Most Romantic Hotels in Italy

Honeymoons, anniversaries, engagements, make-ups — and that's just a typical afternoon for the average Italian love affair. When cupid is on the mind, check into our favorite hotels wherela dolce vita meets la vita amorosa. 

AEOLIAN ISLANDS

Hotel Raya
Where: Panarea
What's to Love: Small, impossibly chic inn run by the same eccentric proprietress for years. The hotel is built into a hillside on Panarea, the most fashionable of the seven Aeolian islands, overlooking Stromboli. The islands are remote and beautiful and locals cling fiercely to their culture.
Good to Know: On a clear night, you can see the volcanic flares from your room.

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AMALFI COAST

Don Alfonso
Where: Sant' Agata sui due Golfi
What's to Love: A love nest in the hills between Sorrento and Positano. You'll be tempted to stay in your colorful room all day, but the Michelin-star restaurant is unmissable.
Good to Know: Sign up for cooking classes while you're here, and learn to recreate the culinary magic, minus the sunshine, anytime. For added privacy, rent the private poet's house on the property.

Hotel Caesar Augustus
Where: Capri
What's to Love: Stunning vistas and an infinity pool that seems to stretch to the sea. This place takes al fresco dining to a whole new level with tables overlooking the cliffs of Capri and Ischia in the distance.
Good to Know: You can't stay in Capri without hiring a small boat to take you around the island to swim in the coves.

Hotel Santa Caterina
Where: Amalfi
What's to Love: A cliffside hotel that may as well have been built for honeymooning. It's packed with couples who come for the breathtaking views, outdoor dining with live music, and a roof made from sprawling lemon trees.
Good to Know: You're on the main drag of the Amalfi Coast but will feel removed from the crowds. Elevators connect the hotel to the private beach and pool.

Le Sirenuse
Where: Positano
What's to Love: Everybody adores this classic hotel. Is it the effect of drinking a bottle of rose while sitting in your bathrobe on a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean? The epic views from this hillside hotel? The breakfast on the terrace followed by a lazy day in a shaded pool cabana?
Good to Know: If you're squeamish, don't drive. Get a driver, and schedule a stop in Pompeii. Take the boat to Capri and enjoy drinks in a cave on the beach.

La Minerva
Where: Capri
What's to Love: Fresh and affordable accommodations in pricey Capri. Signore Esposito, the owner, runs this sparkling gem with stunning sea views. Many rooms have grand terraces.
Good to know: Have breakfast on the rooftop patio for spectacular views. For a modest fee, you can use the pool at the neighboring hotel, which is owned by Mr. Esposito's aunt. So Italian.

Palazzo Avino
Where: Ravello
What's to Love: The former Palazzo Sasso is truly divine — like you died and went to Amalfi heaven. The best part is the service: truly impeccable. Discreet and exactly what you'd expect when you're spending a month's salary on four nights. Be careful with the room you reserve: Cheaper rooms aren't worth the savings.
Good to Know: Breakfast on the terrace is lovely. Be sure to bring along a Hermès or Etro bikini so you fit in at the swimming pool.

Parco dei Principi
Where: Sorrento
What's to Love: Giò Ponti designed the hotel and swimming pool. The garden is one of the most romantic and mature in all of Italy. Beach is sophisticated and quiet with great food.
Good to Know:Bring a camera and meet the owner to visit the old palazzo.

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LIGURIA

Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi
Where: Camogli
What's to Love: Simple and charming with a wonderful view and the freshest fish.
Good to know: Ocean facing rooms are more expensive, but that's what you're here for.

Hotel Splendido
Where: Portofino
What's to Love: The brilliant pink bougainvillea that blooms just off your terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. They don't tolerate diving or splashing at the pool, so you're guaranteed a peaceful time.
Good to Know: Spend a day following the path on the nature reserve behind the hotel. You'll emerge in a nearby cove, have a refreshing aperitivo, the take a boat back.

Monte Pù
Where: Castiglione Chiavarese
What's to Love: An agriturismo hideaway on a coastal mountaintop. You're in the middle of nowhere, staring at Elba and the fields around you.
Good to know: It's modest — no WiFi, no spa, no frills. But you'll immediately realize how beautiful simplicity can be. Rates, by the way, start at 40 €. You could move in.

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MOLISE

Dimora Del PreteWhere: Venafro
What's to Love: A grand private home tucked into the middle of the countryside. You'll feel like you took a trip back in time.
Good to Know: This is a clever, if unlikely, place to perch for excursions in the Abruzzo National Forest or en route from Northern to Southern Italy.

