Whether you’re counting down to the day when you can check back into your favourite luxury hotel in New York, or are simply resigned to the fact that your home is where you will be spending the good part of the foreseeable future – an interiors refresh can go a long way in reimagining an ordinary space to create an extraordinary experience.
In this edition of Home & Living, Abhishek Mathur – India Director of Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), the world-renowned hospitality design firm – lends an insight into how to make your home feel more like a luxury hotel. Bookmark these tangible tips if you’re in need of an interiors refresh!
Create Transition spaces
All good hotels are designed to slowly relax the guests as they traverse through them. This often results in creation of transition spaces which not only provide acoustic buffer from noisier public areas, but also help in creating unique opportunities for nooks, niches & shelvings etc. Just as a hotel suite would have a cosy living/ study area before entering the bedroom, similarly, one can plan a master bedroom to have an entrance through a small study.
reduce clutter
Hotel design guidelines often emphasize on housekeeping efficiency. Plan for using a robust palette of hard finishes along with high martindale count for upholstery fabrics to ensure longevity. Organise art & accessories in a intuitive fashion so that nothing is out of reach. Don’t forget to implement a housekeeping checklist.
layering of decorative & ambient lights
Lighting shines a huge spotlight the ‘wow’ factor of a hotel’s interiors. Without most of us realising, a good lighting scheme can create an extraordinary experience in an otherwise ordinary space. Allow for natural sunlight wherever possible but also plan for layering it with artificial lighting.
Broadly speaking, lighting design can be broken down into two distinct components: Task lighting and Ambient lighting. Task lighting is determined by specific functions (reading lights, desk lighting, vanity lighting etc.). However, Ambient lighting focuses more on creating optimal lux levels in response to the changing natural light conditions. Investing in lighting automation also goes a long way in creating the right mood.
Art
It is always good to have an anchor artwork which helps create a striking first impression. It is equally important to identify the right location and size for the artwork for maximum impact.
The large format artworks which create a feeling of grandeur in many hotels are often ideal for luxury residences as well. One can always collect and add more art & artefacts in a home but it is important to create an anchor art wall to set the tone. For more on styling your home with art, have a read here.
Luxe Bathroom
A designer’s favourite, creating a stunning bathroom can be done with a few simple steps. The first is to create a large vanity area & a mirror with integrated lighting. If space permits, having two separate wash basins in a master bathroom is both practical and impactful.
Next, create niches & storage spaces to accommodate all toiletries/ towels etc. along with providing shaving mirrors and sufficient plug points to complete the hotel look. A large scale artwork or a feature stone in the shower can help uplift the glam quotient of the entire bathroom!
About Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA)/ Abhishek Mathur
A world-renowned hospitality design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), creates the signature looks of today’s luxury brands and unveils the world’s most anticipated hotels, resorts, spas, casinos, restaurants, cruise ships, independent contemporary boutique hotels and world-class residences. Leading the hotel design industry since 1965, HBA remains keenly attuned to the pulse of changing industry trends governed by today’s sophisticated traveller. HBA employs over 1400 design professionals in 23 offices worldwide.
The Mumbai office is headed by Abhishek Mathur, who helms an exceptional and talented team of designers delivering a range of diverse projects from concept to execution. He brings his deep understanding of hospitality and high-end luxury design to all his projects informed with an acute understanding of local context. Prior to opening the Mumbai studio, Abhishek has successfully delivered projects with HBA offices in Singapore & Delhi.
Follow HBA on Instagram @StudioHBADesign | Website: https://www.studiohba.com/