Good morning everyone~
I can’t believe that it’s Wednesday already! The week is just whizzing on by…
I have to thank Meg Biram, Founder of Mimi+Meg Blog, of whom I am an avid follower. She hosted a bloggers meeting last night and gave us insightful information on how the blogging community works. Thanks Meg, I hope to go to another one of your meetings again soon.
My post today is about hotel rooms and how inspiring they can be with the use of scale and color. I should forewarn you that there will be a lot of pictures today.
When we stay in hotels, we experience, in some cases, the ultimate in luxury and being catered to. They are, too, a showcase of interior design savvy! The attention to detail is given to perfection. I’ve always been in awe of how interior designers for hotels can make rooms feel so inviting, whether a suite or a standard room. These designers have a knack for knowing which colors will work and how to place furniture selections. It makes you wonder, why didn’t I think of that? The designs are especially well done in Europe, where hotel rooms are generally small in comparison to their counterparts in the US. The European designers have developed the art of making the rooms appear very spacious
Christopher and I were in Paris a few years ago and discovered Hotel Bel Ami, a boutique hotel located in the Saint Germain des Prés area. When we returned the next year we stayed there again. I think it’s our favorite hotel in Paris now. The hotel was remodeled in 2008 with the designers using earthy tone colors and natural materials.
The new color palettes are chocolate, pistachio, coffee and caramel. OK, now I want ice cream!
This room really exudes a welcome feeling. It looks so peaceful and I can imagine just standing at the window, staring outside at the beauty that is Paris. That very wide mirror makes the room look bigger and brighter. The pistachio color scheme works especially well in this room–the patterned shams and throw really add a textural contrast to the pure white sheets and the solid color headboard. Nice!
I love this color blocking room. I can see myself living in a room like this one! Especially if I can get the wine and petit fours every day! It’s nice to see that the hotel mimicked the color blocking of the fashion industry!
I think this design is perfect for the attic. It could be a private getaway to read or watch television. Chocolate and pistachio together! Oh, the calories! But it’s totally worth it. These colors work so well together, don’t you think?
Let’s leave ice cream alone and move on to non-edible hotel room decor.
I know that designers often study hotel rooms and lobbies for inspirational ideas when decorating a client’s home or their own. Why not follow the example of the professionals and do it yourself too? I think it is a great compliment to hotels when we are inspired by their designs.
By now I’m sure you know that I have a passion for color and a soft spot for white decor. So know be prepared to see both.
Let’s start the room with something soft and soothing to your eyes and then add the wow factor!
First off is the Mandarin Hotel in Soho, NY. Isn’t this just so pristine that you’re afraid to touch it? But you must because it’s too clean. I love the added designer touch of blue where the sconce is mounted.
Look at the ceiling and the carpet. I love the different shades of blue. The dark carpet color complements the lighter shade on the ceiling. The writing area is small but big enough to function as a working desk. I don’t think I need to mention the view! It speaks for itself.
Even the bathroom is a work of art, thanks to the frameless mirror. I think that a frame would have spoilt this minimalism of the room.
Moving on…
Let’s look at another white hotel room, this time the Public Hotel in Chicago. This room has mood lighting. Love it! This comes from back lighting behind the headboard. I like the globe floor lamp and the throw.
I think that I need a white fur on the back of my chair! Evidently, I have not been treating my chair very well!
Of course! A fireplace! It’s a must have for a winter in Chicago. The candles add such a romantic touch!
That head board is such a focal point in this room. I like the glass top dresser too.
For those who appreciate modern rooms, here’s one for you. This bed is certainly the focal point with the tufted bed bottom. Very cool greys!
This room is from the Bonham Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. I like the headboard with the mirror in it. The mixture of textures and patterns works perfectly in this room. It helps to have a good dose of natural light.
The next two rooms are from the Hotel Saguaro part of the Joie de Vivre Hotels group this one is in Palm Springs, CA. They certainly are bright. You really have to love color to stay here. Looking at the view outside, it seems like they included color in their balconies as well!
Here’s another room in the Hotel Saguaro. This one’s in their Phoenix, AZ location. Disclaimer here: I love red, I freely admit it, but even this is too much for me!
Phew! A lot of pictures, I know. But I wanted to show you how you can look at hotel rooms and get inspired to make a bedroom in your home look similar to those in hotels. You can personalize it by changing the color scheme. As long as you have fun finding the right design pieces and putting them together, you’ll find that it’s worth the effort.
Have a great day!
Simone