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TUSCANY

J. K. Place
Where: Florence
What's to Love: On Piazza Santa Maria Novella and a few blocks from the Duomo. The façade may not look like much, but you'll find the best of old-meets-new world inside. Great DVD library, helpful staff, gorgeous rooms, and a selection of warm tarts, tea, fruit and orange juice in the lobby.
Good to Know: You're a few steps from Garga, one of the best restaurants in Florence.

La Bandita
Where: Val D'Orcia
What's to Love: You drive through the Tuscan countryside and finally make it to the top of a hilltop. Your destination: a modern farmhouse with stunning views, a pool, and hipster touches like a great library and music collection. This is isolation at its best.
Good to know: The charming American owner, John Voigtmann, is a former music exec who runs this place like a country getaway for friends.

Locanda Dell'Amorosa
Where: Sinalunga
What's to Love: The name translates as "the inn of the lovers" for good reason. The cypress-lined drive, the amazing restaurant, the countryside setting amid gently rolling hills. In the 1300s the space was largely stables. Today, it's your basic Tuscan fantasy come true.
Good to Know: Bring a bathing suit for the pool.

Poggio Etrusco
Where: Montepulciano
What's to Love: An adorable, inexpensive B&B in the Tuscan countryside with a kitchen garden to get lost in. Guests are free to pick anything they desire and each room comes with a stocked pantry.
Good to know: Arrange a cooking class with the owner and cookbook author, Pamela Sheldon Johns, and have her plan your Tuscan food adventures.

St. Regis Florence
Where: Florence
What's to Love: The location overlooking the Arno. The 15th-century building designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The antique furniture, art, and fixtures. The authentic Italian grandness that isn't at all stuffy.
Good to Know: The beds are pretty inspiring, too.

Villa San Michele
Where: Fiesole
What's to Love: Set high on a hillside overlooking the red roofs of Florence. Have a leisurely lunch at their Loggia restaurant and try not to faint while passing by the giant blue and lavender hydrangeas spilling out of the potted plants near the entry. Yes, they're real.
Good to Know: You ge the far-away Tuscan feel with the benefit of being close to Florence's museums, restaurants, and shops.

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VENETO

Il Palazzo
Where: Venice
What's to Love: Yes, the Danieli is divine, but we prefer the more private — and ridiculously sumptuous — charms of this canal-front hotel that's at once in the middle of the Venice insanity yet totally removed from it.
Good to Know: The rooftop bar has outstanding views. Make breakfast last for hours.

Relais La Magioca
Where: Verona
What's to Love: Beautiful country house with cozy, tasteful rooms. A morning walk through the surrounding terraced vineyards is magical.
Good to Know: There's a tiny ivy-covered Romanesque chapel on the grounds — should nuptial thoughts cross anyone's mind.

Villa Feltrinelli
Where: Gargnano
What's to Love: Gorgeous lakeside villa lavishly restored in 1997. Modern and traditional at the same time. Beautiful antiques, Wi-Fi, and an unbelievable view.
Good to Know: Heated marble floors to keep your feet toasty in the cool weather.

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, CA

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, CA

Two hours from San Francisco and a thousand feet above the crashing waves awaits Post Ranch Inn, a series of foliage-shrouded Tree Houses and ultra-private cottages. These 41 freestanding slate, glass, and wood accommodations feature commanding vistas of the Pacific and the Santa Lucia Mountains with floor-to-ceiling windows, private decks, wood-burning fireplaces, and luxurious indoor spa tubs. What they don’t have are TVs or clocks—a nudge to tune into your partner instead. Pick up a picnic from the resort’s Sierra Mar restaurant and cruise the coast in one of the inn’s gratis convertibles, then make your way back for a dip in the cliff-top infinity pool.

Price Tag: From approximately $625 per night, includes daily breakfast.

The Carneros Inn, Napa, CA

The Carneros Inn, Napa, CA

Acres of vineyards, apple orchards, and farmland make way for this idyllic wine country escape. Blending modernist-meets-farmhouse décor, 86 tin-roofed cottages are equipped with iconic Eames and Le Corbusier loungers, heated slate floors, wood-burning fireplaces, and decks amid one of the area’s most pastoral landscapes. There are garden and grapevine paths to explore, complimentary bikes for romantic wine-tasting sojourns, and amazing views from the hilltop adults-only pool. As night falls, enjoy fireside cocktails under a blanket of stars at the resort’s award-winning Farm restaurant.

Price Tag: From approximately $426 per night.

