Boutique Hotel Bedroom Trends

Looking back at sofa.com’s favourite projects of 2023, it’s clear that boutique hotels are no longer simple nor quaint. We’ve worked with designers who are looking to bring the boutique hotel into modernity, and this starts with a reconsideration of what it is that makes a hotel welcoming, and how hotels can keep comfort and function as a top priority yet experiment more with colour and personality, creating a home away from home for guests.

One of the largest projects our dedicated trade team have worked on has been to furnish 9 bedrooms in a new luxury hotel in Ibiza. Perfectly pitched between boutique and mid-sized, Pikes is a project which showcases personality, textural interest and great use of materials. An infusion of colour with beautifully bright upholstered beds and complementary artwork creates an ambient and welcoming environment. Lucinda Swayne, interior designer on the project, comments, “During the renovation, it was vital that the quirky elements were retained to preserve the identity of the hotel. Within the redesign we have created eclectic comfortable rooms with a unique feel, coupled with micro-attention to functionality, so that guests will never want to leave”.

This focus on functionality comes down to vital design choices: bed size and placement, extra surfaces and storage, and lighting decisions.

A perfectly placed bed should leave ample space on each side, ideally enough for the essential bedside table. While beds are ideally placed centrally within the room, this can be a struggle within smaller spaces, when it comes to allow for storage on both sides. Working with designers at Rendall & Wright on a project in Norfolk, our nifty solution was to incorporate a storage ottoman at the foot of the bed, providing both a place to perch and somewhere to stow away personal effects.

Comfort is paramount, with almost all the designers we work with opting for king size beds, as the ultimate requirement for a great overnight stay, is comfort. The main goal is to ensure each guest has the best night’s sleep. Returning customers is the greatest compliment a hotel can receive, and the comfort levels will heavily influence the reputation of a great hotel.

Lucinda comments that a bedroom should be “a comforting space that provides guests with somewhere they never want to leave. Top of the list is by far a comfortable and statement bed.” For the ultimate in indulgence, beds with velvet headboards are a winner – not only do they look luxurious, but they are also beautifully soft and tactile.

Once comfort levels have been established, lighting is the next crucial element, and should be one of the first things considered. Where is the bed going to be placed? You’ll need bedside lamps or wall lights on a separate circuit to allow for adjustable light levels, and true comfort means not leaving your bed to turn off a light switch. Although inherently practical, lighting is another aspect of the room design that can be a vehicle for introducing colour or pattern.

Very much dispelling the reputation of being twee, it’s clear that smaller hotels are going through somewhat of a design shift. A well thought through and exquisitely executed delivery on all the non-negotiables of a dream hotel stay promises a luxurious escape form day-to-day life.

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