Get the Look: MAISON MOSCHINO IVY ROOM

If you recall a few months back I posted a Hotel feature on the Maison Moschino in Madrid and have decide to include this in my "Get the Look" range - and I highly recommend you do get the look as its surprisingly simple to do, and far more achievable than some other Hotel schemes to implement in your own abode.

Firstly, the rooms are imaginative and fun - both key factors in replicating the look - but not entirely practical (rose petal bedspread = not easy to wash!) so its not necessarily a bad idea to deviate slightly from the actual hotel rooms and go at little less OTT. I've looked at two of the rooms - the Ivy room and the Rose room so far - my favourites. I'm saving the Rose room for a later date, but for now...

Here is the Ivy Room Scheme:

The main feature of this room are the stripes. I think you could go with a dark olive or dark blue and achieve the same result - I've shown dark blue in the below scheme as its widely available and a little cheaper. Ikea have some blue & white striped fabrics in store, but I've shown William Yeoward in my scheme as he does a matching St Ives wallpaper.
The bed style requires a decorative ornate headboard which is both framed and upholstered (ideally customers-own-fabric so you can get the stripe) so the frame helps define the headboard against the matching striped wallpaper. The bed below is from Stokers and is called Sofia, but you could use a divan bed with separate headboard (if on a tight budget, headboards of this style can often be picked up at House Clearance shops or even Charity shops for a bargain price, leaving the relatively simple task of upholstering the board in your chosen material.
The Ikea staple, Hemnes Bedroom furniture, is a close match in terms of style and colour, though french shabby chic furniture would also work for a more decorative look. Top the bedside off with a simple shaded lamp.
Finally, add an Ivy garland and drape up the wall. These are available at many garden centres and would really complete the look.

REPLICATE THE MOVIES: Sex and the City

Ever watched a film and thought "I'd love to live in a place like that"? Of course you have: that's why companies pay so much to have their products featured in films. I think a lot of people assume this Product Placement is mainly used by companies like Coke Cola and Pepsi, where the main character is seen sipping from a cup with a giant logo plastered across it and strategically placed facing the camera. But often I find myself drawn to the background, the scenery and the home accessories. So, I've decided to explore some films and really try to locate the products so you can try to recreate them in your own home. I decide to go firstly with the chick flicks; Sex and The City 1 & 2.

SEX & THE CITY… it's all about designer

Considering the series focused so much on designer clothing, it's not surprising that when they decided to bring it to the Big Screen, they thought to revamp the (let's admit it) drab interiors. And, no surprise at all that they decided instead to clad every surface in designer wares. Fortunately, the world of interior design has nowhere near as many designer brands and items as the world of fashion, so finding the exact items isn't too difficult… affording them is a little harder!

 

CARRIES "GROWN UP" APARTMENT

• Rug – Overleaf by Marni, available from The Rug Company
• Wallhanging – LOVE TOO by Paul Smith, also available from the Rug Company
• Sofa Upholstery – Wolf Home
• Sofa – hmmm, maybe Wychwood Furniture for a good replica
• Headboard – Bath Headboard by Graham & Green
• Media Centre – SMA
• Chair – Bluesuntree
• Wall Pictures – Graham and Green
• Wall colour – Cooks Blue by Farrow and Ball
• Side Tables - Lacquered by Area ID

Onto Sex and the City 2 (which is dire – seriously, don't bother watching this as it has absolutely no plot whatsoever) we see Carrie and Big in their marital home and instead get a design fusion of Carrie's Fashionista flair and Big's New York Banker style. Again, throw in multiple designer labels, vintage pieces and a price-tag that'll give you a heart attack, and BOOM, you've got it. I particularly like this colour palette I have to say – the masculine taupe with splashes of a feminine pink and blue really appeals to me.

 

CARRIE AND BIG'S APARTMENT

• Rug – Candyflower by Marni, available from The Rug Company
• Cushions – Birdie Blossom by Paul Smith, also available from the Rug Company
• Chairs – Vintage design by T H Robjohn Gibbings, available at Bergdorf Goodman
• Sofa – Woodframe by Montauk
• Chandelier – Discs by Property
• Hallway Wallpaper – Oiseau Chocolate by Katie Ridder
• Bedroom Wallpaper – Rococco by Cole & Son
• Headboard Fabric – Velvet Gate by Kravet

If I had to pick one, I think I'd opt for Carrie's apartment from the first film. I love the bold splash of colour and even though it's deemed the "grown up" version of Carrie's apartment, it's still young and fresh. Their marital home is very adult, and as much as I do like it, I certainly couldn't live in it as it's far too conservative for my tastes.

