Although travelling has come back in full force, staycays are still a hit with us. But why should staycays be an occasional treat when you can bring the hotel home? We’re not just talking about drawing inspiration from big names such as Hilton or JW Marriot, which are lush but a tad generic. Instead, we’re looking towards several homegrown hotels with unique styles that can be transplanted into our own homes.
Here’s the all-in-one guide on how to make your HDB look like iconic local hotels in Singapore, complete with mood boards for extra inspo.
1. Lloyd’s Inn – Minimalist resort with all-white elements
Image credit: Lloyd’s Inn, ArchDaily
All-white minimalism and resort-style decor may seem like they’re at odds with each other, but Lloyd’s Inn proves that they’re, in fact, a match made in heaven.
Image credit: Lloyd’s Inn, ArchDaily
Lloyd’s Inn’s rooms take advantage of natural lighting which, when reflected off the white walls and other all-white elements, creates a breezy space that appears larger than it actually is. Meanwhile, light wood furniture and carpentry breathe life and warmth to the space.
Image credit: Lloyd’s Inn, ArchDaily
To add contrast against a white and muted beige palette, use black as an accent colour in furniture and elements such as your bed frame, shelves, mirrors, and windows.
Use concrete screed flooring in common areas of your house to introduce a bit of industrialism, just like what Lloyd’s Inn has done.
Image credit: @houseofpangea
Finally, to fully replicate the vibe of the hotel, remember to include lots of greenery and touches of nature in your home. This can come across in the form of houseplants or even with beautiful art prints such as the ones from House of Pangea, whose works are currently being exhibited at Lloyd’s Inn.
2. Hotel Mono – Dramatic monochrome with mosaic tiles
Image credit: Hotel Mono, Third Avenue Studio
While black and white is a combo that rarely goes wrong, it’s not common to see an entire space decorated in only these 2 shades. Hotel Mono bucks the trend by using a mostly monochromatic colour scheme in their premises.
Image credit: Hotel Mono, Third Avenue Studio
To replicate the look, pristine white walls and bold accent fixtures in black are key. Start by painting your walls with pure white, then colour block a few walls with cool greys if you want to add visual interest.
Image credit: Hotel Mono, Third Avenue Studio
The yin to white’s yang, black can be the main focal colour for your fixtures and carpentry. Hotel Mono also makes it a point to use clean, sleek lines, which is crucial to create a modern and almost clinical vibe. We say “almost” because the starkness is offset by soft, plush furniture such as sofas, throws, and rugs.
Image credit: Hotel Mono, Third Avenue Studio Pte Ltd
In your bathrooms, follow the hotel’s lead and use mosaic tiles for the walls. But since baths and showers are meant to help you relax and clear your head, you may want to swop out white tiles for pastels or even dark blues to make the space more welcoming.
3. The Warehouse Hotel – Mid-century luxe with vintage fixtures
Image credit: The Warehouse Hotel
With large wheels and cogs suspended from the ceiling and a dark, earthy colour palette, the interior design at The Warehouse Hotel has a steampunk-adjacent feel. Yet, it is far from kitschy thanks to the use of mid-century furniture, which adds gravitas and modernity to the Victiorian-esque fixtures.
Image credit: @thewarehousehotel, TBG Interior Design
It’s impractical to hang vintage cogwheel features from the ceiling in a typical HDB flat. Instead, take a leaf from The Warehouse Hotel’s book and incorporate other retro elements such as exposed light bulbs and brick walls into your interior design. Top it all off with mid-century furniture, preferably in shades of brown and made of leather.
Image credit: The Warehouse Hotel
The hotel lobby’s colour palette comprises mostly warm browns, greys, and black, which makes the space feel cosy despite boasting a vaulted ceiling. Meanwhile, lighter hues that are easy on the eyes, such as off-white, slate grey, and jade green, are used in their bedrooms to create a light and relaxing atmosphere.
