Luxury Hotel Aesthetic In Your Home

We know you love to zhuzh up your spare rooms to create a glam hotel-style retreat for visiting friends... but why should they be the sole recipients of your generosity? Let’s love ourselves enough to extend that same generosity to ourselves when designing the rest of the house. We’re all deserving of a little glamour and a soupçon of splendour. Let’s put a  choccie on our own pillows and then be delighted when we encounter it at bedtime. Bathe our bathrooms in flickering candlelight and enchant ourselves. Because, as a famous beauty brand so encouragingly suggests, and has reinforced for over 50 years... “you’re worth it’. So why are we fiercely backing the reinforcement of someone else’s slogan? Because we believe your interior design and décor is as much a definition of who you are as your lipstick choice is. Perhaps even more so.  

The Luxury Hotel Aesthetic. 

This is the megatrend that has been captivating discerning tastemakers for some time. So what is the hype all about? Above all, it’s about creating a deeply indulgent sanctuary experience. An escape into ultimate comfort that rivals the chicest 5-star hotel suite. “Know your worth”, and “don’t settle for less”. “Stop making yourself small”, “show up for yourself” and “live out loud” ... motivational fragments encouraging self-care are no doubt punctuating your social media feed. Hospitality at Home is an extension of this movement and we’re seeing the rise of: 

*high-end home bars, 

*luxury bush retreat-style outdoor dining areas, 

*private home gym and meditation spaces, and wellness rooms,  

*boutique-hotel-inspired bedrooms with ultra-plush finishes, and 

*the deluxe spa-style bathroom sanctuary. 

Yes, we celebrate the luxury boudoir. And the chic cocktail enclave (mix us a dirty martini, per favore). And the thoughtful space for yoga. And the Sabi Sabi-inspired outdoor dining area. But we’re here today to advocate for a hotel-style ensuite with Four Seasons flair. Put yourself first and open your bathroom door to the Luxury Hotel Aesthetic. Elevate your everyday bath and shower time and make them memorable experiences by reimagining your bathroom as a refined cocoon, inspired by the timeless allure of a 5-star luxury hotel stay. 

#HowToStyle  

Create an atmosphere of serenity with a subtle, calming colour palette, then layer it up with plush textures, an abundance of comfort, endless fluffy towels warmed to perfection, bespoke craftsmanship, effortless functionality, mood lighting, glamorous glints of gold, in a spa-style sanctuary that whispers “you deserve this”.  

With a little help from Italtile’s signature ranges of deluxe porcelain slabs and tiles, swoon-worthy tapware (both gilded and mirror dark, depending upon your preference) and luxury sanitaryware (together with our design-certified guidance), your ensuite can get that *chef’s kiss* touch that entices you to linger longer and really soak up that luxury experience. A space where you’ve intentionally cultivated a sense of curated calm and indulgence. A deeply private place in which to unwind and feel the stresses of the day evaporate.  

Here's how we’d do it, with a wink to high-end design and a nod to sustainability (because beauty should look good and feel good, too). 

Sophisticated and Serene. 

Picture this: a clutter-free haven with superb storage solutions where minimalism meets seamless expanses of soul-warming luxe. Gilded finishes glinting in the unobtrusive lighting. An exotic fragrance (are we sensing oudh?) wafting from a reed diffuser, or perhaps a delicious, honeyed warmth from a cluster of artisanal beeswax candles. A soothing colour palette. The Luxury Hotel Aesthetic thrives on a classic foundation palette of neutral, warm, monochromatic tones. Think gentle taupe, creamy whites, mushroom, greige, herbal greens and green-greys, silver, soft champagne and golden hues. Tone on tone. There may be a case for dusky pinks or pale blush.  

Of course, if you’re into the extreme glamour of New York’s Art Deco establishments, you might go for a little black magic, with midnight marbles, grounding charcoals and dark mirror finishes. But more of that later. 

Texture and Elegance. 

High-end porcelain tiles are candidates for both your base canvas and your accompanying layers. Cue Italtile’s exclusive new signature ranges of porcelain slabs that ooze sleek, understated sophistication, but still sneak in a smidge of much-needed, unapologetic glam. Four words for these gigantic dazzlers. Spec. tac. U. Lar. Perfect contenders for tile drenching – an effect created with the installation of bathroom tiles from floor to ceiling and cladding every surface. 

Fancy pale, luminous marble with rivers of gilded gorgeousness? That’s Italtile’s exclusive, eco-chic Lumiere Natural Rectified Satin Glazed Porcelain Slab 1200 x 2800. Seamless, sleek and serene with gleaming seams of gold veining. Satiny Spanish flair for days.

To channel that Art Deco Waldorf Astoria vibe, consider soaking your ensuite in the moody magic of Idalic Natural Pullido Rectified Polished Porcelain Tile 1200 x 2800. Our tall, dark and handsome hero standing by to save you from the jaws of ordinary. Elevate the inkiness with Italtile’s exclusive Tivoli Cavallino Dark Mirror Bathroom Tap Range and Axios Dark Mirror Accessories. (Our gilded taps and accessories will add an equally extravagant touch, as well.) 

