How to Make Your Home Feel Like a Luxury Hotel, According to Interior Designers and Hoteliers

Estimated read time9 min read

I’m always drawn to a well-curated hotel interior, especially when it balances comfort with great design. After a quick check of the bed, I start noticing the details that make a space feel special, inviting, and somewhere you truly want to linger. From distinctive color palettes and original art to soft, ambient lighting, quality bedding, and curated furnishings, it’s those considered touches that truly make all the difference and ultimately determine whether I’ll return.

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I’ve always wanted to recreate that same hotel-like feeling at home: a space where I can take a breath the moment I walk in and feel calm, collected, and completely at ease—just as I do when I check in on vacation. And I know I’m not alone. It’s a question I hear often—how to truly elevate a space—and one I’ve been exploring myself. What I’ve come to realize is that creating a refined environment goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about how a room makes you feel the moment you enter.

Unforgettable interiors aren’t thrown together; they’re thoughtfully curated. From London-based designers known for richly layered, whimsical spaces to nature-driven retreats in the Catskills and opulent city hotels that define five-star indulgence, each tells its own story. Curious about how these designers and hoteliers create such immersive atmospheres, I set out to uncover the secrets behind their approach.

Ahead, find plenty of inspiration for your next elevated home upgrade.


Layered Living


Nicola Harding & Co., London, England

cozy bedroom with colorful decor

Courtesy of Nicola Harding & Co.

Cozy bedroom with an armchair and lamp.

Courtesy of Nicola Harding & Co.

London-based designer Nicola Harding, founder of Nicola Harding & Co. and co-founder of her homewares company NiX, has a remarkable talent for curating spaces that feel both magical and deeply livable. Her interiors are full of personality—featuring plush, layered textiles, bold wallpapers, and playful touches like retro lamps and eclectic wall galleries. Each room is teeming with character, as if you’re stepping into a new adventure.

Clients are drawn to Harding for her ability to blur the line between hotel and home. “They want a place that feels warmer—more personal and domestic—than you might imagine a hotel to be,” she says. Creating that inviting feel in a guest room requires careful consideration, especially when it comes to lighting and color palettes. “Lighting is always fundamental to creating a sumptuous atmosphere that spells luxury. I avoid overhead lighting and make spotlights an absolute last resort,” Harding notes.

Cozy bedroom corner with a desk and chair.

Courtesy of Nicola Harding & Co.

Sconces and dimmable lamps offer an easy, stylish way to create a soft glow, while layering adds depth: “Layers of lighting—table, floor, and wall lights with different types of shades—some that glow and some that direct sharp pools of light where you want to draw the eye articulate features in the room—be it a place to sit, a gorgeous fabric or a delicious piece of art.”

When translating that boutique sensibility into the home, Harding points to lighting as one of the most transformative tools. To bring warmth and romance into a room, she suggests, “Combine articulated wall lights on either side of the bed (they pack a practical punch of light which is both useful to read by and to cast an intense but inviting glow on the bed itself) with table lamps on the bedside tables to cast a more ambient glow.” It’s no surprise, then, that lighting plays a starring role in her homewares label NiX. “Our own lighting collection was in part conceived because we needed to create pieces that we could draw on for our hotel designs.”

And for that final flourish? “A four-poster bed also helps! Always adding drama and a clear signal of something special.”

The Curator’s Interior


Eastwind Hotels: Oliverea Valley, Windham, Lake Placid

earthy hotel room interior with plush accent chair, wooden dresser. photographs by lawrence braun

Courtesy of Eastwind Hotels

Lake Placid, Eastwind Hotels

cozy interior of a wooden room with furniture

Courtesy of Eastwind Hotels

Oliverea Valley, Eastwind Hotels

In upstate New York, Eastwind offers three quietly transportive retreats designed as an antidote to city life, each rooted in its surrounding landscape yet unified by a distinctly personal design ethos. Oliverea Valley, tucked deep in the Catskills, is a boutique escape where well-curated cabins with stylish interiors are scattered across a lush mountainside, inviting guests to slow down and settle in. Nearby, Windham continues that sense of calm with guest rooms that blend Scandinavian design, vintage finds, and sleek modern finishes. Further north, Lake Placid sits in the heart of its namesake historic town, a reimagined motor lodge complete with a cool bar, lounge, and enchanting vintage library.

