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It's time. Go grab your favorite catalogs and a handful of paint swatches, pick the most tired room in your house and throw out all your old, unwanted stuff – it's time to redecorate.
What, you need a reason? Well here's one for you: The Crosby Street Hotel.
This boutique beauty – an 11-floor luxury hotel – just opened in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City and boasts 86 individually designed rooms that are bound to inspire your inner decorator.
Co-owner of Firmdale Hotels (the parent company of The Crosby Street Hotel) and interior designer Kit Kemp brought her trademark "quirky, colorful, contemporary" London style to every nook and cranny of the hotel's interior – and all of it was done with an aim to be one of the first hotels in New York to achieve Gold LEED certification from the US Green Building Council (round of applause for Kit please).
Some areas, like the lobby's 10-foot-high sculpture of a human head crafted from letters of the alphabet, may be a wee bit much for the average homeowner. But in the majority of the hotel's 11 floors, it is an inspiration free-for-all. Here are just a few samples of inspiration for your own makeover.
What, you need a reason? Well here's one for you: The Crosby Street Hotel.
This boutique beauty – an 11-floor luxury hotel – just opened in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City and boasts 86 individually designed rooms that are bound to inspire your inner decorator.
Co-owner of Firmdale Hotels (the parent company of The Crosby Street Hotel) and interior designer Kit Kemp brought her trademark "quirky, colorful, contemporary" London style to every nook and cranny of the hotel's interior – and all of it was done with an aim to be one of the first hotels in New York to achieve Gold LEED certification from the US Green Building Council (round of applause for Kit please).
Some areas, like the lobby's 10-foot-high sculpture of a human head crafted from letters of the alphabet, may be a wee bit much for the average homeowner. But in the majority of the hotel's 11 floors, it is an inspiration free-for-all. Here are just a few samples of inspiration for your own makeover.
Photo: The Crosby Street Hotel
Photo: The Crosby Street Hotel
2. Pick a new neutral. A lot of hotels stick with neutrals because they tend to be more soothing than crazy color combinations. But neutral doesn't mean browns and beige. Gray may sound cold, but if you find the right hue (aim for ones with brown undertones) it can be incredibly relaxing – and serve as a perfect pair to almost any other color you want to bring into the space.
In this room, gray serves as the backdrop for a more monochromatic space. The personality of the room comes in the form of mix-matched patterns (bold stripe sofa, pinstripe pillows, geometric window treatments). Don't be afraid to layer seemingly contradictory patterns – if they're the same color family, chances are they can work together. You just have to be a little daring.
In this room, gray serves as the backdrop for a more monochromatic space. The personality of the room comes in the form of mix-matched patterns (bold stripe sofa, pinstripe pillows, geometric window treatments). Don't be afraid to layer seemingly contradictory patterns – if they're the same color family, chances are they can work together. You just have to be a little daring.
Photo: The Crosby Street Hotel
3. Go pink. C'mon don't be scared. "Pink" isn't a word many like to hear when it comes to decorating anything outside a little girl's room, but if you aim for a richer mauve or raspberry, you're far from the world of the Pepto-Bismol walls. And, actually, the color can feel quite sophisticated.
In this room, owner-and-designer Kit Kemp paired two hues of raspberry pink (one rich and muted, the other bright and lively) that coordinate in an unexpected way. Keeping those as your only colors, add furnishings and accents in neutrals (like the gray and white here) to prevent the palette from being too jarring.
And, if any men will be residing within the raspberry walls, a small, rustic touch like the side table and casual bouquet of greenery (at right), can help tone down the frilly factor. Sidenote: Have a little fun. A super-over-sized, seemingly out-of-place piece of artwork (stay in the neutrals) can provide a unique point of interest in the room, and a great conversation piece for guests.
In this room, owner-and-designer Kit Kemp paired two hues of raspberry pink (one rich and muted, the other bright and lively) that coordinate in an unexpected way. Keeping those as your only colors, add furnishings and accents in neutrals (like the gray and white here) to prevent the palette from being too jarring.
And, if any men will be residing within the raspberry walls, a small, rustic touch like the side table and casual bouquet of greenery (at right), can help tone down the frilly factor. Sidenote: Have a little fun. A super-over-sized, seemingly out-of-place piece of artwork (stay in the neutrals) can provide a unique point of interest in the room, and a great conversation piece for guests.