Chanticleer Guest House, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Chanticleer Guest House, Sturgeon Bay, WI

This secluded 19th-century farmhouse and adjoining barn have been converted into a bed-and-breakfast that benefits from a naturally alluring setting: 70 private acres of pastures where sheep roam. Cozy suites have an appropriately rustic look thanks to wood beams, floral patterns, roaring fireplaces, and individual features like a vaulted ceiling or private terrace. Homemade breakfast is delivered each morning, fueling guests for days filled with exploring the many wooded walking trails or strolling downtown Sturgeon Bay.

Price Tag: From approximately $120 per night, includes daily breakfast;

Hamilton Turner Inn, Savannah, GA

Hamilton Turner Inn, Savannah, GA

Amid magnolias and moss-draped oaks, this elegant 19th-century bed-and-breakfast oozes with old-time southern charm (it even got a mention in John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil). Soaring ceilings, four-poster canopy beds, cozy fireplaces, and double whirlpool spas compliment the park views. Couples can start the day with a gourmet breakfast, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage through downtown, and savor complimentary home-baked cookies fireside before bed.

Price Tag: From approximately $189 per night, includes daily breakfast.

Enchantment Resort, Sedona, AZ

Enchantment Resort, Sedona, AZ

The red rocks of Arizona’s Boynton Canyon tower over Enchantment’s adobe suites outfitted with kiva fireplaces, Native American accents, log-beamed ceilings, and oversize soaking tubs. Several pools, six tennis courts, pitch-and-putt golf, and complimentary guided hikes along the surrounding scenic trails round out the resort’s activities. But you don’t have to venture far to enjoy some of the area’s most awe-inspiring views—seen from the vantage point of the spa’s pool.

Price Tag: From approximately $295 per night.

Willows Lodge, Woodinville, WA

Willows Lodge, Woodinville, WA

Bordering the Sammamish River, this rustic-meets-luxe lodge occupies five lush acres in Western Washington’s wine country. The 84 rooms are subtly done in salvaged timber and antique slate with Frette linens and giant Jacuzzis for two. Couples can bliss-out with massages, leisurely walks through the impeccably manicured gardens, or bike rides along the beautiful Burke-Gilman Trail. At the end of the day, the nearby Herbfarm restaurant beckons with nine courses and wines to match.

Price Tag: From approximately $120 per night, includes daily breakfast.

Love is always in the air at these romantic hotels from coast to coast.

Love is always in the air at these romantic hotels from coast to coast.

Imagine you and your better half cuddling fireside as the sun dips behind the distant mountains. The only sounds are from the wild; the only sights are canyons and the stark desert. No, you’re not in the Sahara. You’re at Utah’s ultra-romantic Amangiri resort.

With Valentine’s Day looming and no end to winter in sight, who doesn’t dream of stealing away on vacation? But you don’t need to travel to the ends of the earth (or beloved spots like Paris or the Caribbean) to find that spark-kindling setting. From seaside New England to Washington State’s wine country, we’ve uncovered dreamy properties certain to get you in the mood—whatever your idea of romance and your price range.

You can take your love to literal new heights at Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn, a cliff-top hotel whose treehouses and cottages perch a thousand feet above the Pacific. The policy of no clocks or televisions encourages couples to reconnect, while perks like a gratis convertible inspire drives along scenic Highway 1 with impromptu picnics on any of the breathtaking beaches.

Of course, romance doesn’t require endless water views; cozying up in a country bed-and-breakfast has its own appeal. Hillside Victorian cottages with a white picket fence and fairy-tale-like setting draw couples year round to Landrum, SC, where they check into the affordable Red Horse Inn. Blame its high occupancy rate on the waterfalls, rocking chairs, and in-room candlelit dinners.

Great country inns know just how to take care of their guests, and indeed many of our favorite romantic hotels are a quick jaunt but worlds away from major cities. It’s about a two-hour drive from Phoenix to an enchanting resort of adobe suites with kiva fireplaces set among the red-rock canyons of Sedona, while 2 1/2 hours gets you from Atlanta to a Blue Ridge Mountains retreat.

And sometimes, romance is just a subway ride away. Lovebirds who want to fall in love with their hometown all over again—or flock to a hotel with urban sophistication—can look no further than actor Robert De Niro’s Greenwich Hotel in New York City.

Read on to find the perfect romantic hotel for you two and make that daydreamed getaway a reality.

World's Most Romantic All-Inclusive Resorts

Leave the kids and cares behind: it’s all about you—and your better half—at these romantic all-inclusive resorts.

