Decorating A Studio Like A Hotel Room

Cheap Ways to Make Your Bedroom Feel Like a High-End Hotel

SaveComments

Dropping your luggage off in a luxurious space and belly flopping onto a crisp bed after a long day is one of the most satisfying life experiences (next to having children and watching videos of people frost cakes, of course). High end hotels know how to make you feel your best and send you on your way refreshed the next day. If you can't afford to spend every night in a swanky hotel, why not bring that sweet satisfaction to your very own bedroom? These eight budget-friendly tips can transform any bedroom into a Four Seasons experience.

1. Clear the Clutter

First things first (before you do anything), clear out the clutter. Like, everything. We're talking KonMari on steroids. What makes most hotel rooms so peaceful is the fact that there is nothing in them—especially personal items. All that stuff just clogs your subconscious while you try to sleep. Dirty laundry, piles of loose change, half empty glasses of water that have collected a layer of fuzzy floaties from the air. Get. It. Out. If you can't find a spot for these things outside of your room, you don't need them. Just kidding. If you must keep certain unsightly things in your bedroom, hide them away completely out of sight (and in an organized manner, of course).

2. Minimize Your Pillows

While there are a few high end hotels that lay it on thick with the pillows, far-and-wide the hotel pillow situation is minimal and relegated to only those needed while sleeping. A clean stack looks much more inviting than a heap that needs to be cleared off before bed (when you're most tired). If your bed still looks too bare after you have cleared it off, throw in one decorative throw pillow in the center. A lumbar pillow is a great choice as it takes up a little more horizontal real estate.

3. Tuck Your Bedding

Tucking in your bed all the way around is the ultimate move in tidy bedroom habits. With no loose pieces grazing the floor, or getting tangled up in each other, you will sleep easier. If you're the type who feels claustrophobic in a tucked-in bed, refer to #7. If you're the type who likes to do things right, here is a deeply satisfying video on how to make hospital corners from Crane & Canopy.

4. Have a Reading Nook

Most hotel rooms are just one room, meaning they have to multi-task—hence the reading nook/desk/conversation area. While a reading nook may seem counterintuitive to #1 (clearing the clutter), it doesn't have to be. When done right, a bedroom reading nook adds warmth, not clutter. Use a table with a drawer to tuck away your reading materials to keep things tidy.

(Image credit: Winkie Visser)

5. Add Blackout Window Treatments

If you're a creature of habit, sleeping in a new place is hard. There are multiple studies that prove light affects your quality of sleep, so using blackout window treatments are an essential step in increasing quality zzzzs. Any good hotel will have this covered. For that luxury look in your own bedroom, opt for a floor-to-ceiling curtain in linen, silk, or velvet. If there are no affordable light-blocking options in these fabrics, buy the best you can afford and clip on some blackout liners, like these GLANSNÄVA liners from IKEA.

(Image credit: Anna Spaller)

6. Install Easily Accessible Bedside Light Switches

No one wants to have to get out from under the covers to turn off the light before falling asleep. Any good hotel (and even the bad ones) know that light switches need to be within arm's length of the bed. If your lights are controlled by a switch that's too far to flip from the bed, consider getting some small bedside lamps or sconces.

(Image credit: Julia Steele)

7. Actually Prepare for Bedtime

For what? For the smoothest bedtime transition of your life, that's what. Take some time an hour or two before you go to bed to prep your space and make sure it's feeling serene. Pick up any loose items or dirty laundry, turn on your bedside lamps, and even spray some calming room spray on your pillow. Untuck the top half of your sheets and fold the top over, then loosen up the bottom half just enough for you to slide in. For those who hate being tucked in, try untucking everything but the corners and the bottom. Maintaining a slight tuck towards the bottom will help keep the blankets in place throughout the night, giving you peace of mind.

Finish with a fresh Andes mint on each pillow (just kidding).

8. Get an Alarm Clock

It might seem archaic to have an alarm clock nowadays, but our smartphones carry a lot of mental clutter. Having yours nearby not only makes you feel like you're on-call, but it may tempt you to mindlessly scroll while you should be sleeping. If having it nearby gives you a sense of security, or you have a bedtime app or alarm you can't do without, opt for a docking station that encourages you to put your phone to bed.

The common thread here is to keep your room a clutter-free, calming space that is conducive to the best sleep possible. Follow these tips, and you may just choose a staycation over a jet-setting getaway.

Jessica Isaac

Contributor

Jess is an interior and architectural photographer based in Los Angeles. While she has the honor of peeking inside designer homes on a regular basis, she loves real homes designed by real people most of all.

SaveComments