446: Stealing bedroom inspiration from 5-star hotels
And where to go for custom stainless steel work.
Welcome to Magasin Interiors. In a dedicated monthly send, Xavier Donnelly shares his latest on-the-ground intel, dives deep into a timely interiors topic, and pulls together a useful edit of resources from his vast network.
First up…
Designer and dealer Casey Smith launched his eponymous gallery this month in Tucson, Arizona, specializing in exquisitely curated furnishings and artwork spanning the past several centuries. The space is gorgeous—yet another bit of evidence that Tucson is becoming a high desert, high-taste city. Magasin readers will undoubtedly be familiar with Desert Vintage, which originated in Tucson; more recently, Jean Prounis (of Prounis) was telling me all about her annual pilgrimage to the Gem Show, a trade fair that is hosted in the city. I don’t mind leaking that Ash Hotels have also been seriously eying a potential property in town…
The Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory is open through this Sunday as an excellent weekend excursion for all those interested in antiquities. I was inspired by a 1940s plaster bas-relief by Austrian artist Vally Wieselthier (Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts), which is a craft I’m dying to engage with for an upcoming hotel project. Other highlights were a sculptural fireplace by Studio DB, woven Alexander Calder tapestries (Boccara Gallery), and one booth whose walls were entirely upholstered in olive green moire silk.
Speaking of green silk moire, I just bought 20 yards of the stuff from Schumacher, with which I plan to reupholster a slipcover bed. For anyone struggling with the enormous amount of fabric choice for upholstery/etc., I highly recommend scheduling a visit to the Schumacher showroom at the D&D building. The team is so helpful, the swatches efficiently organized, and you can spend as long as you need browsing the racks. Besides, it’s impossible to look at fabric online.
Symbol Audio, a company known for creating wooden furniture with integrated hi-fi audio systems, will open a new showroom on the Bowery next week, which I assume will showcase an expanded line of furnishings that move beyond audio tech.
How to bring the luxury hotel bedroom home
Like a great hotel room, your bedroom should feel like an escape of sorts—a pillowy, tranquil bubble, a quick holiday from the rest of the day. As with a proper vacation, I don’t want reality in my bedroom; reality makes it harder to get to sleep.
Of course, a fabulous hotel room involves certain luxuries that your own bedroom may not be able to deliver. Our own rooms require considerably more closet space, and twice daily housekeeping is certainly not my reality (to quote Megan Markle, “…yet”). There are also amenities we definitely don’t need at home, like a coffee machine or a mini-fridge (although now that I say it out loud… maybe I do need a little hidden fridge stocked with San Pel??)
I spend a fair amount of time thinking about (and staying in) hotel rooms, so I’m ever on the hunt for clever solutions and who’s doing what best, all in service of devising experiences that’ll feel transporting. I find that much of what makes a good hotel room feel so comfortable are the anticipatory details—conveniences and indulgences that make one feel taken care of. In this era of pervasive “self care,” why not try to turn our bedrooms into our own personal hotels? To that end, I’ve catalogued some lived and learned ideas to steal from the hospitality industry:
Everything must have its place.
Serenity = no clutter. This isn’t about simply having very few items around, but about how everything should have a dedicated place à la Marie Kondo.
There are big and small ways this plays out: The way you store your clothes is equally important for your ability to get smartly dressed each day as it is for keeping them off the floor. A friend once told me she “merchandises” her closet seasonally, basically advertising her own wardrobe to herself in an effort to keep the rotation constant and fresh. Genius!
For those not endowed with ample built-ins, I’m a fan of buying some of the simpler Ikea wardrobe systems and modifying with paint, hardware, and even some simple upholstery on the doors or interiors. Consider the small but mighty interventions: cable organizers for your nightstand, small boxes to contain things like everyday jewelry, remotes, and trays for items you want out but contained. I have an insatiable thirst for small boxes, so I’m happy to have an outlet here to share some finds:
Keep it soft underfoot
I’m a fan of the traditional English wall-to-wall carpeted bedroom (though maybe not extending into the bathroom…). There’s something restfully refined about a light, solid color carpet unifying the room, perhaps with a more ornate Persian carpet layered over it. Alternatively, consider a large area rug. If you have hard floors, a detail I’ve always loved at hotels is the “step-off mat” which is essentially a low-pile bathmat placed at the bedside. Nice options can be found from Baina, Tekla, and Missoni Home.
Invest in luxe touches
Bedding is, of course, all-important. For the hotels, we buy cotton percale from Bellino, but at home I have these sets from Frette, Sutram, Magniberg, and Matouk, all of which I would recommend to anyone. I prefer the more basic designs, but to each their own. Covering it all with a bedcover is the thing these days, and I’ll admit they do some heavy lifting when it comes to making a bed look consistently put together. Some nice options I’ve seen recently are a heavy flax-linen from Bed Threads and Cultiver.
For the bedside, I buy rolls of these semi-disposable linen placemats from MyDrap, which I use to protect the wooden surface of the nightstands from spills. They also make coaster-size squares that I keep around the house. A nice carafe and glass set is essential and an excuse to buy something exquisite; I’ve been seeing some beautiful sets at Cabana, Gohar, Maison Numen, Serax, and Nicky Kehoe. I don’t like to eat anything in bed, ever, but for those wanting at-home room service, invest in a proper breakfast tray with legs.
The real trick to making your “hotel room” work is to ritualize the details, as you would a skincare regimen. After all, it’s just another form of self care! And to complete the hotel fantasy, remember to put out a Hotel Silver bowl of fruits ;)
The Directory — stainless steel fabricators
Vendors, artists, and suppliers to know, plus what you need to prepare and what you should expect from the process.
After my recent kitchen-focused newsletter, I received several queries regarding custom stainless steel fabrication. I have fairly limited experience with this on a small scale, but below are some resources that may come in handy should you desire to commission some work with the material:
Alpha Steel Fabrication Inc
336 Meeker Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
+17183025798 (no website)
I’ve had these guys make several pieces, bear in mind you need to provide drawings! Cash or Check, pls.
Quality Stainless Steel, Inc.
218 39th St, Brooklyn, NY 11232
+17187481785
Another great shop in BK—well versed in commercial kitchen work (so why not residential!)
BCB Stainless Steel Custom Work Inc.
97 Forrest St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
+17183664811
These guys do a lot of custom residential kitchens and interior projects.
Metal Work & Design
1027 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
+19176278554
Higher end of the spectrum; they do lots of retail work.
Brooklyn Custom Metal Fabrication Inc.
48 Prospect Park Southwest, Brooklyn, NY 11215
+17184991573
Another higher-end fabricator—they also do a lot of work with aluminum, which I find exciting!
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