Would you like your bathroom to have hotel-chic?
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by Charlotte Laing in Design Tips
If you’ve ever been to stay at a luxury hotel and wished that you could take the bathroom home with you, you’re not alone.
More and more of us are trying to get that hotel look in our own properties, but what’s the key to getting it right?
I’ve considered the elements of hotel bathrooms that make them so great – make sure you include a few of these when you’re planning your bathroom renovation, and you’ll be the envy of all your friends.
In fact they’ll probably ask you if they can book in for the night.
Hotel chic idea 1
Make it glossy – hotel bathrooms tend to feature high gloss surfaces on the floors and walls, which helps to give a smart, contemporary feel – although they can take a lot of maintenance as you’ll have to make sure they aren’t streaky or grimy.
Cahora freestanding bath from BathEmpire
Hotel chic idea 2
Draw attention to the bath – making the bath the centre of attention makes a bathroom seem like an indulgent place, rather than a functional place.
You can do this by installing a freestanding bath, perhaps positioning it at an angle and making sure that it’s gently lit using spotlighting.
You can also use tricks such as putting contrasting wall tiles behind the bath, which will draw the eye towards it, or positioning under a window, which will make it a natural focal point.
With the range of freestanding baths available at BathEmpire, this is one element of a hotel bathroom you can get at home relatively cheaply.
Hotel chic idea 3
Make sure the shower is AMAZING – firstly, the shower should be in a cubicle of its own if you have room, rather than over the bath.
Secondly, just as a good mattress is a must in a top hotel, a rainfall shower or at the very least a powerful shower is a staple of desirable hotels the world over, and something that’s easy to get in your own home.
Walk in showers are essential for hotel chic
Hotel chic idea 4
Use colour creatively – painting walls in a shade you’d not normally consider a typical ‘bathroom’ colour is another easy way to create a contemporary hotel vibe.
You could also choose to highlight a feature wall with coloured tiles – either really large or really small, mosaic tiles look the most luxurious.
Hotel chic idea 5
Add art – don’t forget to dress your bathroom as any good hotel would.
Hang pictures above the bath and loo, put vases on shelves, choose an attractive bath mat – any details like this that you add will turn a functional space into one that’s decorative
Large mirrors are another feature of hotel bathrooms. The more mirrors you have, the bigger the bathroom will seem and the better the light.
Twin basins in the Park Plaza in Budapest
Hotel chic idea 6
Double up – if you have the space, fitting twin basins (preferably with some storage below) to give your bathroom instant grandeur.
Don’t make the mistake of squeezing them in – ensure there’s enough elbow room for two of you to use them comfortably side by side.
Hopefully this has given you some food for thought, and inpired you for your bathroom project.
Can you think of anything I’ve forgotten that helps to give a bathroom the ‘hotel-factor’?
* Image top left courtesy of Holm House, Penarth, a boutique hotel with amazing bathrooms (did you spot the TV over the bath?)
