How to style your spaces like an extravagant hotel
Check out (or check into) some of the world’s most sumptuous stays, each one packed with five-star style you can bring home.
The Clifton, Virginia
The Clifton, a manor-house hotel in Virginia in the US, serves up elegant, old-world interiors – and classic cocktails to match.
Design notes
Lush banquette seating, a glossy quartz bar and gleaming copper accents are highlights here. Originally built in 1799, this historic estate-turned-hotel in America’s mid-Atlantic countryside opened this year, a smart, stylistic mash-up of provincial and plush, and nowhere do the interiors shine more than in the moody hotel bar. Visit: the-clifton.com.
Ideas to steal
Glam your kitchen up with Art Deco bar stools, paint a brilliant blue feature wall and then set it off with a pop of yellow velvet, or channel speakeasy-style with dark timber detailing. Feeling bold? Do it all at once.
Shop the look
Kenneth Dahl ‘Tomas’ dining chair, $295, Matt Blatt. | Mobile’ pendant, $295/small, West Elm. | ‘Marian’ gold-leaf mirror, $895, James Said. | Counter stool, $1615, James Said.
El Fenn, Marrakech
Design notes
Dreamy aquamarine and green define this alfresco pocket in Vanessa Branson’s Moroccan riad, featuring a plunge pool framed by ageold architecture. “We wanted to create a sense of staying at someone’s private home,” says general manager Willem Smit, also the visionary behind the hotel’s recent facelift. Visit: el-fenn.com.
Ideas to steal
Conjure Moroccan magic with gorgeous graphic tiles (always check the slip rating), comfy cushions and candle-lit lanterns. Or, for some serious escapism, add an outdoor shower rendered in burnished brass.
Shop the look
Kilim cushion, $120, Kasbah Imports. | ‘Bilgola’ outdoor shower, $2800, Brooklyn Copper Co. | ‘Hexa’ bone inlay side table, $599, Zohi Interiors.
Pure House, Ibiza
Design notes
It may have a reputation as a party capital, but the Balearic island of Ibiza is also home to a thriving bohemian interiors scene. Spanish finca Pure House nails the ‘haute hippie’ look with white-on-white furniture, earthy textures and a pair of hanging chairs. Just the spot to sip sundowners. Visit: purehouseibiza.com.
Ideas to steal
Think sandy white shores and lush greenery to define your palette. Then, “It’s about contrast,” says Sophie Thé, creative stylist for Sydney hospitality empire Merivale. “The white floor and furniture feels sophisticated against the organic materials.” Remember, this is an outdoor room, so style with the care and flair you would your indoor living zone.
Shop the look
‘Airlie’ outdoor 3-seater sofa, $1499, Brosa. | Rattan pendant light, $407, Bisque Traders | ‘Bower’ hanging chairs, $999 each, Naturally Cane.
The Parker, Palm Springs
Design notes
In the ’50s, Hollywood starlets flocked to their modernist holiday homes in the Californian desert; today they check into The Parker. Recently refurbished by doyen of eccentric glamour Jonathan Adler, the hotel’s a hotbed of colour and creativity, as seen in this striking sleep space. Visit: theparkerpalmsprings.com.
Ideas to steal
Pop hues and pattern are paramount: shots of red, cobalt and chevron mix with mid-century shapes and quirky art. In Jonathan’s words, it’s about creating “cheeky, hedonistic luxury” (accessorise with a few of his own designs, available from Coco Republic).
Shop the look
‘Juliette’ armchair, $449, Zanui. | ‘Clover’ lamp, $375, Bloom & Co. | Jonathan Adler ‘Dora Maar’ vase, $465, Coco Republic. | Moroccan pouf, $110, Kenyon Trading. | ‘Adelina’ queen bed, $4400, MCM House.
