There’s something special about spending a night in a luxurious hotel where you wake up refreshed and well-rested, every time. We may not be able to travel to our favourite luxe hotels around the world right now, but we can transform our bedrooms into hotel luxury with a few simple tips.
One of my favourite parts of travelling is staying in a beautiful, luxurious hotel room. As well as being a haven for sleep, these spaces are also a fabulous source of design inspiration, being the perfect blend of luxury and comfort, creating maximum style impact in a small space.
With the right elements, you can achieve this luxury look at home to create a hotel-style space that can be your retreat every night.
Read on for my top six ways to completely upgrade your room to a seriously luxe hotel-style space.
START WITH THE BEST BASE
Perhaps the best part of any hotel stay is the bed - hotels are renowned for their comfortable beds that provide a luxurious and indulgent slumber that feels almost unworldly. A great mattress worthy of a five-star hotel is the very best investment you can make for your bedroom. Ensure you’re purchasing one that is specific to your comfort and support needs for a seriously good sleep.
WOW WITH WHITE
The best luxury hotel beds are fitted with predominantly all-white bedding. There’s something indisputably five-star about a new set of crisp white sheets.
And then pile on the pillows! Adding at least four pillows to a queen bed will not only give your head and neck the support they need but will make your bed look and feel like one at your favourite hotel.
DARING DESIGN
The best hotels excel in making daring design decisions - often combining a fabulous mix of textures and materials, with colour palettes that always include a pop of the unexpected. To make this work in your space, choose a varied palette of materials – remember, contrast is key. Take your cues from artwork, wallpaper, or fabric patterns to help guide your colour selections and combinations. Highly textured fabrics are key to creating a luxe look - think velvet, chenille, jacquard and quilting. Also look for gorgeous design details like buttoning, tassels and fringes. Remember to have fun and be bold!
DRESS THE BED
The one feature all luxury hotel rooms share is a perfectly made bed. The styling is always well considered and beautifully executed. The practical pillows, the ones you sleep on, should sit propped up at the back, with decorative cushions overlaid in front, in height order. And don’t forget to layer on a comforter and a throw - each layer adds to the luxe factor. These accessories should all pull from the overall colour scheme of the room - but remember to contrast colours and textures to create visual depth and interest.
And while you can never really have too many cushions, when creating a luxury hotel look, they shouldn’t take up more than a quarter of the bed length to avoid looking “over-styled”.
STATEMENT PIECES
Luxury hotel rooms consistently break the usual design rules - especially the one about using big furniture in smaller spaces. Take their lead and don’t be afraid to go big! Fewer well-chosen, statement pieces will make the room look well designed and full of drama.
Hotel rooms are multipurpose so adding an occasional chair gives that getaway feeling to your room and can be used for relaxing or reading. The chair should be fun and bold in a fabric that tones with the scheme.
The best luxury hotel rooms are finished with artwork - I love to hang one statement piece positioned over the bed for maximum impact.
Hotels are also experts at using mirrors strategically to reflect light and create the illusion of more space. Remember again to go large!
Another touch for a hotel-inspired boudoir is about creating a mood with lighting. Hotels make great use of subtle lighting to create a relaxed, warm vibe - think of fabulous wall lights, floor lights and pendants - all with dimmers so you can keep the use of harsher downlights to a minimum.
FINISHING TOUCHES
A beautiful, well-organised bedside table won’t guarantee a good night’s sleep, but it can help give your entire bedroom a hotel-like quality. Definitely take a less is more approach and keep the bedside free of clutter. Select a few key items that tie into the overall scheme of the room such as pieces that are beautiful and worthy of spending the night with. And for a five-star finishing touch, add a small vase of fresh flowers or greenery.
To create your own luxury hotel-style haven, forget safe and neutral - be bold and a little bit daring. And remember that function should be dressed in style - always!
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