By Karen McCully, UK Design Manager at Trident Group.
Whenever you walk into a luxury hotel, it always gives you that wow feeling. The décor and the smell often make you feel special, and when you step into your room for the night, the crisp bedding, the way the towels are layered nicely, and the complementary colour palettes create that luxurious atmosphere that many of us love.
If you want to create this feeling at home, it doesn’t need a full renovation. The luxury hotel feel can easily be made by focusing on small updates and accessories, which can transform your home into that effortless elegance.
A few years ago, we were all about millennial grey and having homes which were fairly minimal in style, but we’re now moving away from this and seeing home décor become softer, warmer and more personal. Many people now decorate and accessorise their homes for their own happiness and joy, rather than following trends, and it’s these personal touches which can turn a home into a little slice of heaven.
Here are some tips on how you can bring that little bit of hotel luxury into your own home, without it costing a fortune.
Start with a Sophisticated Colour Palette
One of the colours making a comeback in 2026 is petrol blue. It gives richer tones than navy but also feels a bit softer with its green undertones. This tone of blue is reminiscent of water or the night sky and can introduce some depth when done in small doses, without overwhelming the room. So a petrol blue towel bale, bed throw, bedding or cushions can add a really nice statement without it being too OTT.
Another colour making its way through the ranks this year is teal. It also sits between the blue and green palette and is often seen as the tranquil medium of the two colours, as it has the depth of the blue but the restorative quality of the green, which makes it a really nice fit if you’re looking to add a pop of colour into some spa-like interior design. You can pair teal with colours such as sage, eucalyptus and misty blue for a layered look, or it also goes really well with earthy accents like terracotta or chocolate brown, which can add warmth and balance.
These deeper tones work best against a backdrop of soft neutrals, which is why they make great accessory accents or feature walls. Pair them with oat, buttercream, warm sand, and chalky white to create a serene foundation, as this will allow the richer colours to bring personality without dominating the space.
Embrace Boutique Hotel Styling
If you want to follow a 2026 hotel trend, the Neo Deco trend offers an easy route to understated glamour. Rather than recreating the opulence of the 1920s, Neo Deco introduces all of the elegant lines of geometry in a more relaxed, liveable way.
To bring this into the bedroom, choose framed duvet covers, subtle jacquard weaves or quilted panels that create structure without appearing overly formal. Textile accessories are great for this too, as you can use velvet cushions, sateen cotton bedding and then use your home furnishings such as metallic candle holders or storage pots to add a refined finish without feeling excessive.
You can pay the same attention to detail in the bathroom, too, by using towels with architectural borders, sculpted jacquard textures, or softly scalloped edges. These can all instantly elevate your bathroom and make the room polished and luxurious while remaining practical for everyday use.
Let Texture Do the Talking
Many five-star hotels rely on bold patterns; most of the time, they create interest through carefully layered textures so there’s interest, but it isn’t too in your face.
Relaxed washed linen, breathable cotton percale and smooth sateen offer both comfort and longevity in the bedroom. These materials are great too, as they become softer and more inviting over time, which can give a lived-in look which still looks put together and stylish, even after a year of use. In the bathroom, waffle weaves, ribbed finishes and looped terry towels can all introduce that tactile appeal, but still give off that calm, spa-like atmosphere.
If you want to mix textures without it looking cluttered, opt for a lightweight quilt folded neatly at the end of the bed, a waffle throw, contrasting pillowcases, or a ribbed bathmat, or one with a woven texture; this can make the room feel thoughtfully styled with very little effort.
Use Spa-like Presentation
Usually, it’s the presentation which gives you that luxury feel when you walk into a hotel. You rarely go in and see mismatched towels or bedding that don’t complement the colours of the room. The secret to hotel luxury lies in presentation; they create coordinated colour stories, they stack towels tonally, display them neatly on open shelving and treat bathmats and accessories as part of the overall design rather than afterthoughts. And you can do exactly this at home. Just give it that extra little bit of thought and use complementary tones and textures, and you’ll have a spa-like feel right in your home.
Let Natural Materials Reinforce Nature
If you want to bring a bit of the outside in, which many people do now, natural materials such as cotton and linen reinforce the connection to nature. At the same time, subtle heritage-inspired patterns and soft geometric designs, which echo rippling water or organic landscapes without overwhelming the room, can also bring in the feeling of the outdoors, while remaining comfy and cosy.
Really, bringing five-star luxury home isn’t about extravagance; it’s just about making intentional choices that support comfort, calm and wellbeing. If you choose complementary colours, tactile fabrics and have a little think about your styling, even the most ordinary rooms can feel more indulgent, so when you come home from work every day, it’s a little retreat you look forward to getting back to.
About the expert
Karen McCully is the UK Design Manager at Trident Group – one the world’s largest producers of terry towels and bed linen. Karen is an experienced designer of home textiles and has worked in the home textiles field since 2001. She has always been drawn to textiles and colour, and to their ability to bring pattern to life and create a sense of home. She designs the pieces we live closest to, the sheets we sink into at night and the towels we reach for every day.
As a bed linen and towel designer, she translates trend forecasting and colour storytelling into tactile, comforting collections that feel both contemporary and timeless. Her process often begins with palette and mood, seasonal hues, softened naturals and grounded tones inspired by landscape and light. She believes in textiles that support daily rituals rather than overwhelm them. Trident Group exports to over 150 countries and remains committed to innovation, sustainability, and Inspired Living. Find out more at www.tridentindia.com
