What is it about travel that makes us desire it so? We just returned from a fabulous trip only to begin searching for that next getaway. Oh I know, the warm breezes and beautiful scenery is an irresistible pull especially when we are sitting here in bone-freezing temperatures but I think there is more. Hotels, cruise ships and vacation resorts pull out all the stops to design spaces that are over the top glamorous. When you vacation, even if you aren’t aware of it, you are being romanced right from the moment you step on the property.
Nobody does this better than Vegas, it is the utmost experience in opulence and decadence. Years ago a team of designers from Carpet Colour Centre travelled there for a window covering workshop. It was hilarious watching all of us touring the hotels, mostly with our heads down checking out the carpets and floor tiles. We stayed at the Wynn which is a visually stunning hotel with luxury rooms beyond your wildest dreams. It got me thinking, why can’t we bring those elements home to make our daily experience as indulgent as what we experience while away?
The good news is, you can! I’m going to throw budget and restraint out the window for a moment and delve into some divine concepts to add to your home. I am finishing a home for a client who has put motorized blinds in his master bedroom (just like the Wynn). Imagine rolling over in the morning and with the flick of a switch or a command to your tablet your blinds roll away revealing early morning sun. You have equipped your master suite with a miniature coffee maker and this switches on at the sound of your voice. Mornings have never looked better!
Still slightly sleepy, you wander into your ensuite bathroom and curl your toes around the warm floor tile. The thermostat automatically clicked on a few minutes before you woke up and the floor is toasty and welcoming. Your plush bathrobe hangs from a heated towel rack as do your pure white linens, carefully chosen for their soft, caressing feel. Your deep soaker tub is waiting for you to fill it with fragrant bubbles and essential oils as you soak your cares away while you sip on your fresh coffee while watching your favourite morning show on television. Or you choose from a selection of your favourite literature and turn on the gas fireplace that sits at the end of your tub.
Padding back into your bedroom your feet are welcomed by an unbelievably soft, sculptured carpet as you prepare to get ready for your day. Doesn’t a morning like this sound amazing? Indulgence is ok. It’s wonderful to spoil yourself once in a while and create that soul satisfying vacation experience right in your own home. All these treats are available if you are renovating or building a home and while you may not be able to have all of these items, possibly one or two might just be enough to work magic in your home.
We spend so much time in our homes, it is important to create a sanctuary where you live. Those vacation memories are still very important and maybe, just maybe, you can bring some of those ideas and indulgences back home.
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.
