Luxury Hotel Design Ideas for Your Home

When it comes to creating luxurious, relaxing and comfortable spaces, hotel designers know all the tricks. But getting that five-star treatment doesn’t have to wait until your next trip. Homeowners can translate hotel room design ideas and décor that bring the luxury home.

Create a Spa Bath

Bathrooms, especially our master bath, should be a wonderful, private oasis. “When you are at a luxurious resort, think about what calms you,” says hotel interior designer Teri Brown of Austin’s Brown Design Group. “There is no clutter, the finishes and colors are restful, the linens are fresh, and the beauty aids are not the off-the-shelf variety.”

“There is no clutter, the finishes and colors are restful, the linens are fresh, and the beauty aids are not the off-the-shelf variety.”

To replicate that ambience, splurge on high-quality, fluffy towels, even if they are just for show, she suggests. “Purchase a tub caddy/shelf and display special soaps, bath salts and candle, alongside a rolled wash cloth.”

Keep your bath counters and shower free of clutter, and your towels neatly folded or displayed. And spruce up the look in your shower and tub area by using refillable containers for shampoo and conditioner.  

Choose calming colors, and carry out the same color theme through your towels, rugs and accessories. Thick white robes on a hook are a nice finishing touch.

Make the Bedroom a Retreat

We tend to leave our bedrooms to the last thing we bother to design well because it isn’t seen by anyone but us, but this is short-changing ourselves, says Brown.  Here are a few of her personal design favorites for creating a more luxurious bedroom:

• Buy a few beautiful pieces of artwork, but don’t overdo it.
• Make your bed height taller than usual. 
• Pick linens that look expensive and sophisticated, even if you get them at a discounter like Tuesday Morning or Target. Adds Los Angeles interior designer Erica Reitman, “To keep the hotel room look, go for a crisp, white set of sheets that are at least 300 thread count. Hotel rooms tend to use sateen or percale sheets, but you should choose the material that feels most comfortable to you.”
• Buy a solid color duvet and add color with pillows and a quilt at the foot of the bed.
• Eliminate knick knacks, tissue boxes and clutter.  If you don’t see it in a luxury hotel room, get rid of it. 
• And invest in room-darkening window treatments, to get a better night’s sleep. These come in an array of fabrics, weights and styles, from lined Roman shades to draperies.

Add Finishing Touches

For ideas on accessorizing your home, Brown suggests taking an “inspiration field trip” to a new hotel in your area. Take note of how they use fresh flowers, lamps and art pieces. Note how they mix woods, metallic, and other textures. How are books and magazines displayed on tables? And pay attention to how seating arrangements are configured, as hotels go to great lengths to create seating that encourages conversation, relaxation and community.

Above all, don’t be afraid to experiment. You may see something you like, and buy it only to find that it doesn’t really work in the space as you envisioned. Return it, and try again until you get just the right hotel resort ambience. Remember, even the best designers have to return items occasionally.