Hard-partying Cancún, Mexico, isn’t the first place you’d think to take a secluded romantic getaway. But couples-only Le Blanc Spa Resort will make you think again. This all-inclusive sets the mood with a private beach, butler service, and infinity pools—and has even attracted romcom sweetheart Julia Roberts.

That’s no surprise to André Leavitt of Time Travels Inc., who wholeheartedly recommends the couples-only, all-inclusive experience to clients. “These resorts are simply more conducive to romance,” says the travel pro and mom. As Leavitt knows, sometimes you want a table just for two, without any kids in shouting distance. And the best romantic all-inclusive resorts have evolved to appeal to more sophisticated tastes, improving menus, diversifying amenities, and raising the bar on 24/7 service.

With all your meals and activities at the ready, you can tune out distractions and tune in to each other. This kind of coveted alone time comes easily on the island of Maui at Travaasa Hana, a serene group of plantation-style cottages that purposely don’t have TVs, radios, or clocks. Instead, you’ll wake up to the sound of the Pacific waves outside your window, soak in a private hot tub, and learn to stand-up paddleboard or even hula. Trying out something new together is bound to get that adrenaline pumping.

While endless water views are undeniably romantic, cuddling by the fire at a mountain hideaway has its own dreamy appeal. The Adirondacks are the site of one such retreat, The Point Resort on the edge of Saranac Lake, which draws big-city couples looking for a quick escape, whatever the season. Blame it on the nightly bonfires, sunset cruises, and award-winning chef Mark Levy’s ganache hot chocolate.

Of course, all this gourmet eating, pampering, and bliss comes at a price, anywhere from about $120 per person per night to upwards of $600. But once you find the resort that’s right for you two, the bucks stop there. “Not having to think about paying for a drink by the pool or lunch—it’s a completely carefree experience,” says Ernesto Coppel, founder and CEO of Pueblo Bonito Oceanfront Resorts and Spas.

After all, when the fire pits come on at Pueblo Bonito, theirs aren’t the only sparks flying.

the lofty Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, in New Zealand’s eye-bogglingly beautiful Bay of Islands…

This weekend, we’d like to bound out of (big, boutique) bed, polish off a stack-load of pancakes with crisp bacon, fat-yolked eggs and leg-sized sausages, wipe out our beloved on the golf course with some immaculate swings and finish off the day’s adventures with a Kiwi mud wrap accompanied by forest views and tuneful bird song. Better book a stay at our hotel of the week, then, the lofty Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, in New Zealand’s eye-bogglingly beautiful Bay of Islands…

Style Upscale country manor
Setting Coastal cliffs, Pacific panoramas

Why this week? The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs hotel recently nabbed an almost perfect score (99.2%) in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2013, making it the readers’ number one resort in Australia and New Zealand. Don’t just trust the numbers: go and see for yourself what the big deal is. 

Our favourite bits We’re partial to the six spacious standard suites paired in pretty cottages flanked by forest. All are neutral-toned with comfy armchairs by the fire, walk-in wardrobes, luxe bathrooms and private porches overlooking the sea. But if you fancy more space and your own infinity pool, book into the Two-Bedroom Owner’s Cottage. Don’t miss the uplifting spa, surrounded by verdant totara forest; treatments make use of local mud, minerals, crystals, stones and shells. Balls to beautifying? Check out the 18-hole golf course, practice range, putting and chipping greens and golf shop (the hotel has Callaway clubs for hire, too).

’When we’re taken to our room, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. This is a room you want to steal back home in your hand luggage so nothing gets broken. Every detail is considered: caramel-colour soft furnishings sit against natural timber walls, rattan armchairs with wool throws are arranged before an open fireplace in the sitting room, and the sunken bath looks over a lush, private garden. I’m crazy about the his-and-hers wardrobes, the minibar complete with home-made biscuits for that early morning cuppa, and there’s a terrace with attention-demanding views to the ocean.

The next morning, the sun rises on a picture-perfect day and we gear up for the 18 holes that lie ahead. Paul, the resort pro, talks us through the course. Six holes follow the cliff’s edge, dropping off into the Pacific Ocean. Away from the sea, fairways wind their way through farmland and remnants of rainforest. It’s not hard to see why aficionados from all over the world travel to play here. (Should you tire of the game, there’s a beautiful diversion a 15-minute stroll from the seventh hole: a private beach that’s an exquisite shade of soft pink, the result of pounding waves crushing shells into the tiniest flakes)

Riviera South Beach Used Fake Banksy Tiles

The Riviera South Beach was pretty proud of themselves for having scored some precious Banksy grafitti art tiles that are used in some of the public spaces, including lavatories, of their newest hotel addition. But The Miami New Times has discovered that these Banksy tiles are actually fake.

