All eyes will be watching what is going on in Augusta! What a thrilling time it is for our community!
Growing up in Louisville, Ky., I am used to living in a city that hosts the best of the best in sports. As a child I felt so special that the home of the Derby was in my hometown!
As an adult, and being in the design business, I appreciate the Masters Tournament a little differently. The months of January, February and March are incredibly busy for those of us in the design business.
I work with a variety of people, from homeowners who rent their homes, to Hospitality companies that are in charge of housing and entertaining out of towners, to restaurants that will kick it into high gear for one week and even to corporations that own homes in the area.
All of these entities spend a lot of money to spruce their spaces up for the tournament. They all want to stay ahead of the game as competition has become fierce for anyone looking to gain customers and clients for the week.
As a designer, I enjoy this sort of work because it is all about creating dramatic spaces meant to impress!
Although I rent my home for the week and get out of town, usually out of the country, I love to watch the excitement of some locals who stay and enjoy what the week has to offer.
However, I digress. Let me share a recent hospitality project with you:
I won’t mention the corporation this home was built for, but it is one we all know and love.
The corporate bosses came and overlooked my work and inquired about me traveling around the country to add my flair to some of their other hospitality homes. I was flattered.
They made it clear that they felt the styling of the home was painstakingly curated, this is my job.
So, they hired me and I assessed the mission of the project and my team and I fell into action.
The clients were amazed how the staff turned this project around in just SIX weeks! We supplied the overall design, the furniture, rugs, art, window treatments, decor and even the towels, sheets, soaps, dishes, silverware and toilet tissue!
As I bid this job along with some other well known furniture companies in town, I was flattered that my attention to detail as well as offering great value won the job.
Hospitality homes are unique. They are not “overdone” like a model home that is intended to snare a prospective homebuyer with its dramatic flair. Although people will be living and entertaining in the home, it cannot be over accessorized or be too busy.
Hospitality homes require products that are easy to maintain as staff such as chefs and entertainers will be in and out of the home. It must be well appointed to impress the clients guests, yet there must be room for guests to make themselves at home.
Many companies will have boxes delivered, full of promotional gifts for their guests. Boxes of liquor and food are delivered. There are usually house captains that need room to organize everything.
Yet, the home must be beautiful and tastefully adorned.
Let’s start with window treatments. I like to keep things simple, especially in the bedrooms. The guest usually wants privacy and/or light blocking and they want window treatments that are easy to control.
I like to make custom roman shades. These shades give an upscale look and coordinate well with other features such as bedding, rugs and art. They are easy to raise and lower.
Pillows can really add to the bed detail. However, the guest doesn’t want to unload a dozen pillows when they go to bed. The housekeeper doesn’t always have time to place a variety of pillows back on the bed as they were intended.
I like to keep the pillows large and simple and make an impact with a few, rather than overburden the room with puffiness..
I used a matelasse coverlet that can easily be washed if soiled and made sure the nightstands have a USB port on the top for easy tech hookups. Folding a comforter at the foot of the bed made for a layered and upscale look.
There were nine bedrooms in this home and all were different. Here are a couple of offerings:
In the breakfast area, I kept things simple. The art draws the eye into the space in a dramatic way. The interesting vinyl rug lays flat on the floor and will not trip anyone up as they walk around or past the space. It grounds the furniture and separates the open space from the kitchen.
The bold centerpiece can easily be removed if in the way.
There was an office at the entry at this home. This area will be used for registration as guests enter the home.
I found art that fit nicely within the wall moldings. Again, the art is simple, yet dramatic. There was no need for privacy or sun blocking so more dramatic drapery panels were installed.
There were some interior common areas that were large enough for me to add some transitional furnishings. The landing on the second floor had a TV and a pair of double doors that led onto a patio with a bar and four televisions.
If it is raining outside, this would be a great place for up to four people to watch TV and possibly play a game of cards. Again, I added a FLAT vinyl rug that grounded the furniture and is easy to use in a high traffic area.
I have talked before about swivel chairs and how great they are in any space. They were golden in this set up!
The dining room needed to seat ten people. I supplied a huge table with tall, stately chairs. The sideboard, with floral and the artwork on the far wall, was simple, yet created a huge punch off of the foyer.
The clean draperies softened the room, added height to the ceiling and created a sophisticated look with the bold wall color.
One of the outdoor patio spaces had a television above a fireplace. I created a clean seating area with a bench seat cushion on the sofa allowing a third person to sit without having to sit on the crack of two cushions.
An outdoor rug, once again, grounds the seating and creates a nice and cozy outdoor living area.
If you have an AIRBNB or VRBO or rent for the golf tournament, I hope this week’s offering is of some help. I have stayed in a variety of rentals and sometimes I find things to be a little overdone with way too many small features and details.
Keep it clean and simple. Use fewer, yet larger decor to make a statement. Make it easy for your guests and your cleaning staff. Don’t over theme any detail, just keep it sophisticated and classy!