For Julija Stoliarova, creative director and co-founder of Eastwind Hotels, each property reflects a distinct chapter in her life and creative evolution. “All of our projects are different from one another, as each reflects where I was in life at the time I was working on it. I think Eastwind Lake Placid is my favorite because every hotel room is unique. Each space is thoughtfully designed and carefully crafted to make guests feel at home, while still offering that extra touch of luxury.”

Modern bedroom with a large window overlooking a snowy landscape.

Courtesy of Eastwind Hotels

Oliverea Valley, Eastwind Hotels

That sense of individuality is central to Eastwind’s design language. Rather than adhering to a rigid aesthetic, Stoliarova leans into curation and character, building interiors that feel collected over time. “It is part of who Eastwind Hotels are. When designing our spaces, I have always focused on finding special pieces that add character and soul, one of the reasons I love using vintage furniture and decorative objects. I prefer something unique that feels curated rather than copied, which is at the heart of our design philosophy.”

Across all three properties, luxury is expressed less through excess and more through atmosphere—particularly a close connection to the outdoors. “Luxury, to me, is about being close to nature. I try to bring that feeling into every room. At Eastwind Oliverea Valley, many of the hotel rooms and cabins are designed with large windows and quiet seating nooks—places where you can read, enjoy breakfast, or simply watch birds and listen to the wind or rain. I love incorporating vintage books on nature, gardening, and travel, adding a sense of history and connection to the outdoors.”

Stoliarova’s approach to creating that curated feel in your own space is both practical and intentional. “I would say bedding (we use Frette), bathroom amenities (we use Zenology) and definitely layered lighting (sconces, table lamps, and floor lamps are great).”

Parisian Elegance


Baccarat Hotel, New York

Sculptural head on a table in a hotel room

baccarathotels.com

Elegant bar interior with chandeliers and a display of bottles.

Courtesy of Baccarat

When I think of Baccarat, I think of opulence—and that unmistakable shade of red. The French crystal Maison, with more than 250 years of craftsmanship, has long been synonymous with exceptional design, from sparkling glassware to statement chandeliers. But its New York hotel—recognized as a One-Key property in the 2025 Michelin Guide—translates that heritage into an immersive lifestyle experience.

Inside, 114 guest rooms and suites feel like sanctuaries, layered with crystal accents and the brand’s signature crimson hue. According to general manager Israel Benyair, who notes the hotel opened in 2015, the project was an opportunity to expand Baccarat’s legacy beyond objects and into atmosphere. “The interiors pay tribute to a refined, elegant aesthetic of 18th-century France while incorporating the feeling of a glamorous, private, and welcoming 21st-century home,” he says.

That balance is evident throughout, from the interplay of dark wood and marble to the glow of polished metallic finishes. “The presence of Baccarat crystal also contributes to the hotel’s design aesthetic, with bespoke pieces from its over 250-year history, 17 custom-designed Baccarat chandeliers, and a kaleidoscope of more than 15,000 pieces of mixed-and-matched Baccarat crystal stemware on display throughout the hotel.”

Interior of a stylish restaurant featuring framed artwork and a doorway leading to another area.

Courtesy of Baccarat

The use of lighting is fundamental to the design narrative. “Included in the hotel’s design vision was to produce something that glowed and shimmered but was still functional and not overly formal,” Benyair explains. Color plays an equally important role, particularly Baccarat red, layered against softer champagne tones and deeper, moodier finishes.

Ultimately, it’s the details that set the experience apart. As Benyair notes, touches like a “button marked ‘Champagne’” elevate the stay into something unforgettable—proof that true luxury lies not just in how a space looks, but in how you interact with it.

Nature-Led Design


Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection, New York

Cozy bedroom featuring a four-poster bed, decorative elements, and warm wooden tones.

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection

Cozy bar area with a wooden interior and seating.

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection

In the Hudson Valley town of Gardiner, Wildflower Farms offers a quietly immersive escape, where 65 freestanding cabins and cottages invite guests to slow down and reconnect with nature. Interiors feel grounded yet elevated through thoughtful materials, layered furnishings and distinctive decor. Designed by Ward + Gray founders Christie Ward and Staver Gray, the hotel reads as carefully curated rather than conventionally styled.

