largeÌýgarden pots, ‘all sorts of things can be used as vessels to create interesting arrangementsâ€�.Ìý

Selecting your flowers & foliage

Once youÌýhave decided on a vessel to house your arrangement, you canÌýturn to selecting your stems.ÌýOur collection is abundantÌýand includesÌýeverything fromÌýstatement stemsÌýtoÌýtwigs and greenery.Ìý

Filler foliage

StartÌýby selecting yourÌýfoliage,Ìýthis will help toÌýdetermineÌýthe shape of your arrangement, adding naturalistic depth and texture.ÌýWhile Poppy tends not to follow traditional number rules, she suggestsÌýâ€�working in odd numbers can helpâ€�Ìýwhen selecting twigs or greenery.

Note -ÌýtheÌýgreeneryÌýyou selectÌýis an investment, one that canÌýbe reused across your displays and throughout your homeÌýtime and time again.Ìý

Hero flowers

Now you can select your all-important hero stems. Again, you may find it easiest to work in odd numbers. The key here is to be open-minded, follow what ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð naturally drawn to. ‘Just try to limit yourself to three flower speciesâ€� Poppy says, suggesting ‘stems such as roses, dahlias and peonies.â€�Ìý

For those who wish to take their flower arranging skills one step further, Poppy recommends an additional three stages. Firstly, adding ‘layering flowersâ€�, these are smaller flowers like ranunculi than can be placed in front of your hero stems. Secondly, ‘frothy flowersâ€�, such as gypsophila branches to add a sprinkling of light colour and lift the arrangement. And finally, two or three ‘dancing flowersâ€�, these can be any stems which add height and will ‘float around the top of the arrangement, such as arrowgrassâ€� says Poppy.Ìý

Form your arrangement

To form your arrangement Poppy recommends deciding on your shape and then layering outwards. ‘Arrange things in groups� she says, ‘mirroring how they would grow in your garden or in the wild�. This will help to make your arrangement feel as natural as possible. ‘You want it to look like it grew within your chosen vessel� Poppy explains.

To keep your stems in place, tie them together with string, or as Poppy has done here, discreetly scrunch up chicken wire, layering it in the base of your vessel. This is particularly helpful when using lower pots where you have less support.ÌýÌý

Finally, adjust each individual stem for a more lifelike display. All of our stems contain a cleverly concealed metal wire to allow for gentle shaping. Should you need to cut any of your stems to size, we recommend using wire cutters.Ìý

Seasonal updates

We recommend rotating your bouquet with the season to refresh its look and feel. Beginning with your base, select several new stems, faux or fresh, each season to reflect ·É³ó²¹³Ù’s naturally in bloom. ‘In spring you can add blossom, in summer roses, in autumn focus on foliage and in winter the addition of branches is perfect for something more structuralâ€� says Poppy.Ìý

Caring for your flowers

The wonder of our life-like florals and foliage is that they promise to keep your home in bloom through the year, every year. To keep your arrangement looking its very best, we recommend keeping it away from direct sunlight and moisture and regularly dusting it with a feather duster.Ìý

For more inspiration, watch Poppy's tutorials on (the Japanese art of flower arranging), and i. Ìý

Explore our collection of stems, twigs and greenery online hereÌýor in yourÌýnearest store.

Ìý

June

If ever there were a month with a rose-tinted outlook, it would be June. Almost guaranteed to be balmy (even in this fickle climate), June is arguably the perfect month for garden visiting, especially as this is when many roses are in full bloom. The National Garden Scheme even hasÌý. Choose one near you and visit as an annual tradition. Continuing the rosy theme, June is, of course, British strawberry season: as synonymous with this month as Wimbledon. The quintessential pick-your-own fruit, it’s lovely to visit a farm each year at this time, where we can fill basket upon basket with sun-warmed strawberries and then indulge in strawberries and cream for the rest of the month.

The summer solstice also falls in June � on the twenty-first � followed swiftly by Midsummer’s Day on the twenty-fourth (the reason for the different dates is thanks to the shift from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar). It’s unsurprising that the longest, headiest days of summer have a mystical air about them, and many a tale about fairies, spirits and the turning upside down of normal life is set at this time of year. The most famous of which, of course, is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For full effect, try to catch a twilight garden performance.

July

Lazy, hazy July is here and what could be better than escaping the heat of town or home and adventuring out into the countryside? National Meadows Day falls on the first Saturday in July each year, and there are sure to be plenty of events to celebrate. We can think of nothing lovelier though than grabbing a picnic blanket and a good book and spending a few hours simply among the flowers.

Another way to cool the summer heat that we came across recently is by hanging a Japanese furin wind chime. These light-as-air objects are often made from delicate materials like glass, fine metals and even charcoal, and have a paper tag suspended from them that will pick up on the slightest of breezes. The idea is to only hang them at the height of summer so, when they chime, your attention is drawn to the cooling wafts of air that you might otherwise have missed.

On July’s fresher days, head to the kitchen: now’s the time for jam making. We’re in the peak of fruit season, with raspberries, gooseberries, cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines all at their best. A little time spent over the stove now will see you in jarfuls of summer all through the rest of the year.

August

The first of August is the day historically set aside to celebrate the beginning of the harvest season in the British Isles, and is known variously as Lughnasadh in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, as Gŵyl Awst in Wales, and as Lammas in England. The traditional way to celebrate is by baking a loaf of bread (Lammas literally means ‘loaf massâ€�). If ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð dough-confident, you could try your hand at a to symbolise the first wheat and corn gathered in, or experiment with ancient grains like spelt, emmer or einkorn. Or, if ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð just dipping your toe into bread making, give less demanding or a try.

Looking to the sky, one of the most impressive meteor showers of the year occurs in August. Weather permitting, ²â´Ç³Ü’l±ô spot the Perseids â€� the debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle on its 133-year orbit of the sun â€� at their peak on the night between the twelfth and thirteenth of August. The new moon falls on the 16th of August, so there will be a waning crescent moon up during the Perseid’s peak in 2023. But the thin crescent moon will not be too bright.ÌýYou’ll also potentially see ‘shooting starsâ€� from sunset, although the best time will be between midnight and dawn.

Last but certainly not least, August is of course well known for its bank holiday â€� the end-of-season opportunity in Britain to soak up the last of the summer holiday atmosphere. A visit to the seaside is the usual go-to, and with the seas around our coastline now at their warmest, a spot of paddling or swimming wouldn’t go amiss. You could also take a leaf out of the Swedesâ€� book and hold a °ì°ùä´Ú³Ù²õ°ì¾±±¹²¹, a crayfish party thrown to celebrate the end of summer. As well as the crustaceans themselves (cooked with dill in ale), ²â´Ç³Ü’l±ô need paper hats and bibs, crayfish-themed décor, and snaps (flavoured shots of aquavit), which are generally drunk accompanied by merry singing. With the party stretching into the night, it’s a very fitting way to end the summer.