Creating a one-of-a-kind interior for your home can sometimes be easier said than done. If you ask us, the balance between uniquely chic and a little too overdone is a fine line, so if you’re wondering how to nail that perfectly curated décor look that you see in highly stylized commercial interiors, stick with us! Ashley and Andrea from Avenue Interior Design are back on the blog today, and they’re sharing some trade secrets that will guarantee your home has a designer look, in a personalized way. (Let’s just say, if you’ve ever stepped foot in a hotel that’s so beautiful it stops you in your tracks and made you wish you could live there for a lifetime, this one is for you.) So without further ado, here are 10 things to learn from commercial interiors—and how to employ this interior design inspiration in your own home—straight from the pros…
1. LAYER, LAYER, LAYER
A surefire way to pack a lot of punch in any interior is to layer, layer, layer! For Azucar restaurant in Palms Springs, we used a colorful, patterned wall covering and layered on the art. Don’t be afraid to use different frame styles and artwork with different colors, composition and subject matter. Make it as different as possible to maximize on the wow factor.
Project: Azucar Restaurant, Palm Springs
2. CREATE A NEUTRAL SHELL
Love color but want to keep it in check when it comes to your own home? Keep the finishes on the walls and ceiling neutral to guarantee your furnishings pop. This also gives you more leeway to get eclectic with your furnishings like we did for the Presidential Suite at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills (or like this snap from Gray’s series Gray Malin at the Parker).
Project: SLS Beverly Hills
3. MAKE A STATEMENT
A little personality sometimes goes a long way. Coco Chanel once said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” And the same is true for interiors! Too much of a good thingis, well, too much. The statement furnishings (i.e. the wood hand chair and eclectic textiles) that we added to the mix in this lobby add just enough whimsy without going overboard.
Project: California Landmark Co-Living Complex, Marina Del Rey
4. MAXIMIZE ON A SINGLE HUE
One of our favorite looks is to use the same color repeatedly in an interior, but in varying applications. The headboard wall at the Ramble Hotel in Denver is one of our favorite examples of this to date. Select a color you love and commit! Here we painted the headboard millwork wall the same color as the velvet fabric we used to upholster the headboard in. It instantly adds depth to any interior.
Project: The Ramble, Palm Springs
5. GO MONOCHROMATIC
Want a relief from the hustle and bustle outside your front door? Embrace a black, white and gray palette for some serious serenity. Pile on the textured fabrics and tactile materials to create a dynamic interior that has serious lasting power just like one of the suites we designed for the Palms in Las Vegas. Another example? This concierge desk from the Parker employs plenty of interesting yet subtle details on a monochromatic backdrop.
Project: Palms Suite, Las Vegas
6. SHOWCASE A COLLECTION
Showcase something you’ve collected over the years or from past travels. Not only does it make for a beautiful, original statement piece, it instantly gives your guests a sense of who you are. The handmade basket installation we added to the lobby at the Kimpton Amara immediately gives guests a sense of place at this desert retreat.
Project: Kimpton Amara, Sedona, AZ
7. FAUX MILLWORK
Want the look of a beautifully paneled, wood millwork wall without entering into a full renovation? Use a wood (or faux wood!) wall covering that gives you the classic look of millwork but with none of that pesky construction mess. We used a large-scale wood wall covering to give the illusion of millwork in our Penthouse suites at the Palms in Las Vegas.
Project: Palms Penthouse Suite, Las Vegas
8. PEEK-A-BOO MOMENT
Who doesn’t love an element of surprise? Pick a fun accent color or playful wall covering to line the walls of your power room or the inside of your closet. We promise it will bring a smile to your face every single time! The classic palm print wall covering we used in the master bath at the REVOLVE suite in Las Vegas makes this little nook a place you’ll want to lounge around in forever. Another great example is the unexpected striped ceiling as you pull up to The Beverly Hills Hotel, as captured by Gray. You’d never know that detail was there from afar, but it’s such a pleasant surprise when you arrive.
Project: Palms REVOLVE Suite, Las Vegas
9. MONOLITHIC MARBLE
A lot of marble, well, goes a long way! The natural beauty of marble is undeniable so utilize it to it’s maximum potential to capitalize on it’s impact. It’s a material that almost creates the design for you! Wall to wall marble pictured in one of our Presidential suites at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Project: Palms Presidential Suite, Las Vegas
Which one of these tips and tricks was the most inspiring to you?
We’ve fallen in love with hotel interiors before, and after this we’re implementing them into our own interiors ASAP. To see more of Ashley and Andrea’s work, make sure to follow @avenue.id on Instagram and view their website here.
Xx Team GM
Photos: c/o Avenue ID