Was it a business trip or a family vacation where you found sanctuary in the comfort of your hotel guest room? Was it the linens, the mattress, the low lighting or the calming color tones. Not quite sure but you know you felt pampered and coddled and relaxed.
It’s become easier to replicate that comfort by taking home those very hotel linens, comforters and pillows — even mattresses — thanks to hospitality Web sites. The latest is Trump International Hotel & Tower on Wabash Avenue. The Trump Sleep System is designed by Stearns & Foster and will be available through the hotel’s boutique by the end of the year.
Choosing other essentials to recreate a relaxing suite, arranging them and settling on a color scheme can be tougher. We asked two design experts to share their secrets for what’s needed for a bedroom to attain five-star chic status. Here’s what Shelly Handman of Handman Associates (handmanassociates.com) and Keitha Braithwaite of Contrast Design Group (contrastdesigngroup.com) had to say:
— HEADBOARD
KB: How high the headboard extends should depend on the style of the room, but we generally recommend something taller and upholstered to make a statement since you see the bed and wall when you enter the room. Sometimes, we bring it all the way to the ceiling.
SH: The nicest way to enter a room is to face the foot of the bed, so the bed and the wall behind it are the room’s most prominent elements. To make the headboard look like it surrounds the occupants, we upholster it in a wonderful textured material such as velvet or mohair plush. We also like to make it at least 54 inches from the floor so it’s high enough to be accessorized with a few big Euro-sham pillows.
— MATTRESS
KB: A mattress is something you should invest in but
the choice is personal. There’s no set height. In a more traditional space, make it higher, perhaps 26 inches off the ground; for a more Zen, Asian look, consider a lower platform bed about 20 inches high.
SH: We don’t like a pillow-topped mattress that’s 32 inches high so you feel you have to jump up and into the bed. We prefer lower beds, between 22 and 26 inches high.
— SHEETS AND COMFORTERS
KB: A monochromatic spa look for the bedroom is best with a change in color and texture for the seasons. In summer, we suggest vanilla in a texture with a punch of color for the pillows such as tangerine or aqua. For winter, we’d go neutral but a warm mocha color with another accent in the pillows or throw.
SH: We still favor the “open-bed layered look” that doesn’t use a bedspread but includes a pretty blanket cover, with sheets folded back and a fluffy duvet halfway down the bed. We like to use pillows — usually two per side — and line them up for a clean, tailored look. But you don’t want so many that you’re constantly taking them off the bed and putting them back in the morning. We also like to have some extras so you can change your look — just like you do your clothing. Mix and match solids and stripes; have a reversible duvet.
— NIGHT TABLES
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KB: The kind depends on the room’s style but for the Zen aesthetic, we might suggest a bed with nightstands attached that seem to float like a piece of sculpture. You want an organic look and to put something on them that’s sculptural, perhaps even something with a water feature. Stay away from color.
SH: A good night table offers good storage with at least one drawer so you always have room for a pad of paper, pencils, Chapstick, hand lotion and book. Sometimes we like two different tables, sometimes matched ones, but it depends on how much the client likes symmetry and also depends on the
— FLOORING
KB: A bamboo floor, which is very green and organic and goes wall-to-wall, offers a sensual experience. Or do an area rug that goes under the bed and is monochromatic but in a shade that’s either lighter or deeper than the bedding.
SH: We always use a rug, preferably wall-to-wall in a bedroom, since it’s a cleaner, softer look — and it feels good underfoot. It’s easier to clean wall-to-wall than having to vacuum under an area rug. Rugs also help soften sounds.
— LIGHTING
KB: We like a combination of overhead, sconces and nightstand lighting — all on dimmers for different moods. The overhead light can be a chandelier and usually something sculptural such as a simple oval shape wrapped in silk. We don’t like a crystal chandelier if the bedroom styling is Zen and clean.
— CHAISE OR SOFA
SH: It’s nice to have a sofa or chaise so you can lie down and rest or read rather than have to get into bed every time you want to relax. We suggest ones that are large — at least 3 feet wide by 6 feet long, which you can even find at stores like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel.
— TV, FIREPLACE
KB: We’re doing a lot of bedrooms where people incorporate a fireplace and want a TV mounted above it. No longer does the TV have to disappear as it once did in an armoire, although some homeowners want it out of view. How high the fireplace should be depends on where it is — higher if opposite the bed so you can see it, but if it’s in a sitting area it doesn’t have to be as high. We like to use limestone slabs that are simple or glass mosaics in one tone for a clean look.
SH: If you want a TV in the room, be sure it’s opposite the bed, perhaps in an armoire or above a fireplace. It can also be placed in a piece of furniture at the end of the bed and pop up when used. It’s great to have a fireplace in a bedroom, but be sure it’s at least 18 inches off the ground so you can enjoy the fire from the bed.
— DRAPERIES
KB: We like clean unpatterned drapery panels on traverse rods, without tiebacks and which fall to the ground or stand about 1/2 inch off the ground. We sometimes pair them with a sheer fabric that’s lightweight. The material can be anything from silk to coarse linen to lightweight
silk velvet or chenille, depending on the other materials and the season. The color should be vanilla if you’re doing vanilla bedding or mushroom or deeper olive in winter if you want a darker palette.
SH: The prettier the view the more sheer the draperies should be; they also help to deaden noise and add softness. They’re the veil between you and the outdoors. We prefer ones that are hung on a rod with rings, fall to the floor and are paired with shades for a layered look. Materials should depend on what else is in the room.
— COLOR
KB: A good background color should be muted, perhaps a bit richer than the bedding but not too dark. The colors in the room should relate to other rooms in the house but don’t have to be the exact same. You might pull an accent color from the living room and use it in the bedroom, so there’s some relationship.
SH: We advise putting neutral colors in the permanent parts of the room such as the carpeting, draperies and paint color, then making the bed ensemble a bit wilder in color — perhaps an orange duvet with stripes. The best colors for a soothing background palette are pale blue or mossy or seafoam green.
— FINAL TOUCHES
KB: Perhaps also add a wet bar, as hotels do. Be sure the room has a coordinated design; we see homeowners [who] have carried over furniture from prior homes and it doesn’t work in the space. It’s nice to have a separate closet area if you can. If you don’t have the room at least use a closet organization company to make the most of your closet.
SH: What gives a room its real hotel look is the best quality materials, thickest duvet and crisp ironed sheets. Don’t forget to add flowers, a plant or a tree. Also, try to have your closet in a separate room or in a bathroom, which allows one partner to dress without disturbing the other. If you have really small closets consider putting a beautiful dresser or chest in the room, which becomes another focal point.
— BIGGEST MISTAKES
KB: Some owners incorporate things that aren’t restful, such as a desk to make the room a home office too. This room should be about winding down and having furnishings that are peaceful and sensual. Leave out the horse memorabilia and other interests; get rid of all the clutter.
SH: Homeowners make the bed so long that the TV is so far away and can’t be seen. The room looks cozier and more appealing if the bed isn’t so long. Consider building in some bookshelves to display photos, books and objects. It’s nice to lie in bed and enjoy your treasures.