Turning Your Bedroom Into a Hotel Sanctuary

Ever wanted to stay in your favorite five-star hotel room forever? That’s by design. Hotels hire experts to create their sanctuaries, but you can take cues from their designs and follow these tips to turn your bedroom into a luxurious hotel sanctuary.

Declutter your bedroom

Every item in a hotel room has a purpose, even if it’s just to give a pop of color on a decorative table. Jumpstart your bedroom makeover by decluttering. Throw away or donate anything you don’t need, use storage containers to keep what you do need out of sight and keep things neat on your nightstand and bathroom counter with trays.

Once the room is tidy, keep it that way. You’ll feel much more relaxed when you enter your room and don’t have to dodge sneakers or climb into an unmade bed.

Use a neutral palette

Neutral colors like whites, creams, beiges and grays lend a calming, serene feel to a space, so it’s not surprising these colors dominate the color scheme in hotels. But just because you use a neutral palette doesn’t mean you have to forgo color entirely. Accent with the bright colors you love, or add muted shades, like a barely discernable blue, for a hint of color.

Rethink your bedroom furniture

The next time you stay in a hotel, take note of the furniture. The bed is high quality and almost always has a padded headboard (or cushy pillows) so you can sit up comfortably in it. Matching nightstands come to the height of the bed (or just an inch or two below), and the rest of the furniture tends to be larger than what most people have in their bedrooms at home.

Follow your favorite hotel’s example. As you can afford to, invest in substantial, quality pieces. If you haven’t purchased a new mattress in a few years, upgrade yours, or cover it with a plush topper for added comfort.

Give your bed the luxury treatment

Start with the bedsheets. Purchase the best sheets you can afford, ones that feel soft and luxurious when they touch your skin. Hotels always use white sheets because they project a sense of cleanliness and can be bleached. Next, add a throw at the foot of the bed for extra warmth and texture. Top the look off with at least three different sized pillows: oversize, standard sleeping size and small, decorative ones.

Want to kick the luxury up a notch? Spray your sheets with a lightly-scented fabric spray. Some scents, like lavender, may even help you get a better night’s sleep.

Use multiple light sources

Hotel rooms always have several light sources, from overhead fixtures like chandeliers to tabletop and freestanding lamps. Many are on dimmers or offer more than one level of brightness. Before adding lights, consider the sources you already have and their purpose. What gaps in coverage do you have? Do you have a reading lamp over your bed? What about a bright light at your desk? Add accordingly.

Keep morning light out

The curtains in a hotel room completely block outside light, so you can sleep in. The key to recreating this at home is to combine sheer curtains with a blackout layer.

However, this is a matter of personal preference. Some people like to wake up to natural light. If that’s the case for you, simply skip this option.

Hang mirrors in the bedroom

Have you ever noticed how many mirrors a hotel room has? You’ll find an oversized mirror in the bathroom usually with a smaller, magnify mirror nearby. Usually, you’ll have at least one head-to-toe mirror hanging on the back of a door or strategically placed in bright light so you can check your appearance before you go. Add additional mirrors to make the bedroom look larger.

Or, if you have a large bedroom already, you may want to hang an extra mirror or two so one will always be conveniently positioned whenever you need to check your appearance.

Unroll a plush rug

If you don’t already have a thick, comfortable carpet to sink your toes into when you get up in the morning, consider adding a plush area rug. Cotton and wool rugs are good choices, but anything soft and comfy will do. (Avoid sisal, bamboo and other rough materials.)

According to RealSimple.com, the rug should extend at least 20 inches beyond the bed on all three sides to give you enough room to walk around without stepping off of it. Not the look you’re going for? Another option is to purchase extra-comfy, indulgent slippers and set them next to your bed every night.

Stock up on towels

The bathroom is an extension of your bedroom. Make yours feel like a spa by investing in high-quality, luxurious towels. As it is with sheets, white is the preferred color because it looks fresh and clean, but you may want to have a few darker-colored wash clothes on hand for when you remove makeup or dirt.

For that extra sense of pampering, spritz your towels with a fabric spray to keep them smelling fresh. You may also want to invest in three or four towels per person—rather than a handful to share between family members.

Scent your bedroom

You may not have consciously noticed, but most luxury hotels have a signature scent. It perfumes the lobby, your room, your pillows, hand soap, shampoo and conditioner. Treat yourself to the same. Add fresh flowers with gentle scents, like roses, or candles with natural scents like citrus or sandalwood.

The aroma should never overwhelm, and you shouldn’t have competing smells.

Add luxuries to the room

Hotels pay attention to detail, adding small comforts that make the room feel homey. You can incorporate some of those details into your own bedroom. If you drink coffee in the morning, why not create a coffee station in your bedroom? That way, you can enjoy your first cup without leaving the bedroom.

Or, HGTV.com suggests adding wireless speakers that can sync to your phone or computer. You can play your favorite music, podcasts or books on tape. If you have trouble sleeping at night, a sound machine may offer the serenity of your favorite hotel rooms. The possibilities are endless. Just choose items that will leave you feeling pampered.

Display your personality

No matter how much you hope to emulate a five-star hotel room, you don’t want your bedroom to feel sterile. Decorate your walls with art that speaks to you. Opt for large pieces versus a gallery wall. If you can, splurge on an original over something available at big box stores for added personality.

In addition to the art on your wall, place personal items in your bedroom that speak to you: a framed picture of your loved ones on the nightstand or a decorative globe on your desk, for example. These items will make your bedroom feel like yours and not a generic space you have to hand the key over for the next morning.

Moving soon?

Free up the time to give more thought to the bedroom in your new home by hiring a professional moving company to do the work of moving for you. Moving.com’s extensive network of reputable and reliable movers makes it easy to find and book the best moving company. All relocation companies in our network are licensed and insured, so you can rest assured that your belongings will arrive in good condition.