Hotel Chic At Home

Its the new bedroom trend- "Hotel Bedding". The first thing I thought about when I heard of this new trend was of course that ugly, scratchy polyester Red Roof Inn bedding. Itchy comforters, rough white sheets, unattractive floral prints, etc... No, what I have learned is that Hotel Bedding is really recreating what hotel chains like The Westin and Resorts have done. Which is introducing its "heavenly bed" to guests who go home thinking it was such a luxurious look and sleep with fabulous materials that they want it at home now as well. It has literally sparked "bed wars" between hotel chains (good for US!).

I did some research on how to outline the steps needed to recreate a luxury bed. As an avid runner (hence i need SLEEP) and also designer, I can tell you from experience that the "heavenly bed" is indeed heavenly. Unfortunately, it means ponying up- at the very least- $2570 for this bed ensemble. That would include the $1300 bed and boxspring and then about $1200 or so for the luxury percale bedding. Makes that $120 per night hotel room suddenly feel like a bargain!!

You can try to obtain this bed at a bargain-and here is what i think:

1) Pay attention the percale. Shop for at least 300-400 percale sheets. Try overstock.com for great deals.

2) Get a fluffy mattress pad to boost your comfort level (unless you are allergic to feather down). The key to a successful hotel style bed is more the first layer than the last. With a fitted mattress pad, your bed will start to take shape.

3) Choose comfort wisely. Although hotel-chic is usually a crisp white, I say go get what you love! Color or not, choose fluffier comforters with sleek lines. And paint colors like White Dove by Benjamin Moore to complement almost any monochromatic scheme.

4) Prevent pillow overload. Although hotels overload to make the bed seem more inviting, its a pain to have to go through the ritual of throwing pillows on the floor before bedtime. You can invest that extra money into two or three (for a king size bed) super luxurious ones.

) Realize your bed will probably never be as perfect as a hotel's. This is because we don't have housekeepers, we have kids or we have pets. Just make it everyday. A made bed always awaits you at a hotel and isnt that the best part??

Live Large In Small Spaces

Did you ever try to obtain design ideas from decorating magazines or paint company websites? Ever notice how the showcase rooms are always unrealistally large, unique, architecturally detailed and nothing like what most people live in? Yeah- me, too.

As a designer, I can tell you that most people have the same simple, rectangular, odd-placed-window, standard type rooms. We dont have niches, built-ins, ready-made window seats and trey ceilings. So, what I want to talk about is how my in-the-field-design tricks can help to make smaller, standard rooms appear larger and more designer-esque.

First, think BIG. Instead of filling a small room with lots of little pieces, opt for overscale furnishings and accessories to cut down on clutter and make the room feel more spacious.

Second, go monochromatic. When color is spread throughout a room, the eye doesn't suddenly stop and get stuck on something. You want the eye to flow around a room so it seems larger.

Third, use color on the ceiling. Paint it a shade or two lighter than your walls so the eye won't immediately recognize where the walls stop and the ceilings begins.

Last, think of the room as a stage show. There are stars and supporting actors. To avoid fussiness that can crowd a small space, choose just one star for each wall. A large picture that is proportionate to its wall is all that may be needed to accomplish drama and make a small space look larger than it may actually be.

Spread The Love...

So you've decided to make the fabulous decision to use Benjamin Moore's Aura paint- good deal. BUT because of the water borne colorant systems and the faster dry time, Aura has specific application techniques. So lets talk about the proper way to do that.

Cutting In:
*Use the same brushing techniques as you would for any low-VOC compliant interior coating. *Try using a firm polyester/nylon brush for best results.
*Since Aura dries faster than other acrylic paint, move around the room as fast as you feel comfortable, keeping a wet edge.
*Visible lap marks can occur when the wet edge has set or dried prior to coating the immediately adjacent area.

Rolling:
*Try using the Benjamin Moore Aura shed-resistant, 3/8" nap roller cover for best results.
*Work quickly. Roll out vertical sections in 3 or 4 foot widths.
*If you see that you missed a spotand the paint is already setting up, allow it to dry completely before touching up that area.
* Allow the first coat to dry completely (about one hour)before applying a second coat-if necessary.

Follow these simple steps and you will have a beautifully painted Aura surface. Have fun!