12 interior design secrets to steal from holiday villas

Holiday villas, chalets and resorts all have that one thing in common — they make you feel like you never want to leave. So it makes sense to turn to these spaces for interior design inspiration if we want our home to feel the same way.

We checked into these gorgeous villas listed on Villa Finder , a website that lets you a book short-term stays at their villas, to find out their secrets.

1. Tub in the sleeping hub

Having a bathtub in the middle of the bedroom takes a lot of guts (and plumbing reorientation), but it will definitely make you feel like you’re swimming in luxury. This one’s pretty genius, with the tub doubling also as a headboard and nightstand.

Villa: Villa Seascape Lembongan
Location: Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia

2. Conceal your entrances

Make things sleek and seamless by concealing your doorways. It’s a great tip for small spaces, since less visual clutter will definitely help your room appear more spacious.

In this bedroom of a chalet in Hokkaido, the en-suite entrance is hidden behind rustic wood panels, which are also used to cover the rest of the walls in the space.

Villa : Whiskey Woods Townhouse
Location: Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

3. Separate your vanity

Who says you need to locate your bathroom vanity inside the bathroom? Have them sit right outside, which frees up space within, allow you to have an indulgent his-and-her sink, and also ensure your vanity carpentry doesn’t get exposed to too much moisture. Talk about a win-win-win!

Villa : Villa Samudra Galle
Location : Galle, Sri Lanka

4. Zoning with platforms

Platforms are great for many things, one of which is to zone out the different areas in an open space thanks to the play of different heights. In this bedroom, the sitting area, sleeping zone and the workstation are demarcated clearly thanks to the use of a platform.

Villa: Villa Sawarin
Location: Cape Yamu, Phuket, Thailand

5. Symmetry works — but have some leeway

Going the symmetrical route is the easiest way to make a bedroom come together quickly. But don’t go entirely identical as it will look a bit too formal. Mix things up with a different patterned cushion or by varying the décor on both sides.

Villa: Villa Mandala Rocks
Location: Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

6. Level up your kitchen island

If your kitchen is the hub of your home or you entertain often, get in a multipurpose kitchen island where you can cook, wash up and dine, all at once. Putting everything at your island frees up the rest of your kitchen for much-needed storage.

Villa: Villa Sawarin
Location: Cape Yamu, Phuket, Thailand

7. Don’t stick to conventions when choosing furniture

To make things more interesting, think out of the box when it comes to your furniture choice. We love the idea of using a long bench as a coffee table, like what was done in this villa in Bali! The best part about it is that it can also double up as extra seating when you have too many guests over.

Villa: Villa Atmo
Location : Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

8. Staircase storage made super stylish

The space under the stairs is one way to bring in more storage to your space. But instead of going with the usual carpentry, the folks in this villa decided to make it into a cosy nook with recessed niches for displaying decor.

Villa: Magma House
Location : Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

9. Throw in those curves

Too many lines and sharp edges in a space can make a room seem serious and cold. Invite in curves, like what this bedroom did through the use of tubular-shaped lighting, curvilinear baskets and round mirrors to soften the edges and create a more inviting space.

Villa: Magma House
Location : Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

10. Use different lighting schemes

You don’t want to stick with just a single type of lighting in a space. Play with different types of lighting to not only help you adequately light up your room, but also create a more visually interesting space. This bedroom did so by combining recessed lights, table lamps and floor lighting together.

Villa: Magma House
Location : Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

11. A monochromatic scheme is classic

One of the best colour schemes that can stand the test of time? Black-and-white. We love how this was used in this classic style bathroom. The ornate fixtures and furnishings look timeless rather than tacky thanks to the classic palette.

Villa: Maniumpathy
Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka

12. Warm things up with natural materials

This villa might have appeared too contemporary and cold if it weren’t for the use of materials like stone and wood on the surfaces of the home. If you are afraid of the upkeep, go for look-alike materials that have all the beauty without the fuss.

Villa: Villa El Cielo
Location : Hakuba, Japan

This article was first published in Renonation.