Designing a Hotel-Quality Bedroom
You don’t have to check-in to a slick hotel to experience five-star luxury at home. Your bedroom can be transformed into a hotel-quality oasis with a few simple interior design tweaks:
Invest in a Quality Bed and Linen: We humans spend close to 1/3 of our lives sleeping. That time certainty adds up; hence, a quality bed is a worthy investment! Pick a headboard and frame with clean lines that is strong and stable. Eco-friendly, hypoallergenic mattresses, goose-down pillows, and top-quality linen (thread count c. 500 threads-per-inch or more) all make for a sound night’s sleep.
Commit to a Relevant Color Scheme: Develop and refine a color palette that is relevant to you or your surroundings. Bedrooms are for relaxing and decompressing, hence the most comfortable hotels often favor neutral/calming colors (blues, greys, sea-tones). Whatever your favorite hue, keeping to a monotone scheme enhances a sense of calm.
Functional Lighting: Hotel rooms utilize multi-layer lighting from a variety of sources including reading lights, lamps, and automatic closet lights. Dimmer switches allow customization at every turn. Window treatments should stack past window frames to let the natural night flow and maximize outdoor views.
Create Functional Spaces: Bedrooms are not just for sleeping! Relaxing activity zones can be added in without destroying the calmness of your space. Think about the kind of activities you frequently enjoy and design accordingly. The bed should typically assume a “command position” within the room (i.e. in view of the door without being directly in line with it). Next, when space allows, layer in seats for reading, a closet for dressing, and a bathroom for cleaning and grooming. Think about a chaise or a duo of comfy chairs with an ottoman between. Or think about a comfortable padded headboard to enhance a bit of night time reading before drifting off to sleep. Add in a coffee table book and teapot for ultimate “zen” relaxation.
Eliminate Mess: Hotel-living is all about clean surfaces! Minimize clutter through routine cleaning and by utilizing sleek storage solutions whenever possible. This includes actively concealing power cords at every turn. Wires can be built into the walls, furniture, and cabinetry. Or better yet, utilize wireless appliances like speakers and alarm clocks. Wherever possible, keep electronics away from sleep zones, even if only across the room.
Don’t Forget Fragrance: Scent is a powerful tool that is often used by hotels to elevate and enhance a sense of luxury. Scented candles and room/linen sprays are a simple, and effective! Select scents with lavender, lemon balm, and eucalyptus to help promote restful sleep. Beautifully fragranced toiletries and also make for a 5-star hotel experience. My favorite brands include Aēsop, Molton Brown, and Red Flower.
Happy decorating and “enjoy your stay!”