After enjoying the most blissful summer holiday in Europe and the UAE (sorry, I don’t mean to rub it in), I was both overjoyed and underwhelmed with many hotel rooms. And why is that? It all came down to one reason. Poor decision making and not a lack of money. So here are the top 5 style lessons learnt from my holiday vacay that you can apply to your own home.

Top interior design tips – what hotel interior design can teach us

Style Lesson 1 – Monochrome magic

There’s a certain feeling a monochrome room evokes. A sense of restrained drama,
class and timeless style.

Remember going without colour means you need to add interest. To do this, try mixing styles of furniture, adding patterns and contrasting fabric types. Here this Lebanese restaurant in the UAE nails the look with patterned tiles and hanging pendants in contrasting yet harmonious shapes. And the best part, the food was amazing!

Image: Ayamna Restaurant, UAE

Style Lesson 2 – The journey makes the destination sweeter

Led across floating slabs of stone and down a dimly lit passage, I entered the most amazing foyer at ShuiQi Spa. Transported away with this visual?

Image: ShuiQi Spa, UAE

While water passages may not be pragmatic for your home, you can leverage elements of this design. Here I’ve used paving with aggregate to a similar effect, which helps guests slow down their steps and take in the surroundings.

Image: Kat Peri Design

Side note. Melbourne’s Vue De Monde is a must for the sensory and culinary experience as you’re lead down dark halls before the dazzling Melbourne skyline views are revealed.

Style Lesson 3 – Never enough storage 

As Shaynna declares on The Block, a lack of storage at face height is a sin. I would have been happy with hip storage in some boutique hotels. This gorgeous angled waterfall vanity is drool-worthy but where do you place your toiletries? Storage is always a must.

Style Lesson 4 -Poor colour choices spoil a room

One of our splurges was to stay at The Atlantis Hotel, which is the size of the Crown Casino and with a price tag to match. Unfortunately the riot of bright colours let this luxury hotel down. Despite any theme (think you can guess this one!), downplay your accent colour to add sophistication. You can try the 60:30:10 rule as a guide when planning your home colour scheme.

Image: Atlantis Dubai

Style Lesson 5 – Love luxury fittings

When the fam saw this amazing shower we immediately said, we need one! If you can splurge on luxury fittings for your bathroom, especially those that are pragmatic yet indulgent such as this multiple shower head, you’ll enjoy the indulgence every day.

Image: AD Athens Luxury Rooms and Suites

Holiday Snaps – Enter to win!

Do you have any holiday snaps of a great hotel style you loved?! Share them with us on Instagram @Designstoinspire with the hashtag #style, and we’ll randomly give away 3 of our Designs to Inspire – Home Staging + Interior Design Fragrances “Intrigue” to lucky Australian followers in October to transport your mind to an exotic location.

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New Looks – Colour uplifts

Colour continues to uplift, inspire and set the mood in a space. Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2017 is Greenery. It reflects the re connection we seek with nature. A vibrant and cheery green, use it sparingly to add an element of surprise with a pop of colour in cushions, stools and artwork. And the more adventurous, choose green for your lounge.

If this zesty shade of green is not to your liking, there’s many shades to choose from this year. Here are some winning colour combinations for you to create these new looks;

• Team mint green with grey for a sophisticated and relaxed look

• Marry emerald with navy for a lux look. Add accents of gold to make it a standout

• Powder blue and tangerine. Offset the coolness of powder blue with a feisty tangerine for a fresh take on a summer vibe

• And to our delight, purple makes a comeback. Let it rain. It’s opulent, intriguing and the colour of creativity. Out tip; be bold and team purple with blues to enrich its seductiveness.

Feature chairs

It’s even more important to make time for oneself away from our busy lifestyles. To encourage escape, retreat to a cosy chair. Make a statement with the butterfly chair known for its designer look and versatility with removable covers. Our favourites are all black leather with a leather binding which can be softened with a faux fur throw or the classic tan cowhide.

Tactile and raw materials

Raw materials such as linen provide a relaxed elegance and are cooler and lighter for the summer months.

Burnished metals remind us that imperfections can make an item more beautiful as they help tell a story. Say goodbye to rose gold and embrace aged, weathered and beaten surfaces in gold and bronze tones for a timeless allure.

The artisan touch

Fringing and fraying all take us back to a time where homemade crafts were revered and a time of social gathering.

Nature in art

We are enthused to see the range available in artwork from photographic art, abstract prints and hand painted canvases. 2017 will continue to feature water laden abstract colourful artwork in harmonious tones with contrasting accents for a bolder effect.  The equestrian look gets a modern makeover featuring a moodier palette.

2017 – A time for reinvention

We hope to have inspired you with a few new looks you can try in 2017. Our team at Designs to Inspire wish you all the best for the most creative and joyful year.

The post New Looks You Need To Try This New Year appeared first on Designs to Inspire.

Bring nature in
Breathe life into your home with plants in your living room, kitchen, bedroom or even bathroom and transport yourself to the tropics. To add additional flair, choose a pot with personality. There are many stylish designs, shapes and sizes available with geometric patterns, in a concrete planter or a solid color for a classic look.

Looking for a DIY project? Freshen up a pot with spray paint in your choice of color or create your own fairy or rock garden in a glass terrarium.

Botanical motifs are always in vogue and this year inspired by the Rio Olympics are more widely available. With cushions, artwork and even bedding inspired by nature, there are even more ways you can add a lush look to your home!

Woven baskets are on trend and can be used to store cushions or magazines or act as a plant holder.

Brighten the indoors
Change your winter soft furnishings to brighter colours to instantly lift your mood. Try one of these schemes:

• Greens provide a luscious feel
• Blues are soothing and cooling
• Fresh neutrals are breezy and calming

Remember to continue the colour scheme outdoors to connect the spaces visually:

Enjoy alfresco living
Want to enjoy the outdoors all year around? An Alfresco expands your living space and encourages outdoor entertaining:

Choose versatile furniture that looks equally good inside and out, such as rattan or wicker chairs for a relaxed elegance. Look for Sunbrella fabrics as they are durable and UV, water, and mildew resistant, making them suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

If you want to take your outdoor even further, there are stylish blinds available that allow you to enclose your outdoors.

Set your table with natural style
Summer settings can look great with natives combined with twigs and branches from your garden. Layer with natural textured table runners, placemats, napery, and plates in contrasting textures for interest.

Limited space?
With smaller outdoor spaces such as courtyards or balconies, dwarf potted plants, such as Citrus Meyer ‘Lemonicious’ or cumquats in a topiary offer an ambulance of fruit as well as greenery. Channel your inner Martha Stewart and create your own lovely marmalades and preserves.

Vertical gardens allow you to reach new heights to maximise precious floor space for your outdoors.

Choose water wise plants
Choose water wise plants such as cacti, succulents, Australian natives or Yuccas. In addition to being hardier, they look sculptural and modern. For more information on water-wise plants for your area see ABC Gardening.

Image by Designs to Inspire

Let the summer entertaining begin!

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