 

HOTEL BEDROOM TOURS: the Covent Garden Hotel

Following on from the first bedroom tour of the Charlotte Street Hotel bedroom, I have decided to explore another of Kit Kemp's creations: the Covent Garden Hotel of London. Here, Kit has used a combination of her winning "English Country" style alongside local suppliers to the Hotel and a few trusted favourites from accross the pond. Though we can't all go trotting off to New York in search of the perfect bedside cabinet, I have included some of the actual suppliers for really specific pieces and alternatives in other cases, should you wish to recreate the style in your own home.

 

Top Scheme Items:

• Headboard: Just Headboards
• Headboard & Cushion Fabric: Galbraith & Paul, Citrus Maize Linen
• Wallpaper: Prestigious, Mystery
• Bedsides & Chest of Drawers: Blanc D'Ivoire
• Bedside Light: Graham & Green, Hector lamp
• Table Light: Andrew Martin
• Mirror: Graham and Green
• Desk Chair: Morgan Furniture, Diva Chair

 

This scheme is much simpler than the Charlotte, with fewer patterns and a fresher palette. I do like the simple geometric employed on the headboard and especially like the French inspired furniture. Were you to create this in your own abode, you could do so easily as the colours and patterns are those which you could find on the highstreet for less than those listed above. I think the items which I wouldn't deviate too far from are the headboard style (tall, fluted) as this really helps achieve the desired hotel look, and the Bedsides which are nicely detailed but could easily be revamped old pieces picked up from a car boot (if you're lucky enough to find such treasures!)
Next stop? You decide! Please leave a comment recommending a Hotel which you'd like exploring :D

HOTEL BEDROOM TOURS: The Charlotte Street, London

To kick start my Hotel Bedroom Tours, (where I try to source the fixtures and finishes of some of the best Designer Hotels to help you recreate the look in your own home) I thought I'd begin with one of my personal favourites: The Charlotte Street Hotel.

Part of the Firmdale Hotel Group and designed by owner Kit Kemp, the Charlotte Street has set the bar for many Hotel Designers to follow. Kit has spent many an hour sourcing lots of different manufacturers in order to create some inspiring and unique interiors. Thankfully, after a bit of research, I have been able to find some of the exact suppliers and source what I think are some good substitutes for the items which were a little more elusive, for what I like to call "the Blue Room"...

The key element for this rooms' design is the wallpaper and headboard fabric: the Jack Damask by Daniel Croyle. At a reasonable £40 a roll (cheaper than many high street wallpapers I may point out) the wallpaper has been used on all walls, rather than just a feature wall. Combined with the matching fabric in a cleaver colour change, the pattern really comes alive yet doesn't seem to overpower the space, most likely due to the calming colour scheme. The Fabric is a little more pricey at £57 a metre, and you'd probably need approx. 4m for a headboard of a similar design which would set you back around £300, making the Headboard an investment at £500-£550

Cleverly leaving the walls to provide the pattern and excitement, Kit has then used some fairly simple fabrics in the Curtains and Upholstery. Though I couldn't find an exact match, this fabric by Designers Guild is a good alternative, and they have a similar armchair design to that used in this scheme too.

Now, onto Furniture, I think the Keraton Range by Lombok works well with Kit's scheme - this costs £3680 for 2 bedsides, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. The dark wood in a rustic, masculine form, really compliments what could be considered a feminine backdrop. the Bedside lamp is by Graham and Green, a not-too-bad £130 each: simple and classic.

And finally - what Firmdale Hotel would be complete without the Female Mannequin upholstered to match the headboard? I actually consider this a neat and practical addition to a bedroom and worth the extra expense - approx. £50 for a plain mannequin and then maybe 2.5sq m of fabric to upholster.

So how much would it cost to recreate this room's style? For your average bedroom, I would suggest a budget of £6,000 would do it. Of course, to reduce costs you could substitute the Lombok furniture for the Hemnes Range from Ikea and save £3,000.

I've quite enjoyed taking a look around Kit Kemp's design and am sorely tempted to try another one of her Hotels... the Soho perhaps? But in the meantime, let me know of any Hotel you'd like included in this tour