Once you've forgotten the hassles of airport security checks and lost baggage on your return from a restful holiday, you may start dreaming about giving your home a makeover reminiscent of the chic hotel you stayed in, a swanky restaurant you dined at or stylish shops you visited. Logical planning is the best starting point, says Natasha Usher of Nude Design. 'The space must meet the fundamental operation for what is intended,' she says. 'Professional design must be functional and beyond aesthetics.' To emulate a chic hotel living space you need a fairly neutral colour scheme. But you can inject personality using one or two of your favourite colours, working with complementary tones in small doses, Usher says. 'Controversial' colours, such as purple, blue, pink and mustard, should be avoided. 'Usually, we keep the architectural framework neutral and add colour into soft furnishings, drapes and wall features, including art.' Christopher Bene, from Chang Bene Design, says all-white interiors with unusual lighting fixtures are a trend, as is recycled wood for floors and walls. Lighting is often overlooked but is a crucial part of the planning process. Lighting expert William Kwan, from LUMIN8, says your home should be lit in such a way that it makes you want to linger. As an example he points to restaurants that are dimly lit for atmosphere, directing light only where it needs to be. 'This results in a quiet ambience so that you feel comfortable in the surroundings. Compare that to a cha chaan teng where all the lights are blazing - you want to be out of there as soon as you've finished.' Kwan recommends using energy-saving lights. Choose warm, inviting temperature tones and steer clear of blue-white tones that will make the room seem harsh and bright, he says. Well-planned lighting will offer lots of flexibility in the number and range of lights, and also control the brightness. 'Look at any hotel function room and you find that it needs to serve many different purposes, from conferences to cocktail parties,' Kwan says. 'Good lighting will allow that space to be used in any number of ways and it has the ability to set the right mood for any event. There's no reason why you shouldn't have that same flexibility in your own home.' Flexibility is also important when designing the living room, says Usher, who favours wall features that can be opened or closed to provide semi-private areas. Since the living room is often the defining room in the home, Usher suggests incorporating elements such as wall finishes and textures, dramatic feature lights on walls and concealed entertainment units. Bene likes using screens to add visual and textural interest. His firm has built screens from perforated aluminium, curved, sliding wood and a wall of glass that folds up. These clean, simple lines are characteristic of commercial spaces such as shops that are mostly devoid of excess and clutter. Keep the layout simple. Symmetry and simplicity of the layout are key to nailing the look. But if you must hoard, try to form a well-organised, thoughtful collection, making sure the way you display your belongings is as interesting as the objects themselves. Bene suggests installing shelves that seem to 'float' in front of a window, or using shelves and glass as a floating room divider. Display units and storage shelves are best backlit to create subtle features, Usher says. The living room is the heart of the home, so Kwan says it should include combinations and different sources of lighting - from the ceiling, tables and floor, and dimmers that allow for various moods and occasions. Because living rooms in Hong Kong are often open to the kitchen, it is important that they blend seamlessly. This can be a challenge when people want to include bulky restaurant-grade equipment in their kitchens, such as Sub-Zero fridges, Bene says. Stoves like Viking and Wolf are popular because they are large and free-standing, with hobs that can reach higher temperatures than normal. 'The devil's in the detail,' Usher says. 'A kitchen is only as good as the hardware and equipment that comes with it. Quality gas hinges, self-closing drawers and durable gliding tracks are minimum requirements for a 'professionally built' kitchen.' Food preparation also requires plenty of task lighting, so try fixing lights to the underside of overhead cabinets, Kwan says. Fluorescent lights create lots of good-quality, cost-efficient light and are now smaller, making them more stylish and able to blend with your decor. Efficiency is also important in the bedroom - hotels pack everything you could need in a small space while offering you stylish surroundings. Great hotel rooms are designed to be restful, welcoming spaces with thoughtful, comforting touches. For Usher, this includes high-quality joinery and finishings, and concealed cables for electronic gear. Bene suggests integrating controls for lighting, television and music by the bedside; Chang Bene recently designed a television that rises from the floor at the foot of the bed. Kwan says bedside lighting should be adjustable so your partner isn't disturbed by reflected light. 'General bedroom lighting can be more discreet than other areas of the home,' he says. 'What's needed is lighting that's soft, soothing and warm.' The key to designing bedrooms that open to bathrooms and workspaces is to allow them to be closed when you want privacy, Bene says. Consider using pivoting panels that open to combine the bedroom with the bathroom, he says. The selection of materials should also be a priority. 'Let the [same] materials flow from one space to the next for a seamless look.' Sunken bathtubs with domed skylights, a built-in television or a shower unit as part of a big glass cube are just some of the projects Bene has worked on. 'Unusual fixtures and details will give it a more commercial feel,' he says. He also recommends limiting the colour palettes and materials in bathrooms to make them appear larger and more hotel-like. Hotel bathrooms are generally well-lit and are ideal places to apply make-up. Kwan says in addition to installing enough light, it is also important to ensure it doesn't create excessive shadows - lighting from the left and right sides will eliminate this. 'And use lighting that reflects your skin tone - light that's too white can make skin look ghostly white or pasty.' Kwan adds that with advances in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), savings in energy can be considerable, and exciting lighting effects can be produced that are unavailable with traditional lighting sources. 'LEDs can offer colour-changing that will completely alter the mood of a space. LEDs can also be placed into curved spaces so that light will be continuous.' Simple tips to turn your home into a pleasure palace Living room A chic, commercial-style living room is all about creating atmosphere, so consider a bold scheme such as dark neutrals to give an otherwise boxy room some character. Try layering your surfaces with piles of cushions, books or groups of vases, to make the room feel luxurious. For extra comfort, consider foot stools. But remember to avoid clutter and go for a simple configuration grouped around a coffee table or ottoman - making it a focal point will help make the room feel centred and streamlined. Kitchen Commercial kitchens come with lots of space, as they are designed to allow different chefs to cook and move around. This may not be practical for small Hong Kong kitchens, so consider an open-plan space that combines the living area, and include big appliances where possible. Bedroom Well-positioned reading lamps, nightstands with spacious drawers, a comfy chair, simple and clean bed linens (preferably white), fluffy pillows and blackout curtains are standard in hotel bedrooms. Other items to consider include an alarm clock and reading lamp, glasses and a carafe, and a vase of flowers. Bathroom Organise soaps and shampoos in a tray to set the bath products apart. Invest in high-quality white bath towels. Towel racks provide a shelf to stack clean linens without taking up valuable floor space. And a glass door rather than a curtain makes a shower feel spa-like. The inn crowd LUMIN8 William Kwan Suite 404-405, Hua Qin International Building, 340 Queen's Road, Central, tel: 2511 6119; ww.fireflylightingdesign.com; wkwan@fireflylightingdesign.com Nude design Natasha Usher 11/F Ming Fat Building, 72 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 9027 5645; www.nude.com.hk ; natasha@nude.com.hk Chang Bene Design Christopher Bene Room 201, Yu Yuet Lai Building, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2881 7575; www.changbenedesign.com ; bcbene@changbenedesign.com Sub-Zero and Wolf International Madison (Hong Kong) Unit 1102, 11/F Dina House, Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 3428 5943; www.madison-asia.com/subzero ; info.subzero.hk@madison-asia.com Viking Logten International Room 4013B, Office Tower, Convention Plaza, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2868 9323; vikingranges@hotmail.com