4. The Vagabond Club – Modern Victorian with oriental elements
Image credit: The Vagabond Club, Three Haus Works
Take a peek at The Vagabond Club’s Instagram and you’ll notice that the hotel-cum-bar plays up its Oriental influence. Yet, the liberal use of ornate picture frame, dark wood, and sumptuous velvet lends it a Victorian-esque edge.
Image credit: The Vagabond Club
To capture the essence of The Vagabond Hotel, start by dressing an accent wall in your bedroom with colourful vintage-style wallpaper. Above your bed, hang up opulent Victorian-style frames filled with sketches, vintage photos, and art prints.
Use velvet upholstered furniture and dark wooden cabinets to create a vintage vibe.
Image credit: The Scientist
Velvet and dark wooden cabinetry form the bedrock of the hotel’s furniture style. Pair this with warm lighting, chandeliers, and vintage knick knacks such as rotary phones to create a home that wouldn’t look out of place in an old period film.
Image credit: Booking.com
Dark woods, golden fixtures, and warm lighting take centre stage in the bathrooms. These classic elements are balanced out with modernity in the form of colourful mosaic tiles and marble in the shower and wet areas.
5. The Capitol Kempinski – Classic luxe with oriental fixtures
Image credit: @capitolkempinski, @atinymodernluxe
While cosy, minimalist Japandi homes reign supreme these days, we can’t help but to be drawn towards a more luxe aesthetic inspired by The Capitol Kempinski, which can be summed up in 2 words: timeless and luxurious.
Image credit: The Capitol Kempinski
To replicate the look and feel of the hotel, think polished dark woods, rich velvet, glossy marble. Wainscoting, crown moulding, and high-quality base trims are a must, too.
Image credit: @capitolkempinski
What sets The Capitol Kempinski apart from other luxury hotels is its Oriental fixtures. These come in the form of Oriental-style carpentry, bedside lamps, and shelves filled with antique vases and art.
6. The Barracks Hotel – Elegant colonial style
Image credit: The Barracks Hotel
Inspired by Singapore’s past as a British artillery outpost, Sentosa’s The Barracks Hotel is a Colonial-style hotel that brings to mind scenes from the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express.
Image credit: The Barracks Hotel, The Association
Dark woods, leather tufted sofas and benches, and vintage statement pieces pull heavy duty to create that old-school feel. While The Barracks Hotel’s decor may seem similar to that of The Vagabond Club’s at first glance, it’s evident that it takes inspiration from another era if you look closer.
Image credit: The Barracks Hotel
Another distinction is the hotel’s use of exposed wooden rafters and Art Deco-style air vent covers. You could achieve a similar effect by placing decorative folding screens in the common areas of your house.
7. Hotel G – Modern retro with funky vibes
Image credit: Hotel G, 9 Creation
A popular staycay spot amongst youngsters, Hotel G is a fine study in all things fresh and funky.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
Hotel G is decorated in an eclectic style, drawing inspiration from various aesthetics. But one thing is constant across the board – the use of concrete tiled walls. This helps ground the more colourful elements of the hotel and stops it from feeling overwhelming.
To get a similar look, we recommend using concrete tiles or cement screed walls and flooring. Then, add retro elements such as old cinema seats and vintage advertisement boards to liven up the space. As a finishing touch, make your own Hotel G-style ceiling light cover with colourful strings.
Spruce up your HDB home like iconic local hotels
Renovating your home is just as much of an investment as buying one. While we’d like to keep costs affordable, it’s sometimes wiser to go the extra mile – you’ll be staying here for a long time, after all. And if you play your cards right, you could even turn the place into your very own hotel and save on future staycay costs.
For more home inspiration, check out these articles:
- 4-Room “Zakka” cottage-style HDB
- Genius built-ins to consider to save space
- Best small kitchen storage solutions
Cover image adapted from: Third Avenue Studio Pte Ltd, TBG Interior Design, ArchDaily
This article was originally published on 1st March 2023, and updated on 4th September 2024.
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