apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I found an image of the Grace sofa (C&B no longer has that item).
http://www.thisnext.com/item/4DD3362B/Grace-Sofa

I think the color works well with darker shades of olive green and also with beige and cream colors or go with different shades of olive and black.

The most important thing would be the bed.
You need with get a high headboard or something to call attention to the area where the headboard would be like a painting or fabric or hanging art (just not a mirror).
These headboards are nice:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1011&f=24471
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1011&f=24477
And decorate the bed with lots of pillows.

At the foot of your bed a bench would be great!

Ikea has a table/desk with legs similar to the one pictured at that boutique hotel.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39843735

Spectacular renovation on the Hotel Cass! This is going to be a beautiful hotel.

Quite a transformation.

forgive my ignorance but, I've seen many postings like this here and elsewhere and, I'm just baffled by why anyone would want to live with a "hotel" look... most hotels are impersonal at best, utilitarian (easy for the staff to clean up) and a bit pedestrian since they need to appeal to a wide audience....
this is your HOME, make it YOURS.
if, by hotel you mean crisp clean lines and uncluttered, well then, refrain from buying too many accessories and tchotchkes and stay away from most antiques....
otherwise, I say let your imagination free....
look thru magazines for pictures of rooms that "call to you" and put them in a folder...soon you'll see some patterns emerging...
paint/color is the best place to start since it sets the mood... moody and sexy? (try wenge colored walls)
warm and invitng? (think spice colors like paprika and curry)
cool and aloof? (warm gray or steel blue for example)
austere? serene? energetic?
the good news is that your neutral couch works well with any look, really. (which is why I think it's wise to invest in large pieces with simple lines; they can be made to look modern or not, depending on how you dress the rest of the space.)
above all, have fun and let your personality come out.

I agree. It's your home, make it yours! I'm shocked when people don't decorate beyond the usual lamps and chairs, and downright sad when people say, "We wanted to do ____ but worried about the resale value." It's YOURS. Make it yours!

Style is style. If you want to go for a boutique hotel look, then maybe that suits your personality so you should go for it.

Boutique hotels have a tendency to use great upscale fixtures, they are smartly appointed which makes great sense for a small place, they use great linens, they often have nice pieces of art and they are always clean. How can you go wrong? Yes, some people have their own ideas of style and like to mix and match furniture and like to create "homier" or more lived-in environments but that may not be you.

A young friend of mine who was just starting out in the real world (pharmaceutical sales) had found himself with a hefty salary and a big house in need of decorating. He hired a decorator and handed her the pages out of a pottery barn catalog and told her that he wanted to decorate his house like those pages. Exactly like the pages. So his house became an exact replica of the pages of that catalog. That's what he wanted, it looks pretty and he can concentrate on other things.

So I would suggest popping into some of these boutique hotels and making mental notes of everything you see. In River North you've got the James Hotel which comes from New York and the previously mentioned Cass which has undergone an impressive renovation as well as many others. If you really wanted to dig deep you could ask to see the rooms but you can get so many ideas from the lobbies, lounges and bathrooms on the main floor. You can even grab brochures which could serve as color ideas for your own space. That sofa is a great start to achieving the look you are going for. Picture it with some of the color schemes you see in hotels around you.

You've only been living in your space for 3 months. You've got time to look around and really capture the look you are going for. With a studio, the size really works in your favor because it is easy to visualize a plan for the whole space and not feel overwhelmed. Then once you've got a plan you can make a list and knock everything out piece by piece. If it seems like too much to handle, there have been a lot of comments on this site about hiring a designer for an hour or two to help take your ideas and draw up a good plan of attack.

Sorry,

Things to look for:

Furniture, including, chairs, tables, stools;

Carpet patterns and textures which could be translated into rugs;

Lights, including. hanging pendants, sconces, lamps;

In the bathroom look for cool faucets, sinks and tile;

The great thing about boutique hotels is that they often have great restaurants so look to them for ideas as well;

On the tables look for silverware patterns, glasses, china, floral arrangements.

I love the dry-stacked fieldstone and the tall grass that you will find at Custom House http://www.customhouse.cc/team_rc.html restaurant in the Hotel Blake http://www.hotelblake.com/mingle/dining.html.

"Design hotels" is a broad category. The Viceroy in Santa Monica is nothing like The Hempel in London or The Mercer in New York. And then, of course, there are the designer hotel chains like W. So, the first job is too narrow the look to a "design hotel" look you like. Don't buy anything until you have a fully realized plan in front of you. Floors, furniture, fabric, paint, window coverings - you should sort all of these out before putting down your mastercard. One of the things that give these hotels visual impact is that the execution is not haphazard. Once you have a plan, buy in 3 waves. Some things may not work as you quite hoped, and buying in 3 waves gives you a chance to adapt your choices in each subsequent purchase.

I say, purchase the Apartment Therapy book, read it, and join the fall cure, starting next week!!! Maxwell, his book and the group will lead you through creating a home you love.....As chris said above, step one is browsing magazines and online to create a style tray, upload your style tray images and your before pictures to a flickr account and tag it and you're ready to begin...I, for one, am soooo ready for this cure to begin!

I mounted my clipped images as collages on large square pieces of black cardstock by room. And I also found many of the same images (mostly from Domino) were online and I could just upload them without having to scan them in.

When I think of boutique hotels, I tend to remember the luxurious fabrics and finishes, and the lack of clutter.

Seconding the recommendation for buying the AT book and doing the Cure - it's a great way to work out what you want with a bunch of people to bounce ideas off.

hi everyone,
just to let you know we'll be doing our own AT Cure here in chicago this time around! We'll be starting after Labor Day so keep an eye out for info.

Not too long ago I posted about a great Desk/Table on my website, the Piu Desk.

As for colours, that's got to be your call. Since There isn't a photo of your dark green counter top I'll just offer up two interesting colours for your accent wall:

http://www.colourlovers.com/color/FAD5D9/Candy_Pink
http://www.colourlovers.com/color/998C9C/bruised_cheek

I'd go for a stark white apartment and use an accent colour on ONE wall only. Perhaps in the bathroom as well, again on a single wall or fabric (like a rug or shower curtain).

Good luck!
Pete.

I've been looking for a table/stand like the one in the photo the laptop rests on.

Any ideas where to find one?

Thanks!

Hello,
I love the simplicity of a boutique hotel look.
The table pictured reminds me of this great catalog called Brocade Home.

They have antique style furniture with modern lines.
http://www.brocadehome.com/bh/index.jsp
You should order a catalog, it will inspire you.

Good luck!!