Every traveler knows that unmistakable relief you feel stepping into a well-designed hotel. The sense of being an outsider in a foreign place fades, and the comfort of a welcoming lobby, cozy suite, or relaxing spa situates itself in your travel itinerary.
It was this soothing sense of arrival that Homepolish interior designer Haley Weidenbaum aimed to evoke when she designed her own 1920s bungalow home in Beverly Grove, California.
"In designing, I like to go back to places that make me feel the most relaxed and happy, and that's always been hotels," says Weidenbaum. "I wanted to feel like we just stepped into a boutique hotel in Paris. That experience when you first walk into a space, that immediately envelops you and makes you feel comfortable, is something I really appreciate about the hospitality world."
As with hotels, durability and practicality was also important for Weidenbaum (the couple is expecting their first child this year). For example, the chairs in the dining room were taken from Weidenbaum's last home, but re-upholstered in a striped fabric that's also stain-resistant. Read on for Weidenbaum's tips for bringing hotel sensibility home throughout the entire home.
Focus On Symmetry In The Living Room
"Businesses in hospitality use symmetry a lot to bring familiarity and balance to the space," says Weidenbaum. "My goal was to make the main sitting room as inviting as possible and emulate the lobby experience when you walk into a hotel lobby."
In the sitting room, Weidenbaum planned to arrange two sofas facing each other at first, but settled on two chairs facing the sofa instead.
"I wanted to make sure all the portions were correct, and by putting a large coffee table between all the furniture, I made the space feel more communal," says Weidenbaum. "The lighting fixture in the middle was the wow factor in the room, in a bit of a grandiose way. We have vaulted ceilings, and I wanted to bring the eye up."
The lighting fixture, from Ro Sham Beaux, features a hanging jute tassel, echoing the jute rug and drapery trim.
"In a hotel, things are very cohesive and there are elements that are continued throughout," says Weidenbaum. "That jute material spoke to me because it's a good neutral, and brings me back to my visits in Bali, Tahiti and Hawaii. It also adds a beach aesthetic for our California locale."
The casual jute material offers an appealing contrast to the traditional Chesterfield tufted sofa from Restoration Hardware. The wood chairs are from Cisco Home and the table between them is Nate Berkus for Target. The coffee table is from One Kings Lane.
Choose A Dark Paint For The Master Bedroom
The master bedroom was based on Weidenbaum and her husband's favorite hotel, the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, a hotel where the couple were wed — and where the suites feature canopy beds.
"We wanted to bring back that Spanish revival feeling, and we felt like the canopy bed that was a dark, black wood would really do that," says Weidenbaum.
To recreate the one-bedroom atmosphere of a hotel suite, Weidenbaum placed a sofa in the room to create a sitting area. She also took the effect of the bedroom's color on sleep into consideration, recalling that the hotel rooms where she had slept best were painted dark colors.
"For about a year, the room was painted white, but we thought back to which hotels we slept in where we had an amazing night's sleep," says Weidenbaum. "We settled on a dark green, Benjamin Moore's Essex Green."
The nightstands next to the bed are from Anthropologie and the frames above them showcase textiles from Mexico. The artwork above the sofa is a photo from the couple's wedding in Ojai.
Recreate A Spa In The Bathroom With Neutral Colors
The master bathroom was designed to exude the light, bright atmosphere of a luxurious hotel spa.
"If it's a bathroom you're using daily, I feel like it should be clean and bright, because it makes you feel fresh and clean," says Weidenbaum. "I wanted a spa-like feeling where everything was pretty much white. To continue that neutral color palette, I added natural elements of bamboo."
The bamboo materials offer a casual contrast to the more traditional elements of the bathroom, such as the marble, hardware, and fixtures. The bamboo ladder is from Garde in Los Angeles, the light fixture above the tub is from Pigeon Toe Ceramics, and the decorative wood piece on the tub is from Rejuvenation.
Scroll down to see more hotel-inspired rooms in the house.
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