Hotel to Home: Introducing a New Thursday Series

Dear readers – As you know, I’ve let go of my 20 Below on Tuesdays and replaced it with Two for Tuesday. On Thursdays, I’m considering starting a hotel-to-home series.

As you may know, I love, love, love to travel, and I love staying in the best possible hotels that are friendly on my wallet. I love my real life, but I also like to escape it, and as soon as I enter an airport, get in the car for a drive, or walk through a hotel lobby, I always feel like I’m transported into another world. I will always make room for travel in my schedule and in my budget. (Yes, I know I over-used the word “love” here.)

Anyway, enough with the preamble. In this hotel-to-home series, I’m planning on first featuring a hotel, and then I’ll propose some ways to bring the same design feel into your home.

Let’s get right into it, shall we? Today, I’m taking you all the way to Portugal to the waterfront Farol Hotel.

farol_02_2Farol Hotel, Portugal

This Amor room is white-white-white, and the view looks to be quite spectacular. If you like this design, and would like to recreate it in your own home (with or without the view), here’s what you’ll need:

Inspired-by-Farol-hotel-White-Cabana

pendant light, chaise, Robert Indiana miniature LOVE sculpture, bed linens, console table, art print

What do you think about this series? Honestly, I’m not quite sure how it will work, but I imagine that if I do this for the remainder of 2016, I’ll be able to feature 30-40 hotels. So, if you know of one (high on the white/black/grey colour scheme) that I should feature, please let me know!

Design: Free Standing Bathtubs

I’m far off from my next bathroom renovation, but that won’t stop me from scouring the interweb in search of inspiration. Of late, I’ve had my eye on free-standing tubs, and this round-up – and their surroundings – are simply beautiful.

Gachot-Studios-bathtub

photo by Brittany Ambridge, interior design by Gachot Studios

stylowi_pl_wnetrza_588485

via Stylowl

terri-shannons-bathroom

designed by Jatana Interiors

tub-chatelaine

via Chatelaine

free-standing-tub

via Laura Quattro

bathrooms-modern-glamour

via Style at Home

victora-albert-free-standing-tub

The Crawford Hotel via Victoria & Albert

Two for Tuesday: Mirrored Backsplashes

Last week, I introduced the first post in my new Two for Tuesday series. It was a high/low feature (I love doing them!), so if you’re interested, click here.

Today, I’m sharing two gorgeous white kitchens that have a bit of sparkle. The backsplashes in each of these kitchens are mirrored and shiny and glam. Tiles were installed in a classic brick formation, but the size of the tiles differ.

Sth-Yarra-Kitchen-02Avia Desire to Inspire

w620_h800via Domino

The first kitchen, as you can see, mixes a lot of materials – wood floors, traditional wood table, and a bold copper light. All of these items magically work with the shiny silver backsplash.

The second kitchen has a slightly different look. The black counter and faucet are sleek and smooth, and the lighting is industrial. The tiles are small but mighty!

Design: The Buffalo Check Trend

What’s black and white and square all over? Buffalo check, of course! While the pattern does come in just about every colour, I’m obviously most drawn to the black/white/grey versions.

It seems like buffalo check just emerged on the design scene within days. Seemingly suddenly, I’m seeing this pattern on everything from chairs to table cloths to settees to clothing.

Buffalo check works with a lot of existing styles – traditional, modern, country, shabby chic – as you’ll see in the interiors below.

pancakes-pajamas-2016avia Rambling Renovators

buffalo-check-homevia Studio McGee

buffalo-check-chair-studio-mcgeevia Studio McGee

7754128ccb0e2c40f79d91872d0d0606via Steward of Design

main.original.640x0cvia My Domaine

buffalo-check-hunted-interior-makeovervia Hunted Interior

7130026_origvia Cottage Decor

5-600x890via Interiors by Studio M (that dog!)

MSI_5040via Mustard Seed

kitchen-427x640via Atlanta Homes

Now that you’ve seen some inspiring interiors, here’s a round-up of items available in the marketplace just in case you’d like to include some buffalo check into your own home (and wardrobe).

jackchairwindowpane_1518Jack chair, $1500, Schoolhouse Electric

36248219_018_b1Kimball check, $1598, Anthropologie

XXX_0055_1000219th C. classical carved American empire recaimier, $7500, 1st Dibs

berta-ruta-fabric-black__0137764_PE296491_S4Berta Ruta fabric, $9.99/metre, Ikea

Product_FRL12108_Image_1buffalo check tea towels, $33, One King’s Lane

882709236689_hibuffalo check throw, $34.99 (on sale), Chapters Indigo

36115822_018_gsweater, $119.99 (on sale), Urban Outfitters

John-Galliano-buffalo-check-dressJohn Galliano dress, $1850, 1st Dibs

eroad3000292855_q1_1-1._QL90_UX336_Emerson Road PJ set, $95

3564154064_2_3_1check shirt, $45.90, Zara

And for the men…

3894400064_2_5_1check flannel shirt, $19.99 (on sale), Zara

hmprodplaid sweater, $19.99 (on sale), H&M

hmprod-1check pajama pants, $14.99, H&M (hello!)

A nice way to end the post, eh? Yeah, you’re welcome. Happy Monday!

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