· Who wouldn't love to stay at Virginia designer Barry Dixon's home? He stocks his guest room closets with Frette robes and matching slippers, padded or cedar hangers, and sachets. "You don't need a lot of hangers in a guest closet, so why not splurge on really nice ones?" he says. Ideally the guest room should not be overflow storage for your own items. If you do store things there, at least make sure there are empty drawers and closet space for your guests. Dixon lines his dresser drawers with wallpaper that coordinates with the wallpaper in the bedroom or bathroom.

· If you don't have an empty dresser, place a bench, trunk, or luggage rack at the end of the bed or along a wall so that guests can stow their gear, suggests Jackye Lanham.

· Be sure the bath is stocked with organic soaps and shampoos (for guests with allergies) and toiletries they might have forgotten, such as toothbrush and toothpaste, razor and shaving cream, mouthwash, cotton swabs, and aspirin.

· If no one has slept in the room for a while, have the linens freshly laundered or changed and the room aired out. A small nosegay of fresh, fragrant flowers, preferably indigenous or from your garden, and a scented candle by the bed are nice touches as well. Dixon even thoughtfully adds a pair of reading glasses and a carafe of water.

· New York and Miami Beach designer Keller Donovan likes to add a small wicker tray with a glass insert and leather handles from Hermès. "We load this up with a sterling cup to hold pencils, pads of paper, scissors (since you can't travel with them anymore), water bottles, tape, and a tiny box with a few stamps, paper clips, and safety pins -- those things that everyone needs along the way."

· Since guest rooms are generally small, use smaller-scale furnishings, advises Dixon, so there's more room to move around. You don't need a big dresser, so choose a small chest and a writing desk or vanity where guests can jot a note.

· "It's nice to have a comfortable reading chair and lamp for people who don't like to read in bed," suggests Dallas designer Cathy Kincaid, who also likes to include a selection of books and magazines and even a small television.

· If you're converting an attic into a guest room, be sure to upgrade the heating, cooling, and insulation if necessary, and make sure there's plenty of light, advises Atlanta architect Norman Askins. Ductwork can be concealed in what looks like a window seat. Small shed dormers with ganged windows can add light and leave room for furnishings, such as a desk or chair. Cabinetry or drawers can be built in along walls where the roofline or knee wall gets too low for comfort.