If we could help your home project the wonderful feeling you get when checking into a funky hotel, that would be cool, huh? And if we could prove that boutique-hotel style isn’t necessarily bank-busting, then that would be even better, n’est pas? Cue this week’s episode of The Home Show.
First things first — the bed. Forget flimsy mattresses that deny you deep, restorative slumber, and invest in a top quality model that will cosset you to the max rather than make you feel like you’re sleeping on the garden wall.
Hotel rooms are designed to stimulate your power-off buttons, and are generally decorated in neutral palettes that won’t discommode as you try to unwind. Opt for shades like Whisper Bluff or Wayside Inn by Dulux, which are calming and low key.
Oversized headboards are also perfect get-the-look fodder, so shop around for one or buy a large section of thick foam, fix it to a piece of MDF that’s the width of your bed and perhaps five-feet high, then cover it all with touchy-feely fabric.
Next up are linens — but we insist you bypass those paper-thin options and go for ones with a high-quality thread count (a measure that refers to the number of threads in each square inch of fabric). However, thread count isn’t your only guide to quality. Fabric, construction, yarn type and, of course, pattern and texture should also be deciding factors.
Now it’s time to get crafty. Make a cute bed throw to match your headboard by hemming a section of fabric, then tie the look together with cushions in almond, chocolate or caramel. Add shots of palest aqua as an interesting visual diversion.
Good lighting will make or break a hotel room, so visit www.livinglighting.com. Boxy shapes with controllable light levels are cute and will allow you to change the mood as, ahem, required. Finally, scented candles are a luxury hotel staple, so dot them around your boudoir.
Then turn on your flat screen telly (the one concealed in a wardrobe, of course) pour a glass of velvety red vino and settle down for the perfect night away — at home.