A textured approach to décor adds tactile layers and dimensionality. Texture is your secret Luxury Hotel weapon. Still in the tile-drenching arena we touched on above, but venturing into biophilic style, there’s our unique new Signature Composition, curated exclusively for Italtile by Ceramica Sant’Agostino. A simply heavenly combination of three delicious greens created with two tile ranges: firstly, Star Marble Emerald Krystal and her sister tile Star Onyx Emerald Krystal, both 900 x 1800, taking marble into an imaginary universe of luminous and glittering nebulae; harmonising with the playful and charming Tetris Sage Luc. A brick-style subway format with 110 individual faces offering minimal graphic repetition. Layers, layers, layers of herbal greens. Wellsprings of wellness.  

The Signature Composition is a divine chorus of looks, offering so many stylistic opportunities, sold together at one package price. High-calorie colour with unashamedly full-fat indulgence. A touch more contemporary than the classic muted monochromatic luxury hotel-style colour selection... but no less lush. 

Maybe marble is not your thing? You may be yearning for that refined and understated English Manor House Hotel feel, all cut glass crystal chandeliers and richly grained, centuries-old English Oak. In which case, feast your eyes on our freshly unveiled Yorkwood Matt Glazed Rectified Porcelain Tile in a range of authentic oak tones, to create authentic organic warmth underfoot. And, while you’re about it, browse its harmonising décor tile dance partner, Yorkwood Décor Classic, both 01 and 02. Parquetry diagonals, with travertine “inlays”. All the texture. All the elegance. Dead posh. Standing by to take you to Bridgerton.  

On the topic of texture... while high-end porcelain tiles and slabs take centre stage, don’t forget the supporting cast of KitKat Tiles, Mosaic Tiles, and timelessly classy Subway Tiles (given a contemporary twist with a fascinating herringbone or chevron installation pattern.) 

No matter whether you’re a marble lover or a wood worshipper, gilded taps are the ultimate finishing touch. The sensuous and extravagant Tivoli Cavallino Brushed Gold Tap Range is your go-to here: literally the crown jewels of the bathroom. Accessorise with the subtle satiny finish of Italtile’s sleek Axios Matt Gold range, made to match. Remember, luxury lies in the details. 

Add more sleek appeal with sophisticated floating shelves, like our graceful Vision White Wall Hung Vanity, crafted in Spain. Very chic. Very functional. But also, with its eco-friendly profile, very mindful. 

Spa-like indulgence.  

We’ve gasped in awe at extraordinary home bathroom renovations that include adjoining saunas, detoxing Rasul Chambers, jetted baths and stress-busting steam rooms. But honestly? In our book, spa-style indulgence begins and ends with a revivifying rain shower or a long soak in a sumptuous freestanding bath. Italtile’s ode to tub time glorifies our exclusive Victoria & Albert freestanding bath collection. Blue blooded English supermodels... made right here in the R of SA. The ultimate status symbol of hotel luxury, to be found in deluxe bathrooms around the world. View our curated collection of V&A baths online to select the model that sings to you... but may we direct your gaze to the wondrous V&A Winsford Gloss White Freestanding Bath; a stunning masterpiece that seamlessly marries traditional charm (how cute are those delightfully retro ball and claw feet?), with a contemporary silhouette. The winsome Winsford is a luxurious, double-ended, roll-top bath, designed to offer a long and sumptuous soak. All thanks to ergonomic construction and the remarkable scratch resistance and heat retention of QUARRYCAST, a high-performance, durable volcanic limestone and resin material. Handcrafted and hand finished. The ultimate centrepiece for your sanctuary. 

Consider Designer Vessel Sinks to grace your countertop or floating vanity, which will enhance the feeling of spaciousness. Double Basins are a staple in luxury suites, perfect for loving couples. Look lovingly upon our exclusive LAUFEN sanware collections, created by award-winning designers. 

And now for the rain shower; simply the last word in immersive pampering. Browse our exclusive selection of 1005 Italian Almar Showers. In particular, the sleek Almar Smart Dual Function Showerhead 537 x 165 x 23 in stainless steel, with waterfall function and rain function. The best of both worlds. A super-sustainable and waterwise beauty, backed by a 10-year guarantee.  

Sophisticated and thoughtful mood lighting sets the scene. It’s an element so often overlooked but delivers instant atmosphere when thoughtfully installed. Keep it subtle, diffused and ambient, with a little extra illumination around the mirror areas. Consider hidden strip lighting. Stay away from ceiling spotlights. You want to be washed with gentle light across the walls, not struck by lightning. For a flattering evening glow, candles are your friends. Use generously to melt away the stress.  

Technology meets Comfort.