Somewhere around mid-November, the maths begins. Two grandparents, a sister and her partner, three children and quite possibly a dog, against one sofa, six dining chairs and a spare room that has quietly become a home office. Hosting at Christmas is mostly about making the house stretch: enough seats when everyone gathers after lunch, a comfortable bed for every guest, and a guest room that feels ready rather than hastily cleared the night before.
Made-to-measure pieces are a good answer, because they fit the space you actually have and stay useful long after the decorations come down. At Foam & Covers, we hand-make floor cushions, pouffes, French mattresses and headboard covers in the UK, using fabrics from our own catalogue. Here’s how to plan for a full house, and how to order early enough for everything to arrive in time.
Start with a headcount, not a shopping list
Before choosing anything, spend ten minutes working out what the house really needs over the holidays:
- Count seats for the busiest moment. This is usually Christmas afternoon, when everyone gathers in one room, rather than dinner, when the dining table does the work.
- List who is sleeping where, and which beds need preparing or borrowing.
- Look for pieces that do two jobs: a seat that is also a footrest, or a mattress that is also a daybed.
- Decide what stays once the guests have gone. Pieces you will use all year are far easier to justify.
Extra seating that doesn’t feel like a stopgap
Floor cushions for the coffee-table crowd
Children always end up on the floor around the coffee table, among the board games and selection boxes, so give them something better than the rug. Our made-to-measure floor cushions are filled with high-density foam and made to the size you choose, so they hold their shape through a long afternoon. Large ones double as lounging cushions for film nights, and they come back out every time friends visit. Find more ideas in our floor cushion guide.
Pouffes that work three ways
An ottoman pouffe is an extra seat when the room is full, a footrest when it isn’t, and a tidy place to tuck things away. If a softer, rounder shape suits your living room, look at a circular pouffe instead.
Fabrics for mince pies and mulled wine
Festive seating gets a hard time, so choose a fabric that can cope with spills:
- Eco Velvet has a WipeClean finish that repels liquids and is washable at 30°. Its colourways include Marsala, Pine and Rumraisin.
- Corinthia is WipeClean and washable, in shades such as Bordeaux, Damson and Mustard.
- Lana Jacquard Chenille is washable at 30° and comes in coordinated plaid, window-pane and stripe designs in Claret, Ruby and Moss, which are ideal for a festive set of floor cushions that clearly belong together.
For more options, browse our WipeClean and Washable collections.
A spare bed without a spare room
Not every home has a guest bedroom, and not every guest needs a full-sized bed. Our French mattresses are handmade with a quilted, tufted finish and plush padding. Laid on the floor of a study or a teenager’s room, one makes a comfortable overflow bed, and once the visitors leave it becomes a daybed or a lounging spot for the rest of the year.
Whatever your guests sleep on, a few simple touches make a big difference:
- Wash the guest bedding before they arrive, even if it has been in the cupboard unused, so it smells fresh.
- Offer two pillow options, one firmer and one softer, and leave an extra blanket at the foot of the bed.
- Clear a little space for clothes and toiletries, so guests aren’t living out of a suitcase.
Give the guest room a finished look
Guest rooms tend to collect tired furniture, and a faded headboard is often the first thing visitors see. A made-to-measure headboard slip cover is cut to your headboard’s measurements and changes the whole room without replacing the bed. Add a pair of matching scatter cushions and the room looks as if it was planned that way.
Because guest rooms see light use, you can choose some of the most characterful fabrics in our catalogue:
- Braemar Wool is a 100% wool herringbone in Pasture, Loch, Clementine and Concorde.
- Tweed Herringbone comes in rich shades including Wine, Chocolate and Teal.
- iLiv Oak Leaf is a cotton foliage print in Ochre, Midnight and Lichen.
- Dolce Strie Velvet is a washable velvet if you would rather be able to launder the covers after the visit.
A festive palette that lasts beyond December
Deep reds and forest greens feel instantly Christmassy, especially in tartan, but the best festive choices also look right in January and February. Choose shades that sit comfortably in your room once the tree has gone, and keep to the simple rule of no more than three patterns, with plain fabrics in between.
- Tartan: Premium Balmoral Tartan in Cranberry, Hunter or Dark Red. It is dry-clean only, so use it for scatter cushions and headboards rather than floor cushions.
- Coordinated checks: Lana Jacquard Chenille in Claret or Moss.
- Plain velvet: Eco Velvet in Pine or Marsala.
- Calm neutral: Morris Herringbone in Natural.
For more on building a seasonal scheme from our fabrics, see Autumn-Proof Your Home: Cosy, Washable Cushions for Muddy Boots, Pets and Long Evenings.
Plan backwards from Christmas
Everything we make is made to order by hand, so the earlier you start, the less you have to worry about.
After the guests have gone
The best part of planning ahead is that nothing goes back in the loft. Floor cushions become the children’s reading corner, the pouffe returns to footrest duty, the French mattress turns into a daybed, and the refreshed guest room stays refreshed. Hosting becomes the reason to make the home work better all year round.
Why choose Foam & Covers?
- Handmade in the UK to your specifications.
- Made to your measurements, so pieces fit the space you have.
- Help with measuring: we can guide you on how to measure, or you can visit our warehouse with your dimensions or photos.
- Free fabric samples to try at home before you decide.
- A 5-year guarantee and finance options.
How to order
- Choose your product, such as floor cushions, an ottoman pouffe, a French mattress or a headboard slip cover.
- Request free samples from the fabric catalogue.
- Use the instant quote form on the product page.
- Reply to your quote email with any questions, or to go ahead. Quotes are free and held for 30 days.
- Place your order, then sit back while we make it by hand.
Need your order in time for Christmas? Please contact us to confirm current delivery times.
Hosting Christmas guests: frequently asked questions
How can I create extra seating for Christmas guests?
Floor cushions and pouffes are the most flexible options, because they add seats for a crowd and still earn their place once the guests have gone. Made-to-measure versions can be sized to fit around your coffee table or under a window.
What can I use as a spare bed without a guest room?
A French mattress made to fit a study or a child’s bedroom floor gives guests somewhere comfortable to sleep, and works as a daybed for the rest of the year.
How far ahead should I order for Christmas?
Every piece is made to order, so start in November.
Make room for everyone this Christmas
A full house is the best kind of Christmas, and a little planning makes sure everyone has somewhere comfortable to sit and sleep. Request fabric samples or get an instant quote today, and we’ll make it by hand in time for the holidays.
.avif)
