Even though travel may be limited, you can still have the look and feel of your favourite hotel bathroom at home. Hibou Design & Co. shows you how
One of the best parts of travelling is the stay at a chic hotel, but you shouldn’t have to leave home in order to feel pampered. Travel can lend some great inspiration for your own sumptuous retreat right at home, and since you start and finish each day in your bathroom, it only makes sense to show this room a little extra love. Aside from kitchen renovations, bathroom renos also give you the best return on your investment, so your payoff will be two-fold.
Here are some of our favourite tips:
Indulge a little… Ok, a lot
Bathrooms have taken on new meaning in the modern home, and even more so with people spending more time at home these days. These once-utilitarian rooms have evolved with exotic finishes and exceptional details that make them as unique as their owners. Allow yourself to splurge. You use your bathroom multiple times, so thoughtful upgrades will be well worth it.
Inspired Design:
Choose a theme and run with it. In this space, we opted for a hotel-chic theme featuring a classic black and white penny-tile floor with a custom motif that literally greets you every morning, en Francais. The matte black faucets and hardware provide punctuation to this crisp white palette. This high-contrast colour scheme is warmed up with a natural wood cabinet-style vanity. Modern-industrial lighting rounds out this cool look.
If you’re a shower person, consider expanding the shower enclosure if space allows, or upgrade to a steam shower. If you’re partial to baths, treat yourself to that sculptural freestanding tub you’ve been admiring in the showroom window. Heated floors and towel racks, a make-up counter or mani-pedi bar, meditation zone, mini fridge… this space is all about you. If you’re renovating, this is an opportune time to build some custom elements right into the design.
Get smart
Our quest to stay connected transcends every room – yes, even the bathroom. Connected and voice-activated technologies have disrupted interiors as much as they have our daily lives, and they have become an essential luxury by all accounts. Commanding your Google Assistant or Alexa to hit the lights, turn on the tap and deliver the news of the day is only one benefit. Hands-free technology is also touted as the cleaner, germ-free option for these traditionally high-touch surfaces – and less scrubbing means more time to relax and enjoy it all.
Aside from convenience, technology also allows for a level of customization that even the most luxurious hotels can’t match (unless they are accompanied by a butler). Your smart tech can learn your behaviours and preferences, from the perfect lighting levels, to just the right speaker volume, and the perfect bathwater temperature, right down to the degree. It won’t be long before your every whim is being accommodated, even before you get the chance to ask.
For all to love
When it comes to finishes, think “mass appeal” and opt for a minimal aesthetic and neutral choices. Hotel designers aim to appeal to wide range of users, and since bathroom renovations can be pricey, those neutral choices will prove to be money well-spent.
Neutral choices also tend to promote rest and relaxation. The look is clean, crisp and fresh, not to mention very versatile – which bodes well for those pricey elements such as tile and fixtures that won’t soon be replaced.
Make it memorable
As we well know in the interiors industry, good design is all in the details. Collectively, it’s all those seemingly small things that make all the difference to the overall look and feel of a space. Regardless of the room you’re renovating, you want it to make the right impression on you and your guests.
We often look to the world’s hotels in search of some well-placed interior inspiration, but our homes need to be so much more than a few luxurious nights between 800-threadcount sheets. Our homes have to pamper us while delivering on our functional needs and aesthetic desires. Working with a design professional can bring all your dreams to life.
Designers Eugenia Triandos and Korina Khamis, are co-founders for Hibou Design & Co. The company provides complete bespoke residential design services throughout Canada and North America. hiboudesignco.com