Colin and Justin: Hotel at home

Bedroom suite goes from a story of woe to wow factor

Hotels (well designed ones, certainly) are great places to harvest ideas to feather your nest.

Decorated to be welcoming and comfy, a good hotel should relax and indulge, so guests leave refreshed.

Here’s a suite at North Star*, the Cape Breton hotel which features on our Channel 5 UK show – ‘Colin and Justin’s Hotel Hell’.

In its favour, this bedroom (one of 22) had been well maintained, though it had more ‘woe’ than ‘wow’ factor having lain undecorated for 20 years. But hey, it was spacious, with room for a comfy bed, a living area and a well equipped kitchen. We just had to make it shine…

To suffuse a ‘modern rustic’ vibe, we designed a cozy aesthetic with woodsy accents and plaid detailing. The kitchen was reduced in scale, and an accent wall added to lend visual texture. The bed is now inviting, as is the wee living area which boasts a comfy sofa and a live edged table.

Fancy recreating the look? Here’s the skinny…

Wall paint

The beige walls deflected natural light, so we updated them in a tone called ‘Chantilly Lace’ by Benjamin Moore. Boasting all the expansive qualities of pure white, but with a creamy undertone, it’s gentle on the eye and, satin finish, easy to wipe clean of niggling scuffs associated with heavy traffic areas.

If it’s hard wearing in a busy hotel room, it’s sure to withstand the brunt of a regular domestic bedroom.

Kitchen

The kitchen, whilst solid, needed an update. What’s more, our research revealed extensive cooking facilities aren’t high on guests’ agendas.

Rather than start from scratch, we removed some of the eye level cupboards, ditched the jumbo scaled fridge and cooker and opted for ‘neater’ alternatives.

A ‘drop in’ induction cook top (from Amazon) and an under counter Galanz fridge provide sufficient facilities, especially when teamed with a compact micro: perfect for brief hotel stays, or for smaller spaces like studio flats and homes with tiny kitchens.

Accent wall

Oh, this was so easy. We purchased unfinished ‘rough sawn’ pine (approximately $2 per foot from DIY stores), ‘washed’ it with a 50/50 solution of soft grey latex and water (applied with a large brush) then fastened it to the wall ‘brickwork’ style using a nail gun.

If you don’t have a nail gun, rent one from your hire store, or do it the old fashioned way with panel pins and a hammer. If you opt for the latter method, apply some wood glue to the rear of each section for added security. And don’t forget to use a level – wonky wood is nobody’s friend.

Beams

We added rustic touches (such as the timber ceiling beams) to suffuse character, charm and texture. Layering in timber elements amps up the cozy factor, and makes the room feel casual and relaxed.

To moderate costs, we used 4”x4’ fence post ‘aged’ by chiseling the edges to create a time worn effect. This done, we wiped the surfaces with a strong tea solution to further the aged patina and attached the beams using extra long screws and plugs.

Bed

The existing bed platform was in good condition, so we replaced the old mattress and swapped the dated headboard for an update from Wayfair.

Wicker items work well with this soft, coastal look as they import gentle colour, charm and texture. We find neutrals like rattan work well in grey, white or cream toned rooms, a reliable finish that’s a great all rounder.

Sofa and coffee table

If you’re lucky enough to have a bedroom with enough room for a sofa or chair, then consider adding one to create a quiet reading nook to which you can escape.

We used a compact sofa (Landskrona) from IKEA in dark grey with blond timber legs to provide seating: this style of sofa – slim legs with narrow arms – is perfect for smaller spaces.

Add a colour pop

By using accessories to add colour, you can swap out the look in future to seasonally adjust without breaking the bank. We used yellow as our pop of colour to suggest sunshine and to add warmth to the grey and white.

Bouclair carry a great selection of sunny toned toss pillows, the retailer’s ‘Sarrari’ being a perfect option.

All in all, today’s rejig demonstrates that big impact can indeed be addressed with minimal financial outlay. After all it’s not how much money you spend, as we oft’ opine, rather how you spend it that makes the biggest difference.

Watch for Colin and Justin on Cabin Pressure and Great Canadian Cottages (Cottage Life TV) and on Cityline (CityTV). Find the Colin and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv.