How to Create Hotel Style in Your Own Bathroom by Kerrie Kelly, ASID

When designing a room with our clients, we start the process by brainstorming about the places and spaces where they’ve felt most relaxed and indulged, or inspired and energized. Almost every time, memories of a great hotel make the list.

A luxury hotel is a place where we pamper and indulge ourselves, and sensuous spa-like bathrooms are a big part of that. Hoteliers give you what you wouldn’t normally give yourself, but there’s no reason you can’t bring that hotel style to your own bathroom.

Here’s what hotel designers bring to bathrooms, and how to create that same luxurious environment in your own home:

Contemporary Countertops 
Countertops are arguably the main element we first notice in a luxury or boutique hotel. Sleek and durable materials like quartz, cultured marble, granite or recycled glass make a serious statement and are available in a dizzying array of styles. For that hotel look, keep it simple and soft. Go with an undermount sink for easy clean up and wipe water right into the bowl without going up and over that sink lip. Spend a little time checking out all sorts of online bathroom vanities before making a decision.

Sleek Showers 
Keep the solid-surface theme going with large format tile in the shower. Larger tile means less grout, and less grout means less mold and mildew—and that means less cleaning. What’s not to love? Take it up a notch with a heavy duty, frameless shower door at least 5/8″ thick. A simple handle and clear glass will let that tile shine and make the bathroom appear larger.

Luxurious Lighting 
Keeping with the sleek and simple theme, recessed can lights on a dimmer make for an integrated look and allow you to control the mood for gearing up or winding down. Simply styled sconces on the mirror add a luxurious layered effect and toe-kick lighting is as cool as it gets—and makes visits to bathroom in the middle of the night simpler and safer.

Fab Faucets 
Of course, that fun and funky hardware is part of the charm of a hotel bathroom and certainly worth considering. Because part of what makes a hotel bathroom so sumptuous is its cleanliness, we suggest something sleek and modern for effortless clean up. Consider brushed finishes as they are the most popular in the country and do a great job of hiding scratches and water spots. Look for Delta’s line of lavatory faucets with SpotShield™ Stainless finish available this spring.

Cool Colors 
Bring it all together with a soothing and monochromatic color scheme in grey, white or “greige” tones. Combined with your new lighting scheme, this creates that spa-like atmosphere that you long for after your hotel stay is over.

Divine Details 
Finally, bring in the little touches that make you feel pampered. Cotton swabs at the ready, tissues built into the vanity and soaps and lotions on convenient display on a sleek and simple tray. There are also a number of great combination products coming to the market this spring from Liberty Hardware, like magnifying mirrors with towel rings, and towel bars with glass shelves. And what transports you to that hotel state of mind more quickly and effectively than a hotel towel rack? Big, fluffy towels on a wall-mounted shelf keeps them fresh and fluffy and saves counter and storage space.

Of course, that daily maid service goes a long way toward making you feel you’re living the luxe life, but with some planning and creativity, you can create a rejuvenating and restful space that feels like your home away from home.

What are your favorite bathroom luxuries?

Kerrie Kelly, who writes on décor for Home Depot, offers great advice to get your bathroom styled like your favorite four-star hotel. Bathroom accessories that are available at Home Depot to help you achieve this look are available for viewing online here.