For the duo, the project was defined by creative freedom and a deep engagement with the surrounding landscape. “From the outset, we were driven by the idea of creating interiors that felt collected over time rather than designed all at once, spaces rich with pattern, texture, and material that would distinguish the property from the more minimal or rustic hotel offerings often found in the region. Our favorite part of the design process was creating a hotel that feels inseparable from its surroundings: warm, welcoming, and textural, with a sense of soul that could only exist in this specific landscape.”

Modern living room with a view of the outdoors

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection

That idea of drawing inspiration from nature also informs their broader design language. “We always look to research the local landscape or architect to inform our design story for every hotel project we embark on. For Wildflower Farms, the surrounding landscape became our primary point of reference. We studied the changing colors of each season, the deep greens of the grassy areas, and the warm, earthy hues that appear at dusk. These observations informed a palette that was both grounded and bold, allowing us to introduce unique color stories throughout the cabins and public spaces.”

In the guest rooms, luxury is defined through comfort and detail. As co-owner Kristin Soong Rapoport notes, “Hotel bedding is a wonderful luxury for your home. Auberge designed a collection of private-label sheets, one of the only brand standards in the entire collection. They are 400 thread count, 100 percent long-stapled fine cotton. The sheets and pillows have a gorgeous exaggerated 1.5” French seam. They have a cooling sateen weave and finish. The duvet is never tucked in. It drapes cleanly over the bed.”

To channel that same hospitality-forward approach, Rapoport suggests incorporating practical, elevated touches. “A great hotel room always has a comfortable place to set down and unpack your suitcase. A luggage rack or an upholstered bench at the foot of the bed are touches that make coming home that much more comfortable for frequent travelers. Antique and vintage objects that fill all the right nooks at a hotel will also add character to your home… Attention to toiletries is another signature hotel amenity. Finding a piece of lidded studio pottery for your bath salts or cotton will make your bathroom feel like a spa.”

One-of-a-Kind Charm


Hotel Lilien, Tannersville, New York

Modern living room with a sofa, table, and wall decorations.

Hotel Lilien

Hotel lounge with rocking chair

Hotel Lilien

Set in New York’s Catskill Mountains, Hotel Lilien is a cozy, 22-room boutique retreat defined by nostalgic, understated charm. Its guest rooms are peaceful and uncluttered, offering a calm space to unwind. In contrast, the cocktail bar, lounge, and library reveal a richer, more eclectic atmosphere, layered with vintage furniture, warm wood tones, and tactile details that deepen the hotel’s inviting, intimate feel.

Behind the hotel’s distinctive design personality is Leah Harmatz, founder of Field Theory Design, the San Francisco–based firm responsible for Hotel Lilien. Harmatz explains that one of her favorite aspects of the project was the opportunity to shape a fully immersive guest experience through design. “It has such an amazing history and rich architectural bones; we were able to create this full sensory feeling for guests to be transported into another space and time, that still feels fully modern and present,” she states.

Cozy bedroom with a bed, window, and a dresser.

Hotel Lilien

Guests are encouraged to slow down here, with design playing a central role. Harmatz aimed to give the rooms a quiet, grounding presence through a thoughtful focus on materials. “Our design signature in the hospitality space is creating a world that is deeply rooted in its surroundings and history. We craft an experience for guests that can only happen in this particular place and environment,” she says. To bring this vision to life, furnishings were sourced locally and with care. “We source local vintage and antiques that feel as if they have been thoughtfully collected over time, layered with more modern lighting and art to keep spaces feeling fresh. Each room has a quiet presence that feels as if it has always been there.”

To emulate this sense of calm, incorporate natural materials—like a jute or sisal rug, a hemp lampshade, or wood with visible grain. And while focusing on the decorative details is tempting, prioritize the essentials. “I think the design elements that contribute more to a true sense of luxury and relaxation are the basic, unglamorous elements,” Harmatz states. “The high-quality bedding and mattresses were non-negotiables—we could have the most amazing art collection on the walls, but those fundamentals need to be there for true relaxation.” Opt for plush, comfortable bedding and ambient lighting to bring that considered, luxe feeling home, then layer in decorative elements thoughtfully over time.


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