Apparently, the tiles were acquired from a Spanish company, Peronda, who has told the Miami New Times that the tiles are "Banksy-inspired" but are not actually his work. That's why the tiles are called, "Bansky." However, the Riviera South Beach's owners, the father-son team, Nathan and Alan Lieberman, believed that the tiles were really done by Banksy. In an email to the New Times' Ciara LaVelle, Alan Liberman wrotethe following:

Banksy was commissioned to do a series of different large tiles. There are a dozen different graffiti drawings of his most familiar and popular work. I was aware of his art being made available and contacted his agent and then placed the tiles throughout the new Riviera South Beach Hotel building's common areas.

Yet Banksy's own publicist has weighed in on the matter calling the tiles "fake." Whoops.

We're awaiting a reply from the hotel's PR rep but in the meantime, just know that you aren't in the presence of Banksy when going to the loo at the Riviera.

You May Want to Avoid This 'Hotel' in San Francisco

When folks ask us to recommend a hotel in San Francisco, there are so many options to give them as San Fran has a crazy diverse hotel scene--from fancy luxury (St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental) to cool boutique (Vitale), or just plain friendly and happy (any Kimpton or Joie de Vivre Hotel) but here's one hotel you should seriously avoid--The Europa Hotel.

SFist has combed through some of the online reviews from TripAdvisor and Yelp for the hotel where rooms are incredibly cheap (about $36 a night) but often come with baggies of drugs, bed bugs, cigarette butts, sheet stains and the smell of urine and feces. (That's the official picture above from the hotel. You should see the ones posted by travelers on TripAdvisor.)

An Outdoor Barbecue at Playa Vik José Ignacio

Perched on a stunning stretch of the Uruguayan coastline, Playa Vik is adding some spark to the sleepy fishing town of José Ignacio. Just like its sister property, the Estancia Vik ranch located on 4000 acres just 5 miles away, Playa Vik also boasts an impressive art collection and is eco-friendly to boot.

Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott  gave the main building, floor-to-ceiling exterior glass walls to take in the sweeping views. A green roof covered in sea grass and blossoming native plants is an interesting juxtaposition to the modernist architecture, but it connects the building even more to the natural beauty of the landscape. It’s a cool yin and yang between the contemporary architecture and its eco-friendly features. The  75-foot long cantilevered pool features a fiber optic lit celestial map of the southern hemisphere on the terrace overlooks the beach below.

The 6 individually designed casitas  feature multiple bedrooms, a fireplace, an art-filled interior and  hand painted floors.

The owners are passionate art collectors and they’ve filled both of their hotels with work by an interesting mix of international artists including  James Turrell, Anselm Kiefer and architect Zaha Hadid.

If you can’t make it down for one of their spectacular outdoor barbecues, we’ll bring the taste of Playa Vik to you. Here’s a recipe for the perfect summer BBQ that Marcelo Betancourt, chef of the Viks Retreats, was kind enough to share with Hotel Chic.

Dinner for 4: 3 lbs sea bass (or Corvina Negra is you happen to be in Uruguay), 1 red pepper1 green pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 2 red onions, 3 garlic cloves, 7 tbsp olive oil, a handful chopped dill, salt and pepper

Start a fire and let heat for 2 hours, unless you have a gas grill and then you can ignore this step! Cut the peppers, onion and garlic into thin slices. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and pour in the olive oil. Mix well and add a handful of chopped dill. Once the barbecue hits 320°F (160°C), take the filets and place in olive oil, either with your hands or a piece of paper and then place skin down on the grill. Sprinkle salt and pepper, and cover with the peppers and onions mix. Cook for 10-20 minutes depending on desired temperature and serve!

5 Minute Appetizer: 3 tbsp olive oil, 12 baby calamari, 12 rings of an onion, 8 peach slices with skin, salt and pepper, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Put a pan over the grill until it is hot and add olive oil and calamari. Let sit for one minute, and then add onion rings, peach slices, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve.

Add some good wine and even better friends, and the barbecue is complete.

Happy Summer!

Amazing Art Idea from the Viceroy Miami

Kelly Wearstler always seems to know how to strike the right balance between cool and glamorous as showcased by the suites at the Viceroy Miami.  One of the most interesting design ideas here is setting a gorgeous piece of art into the poster bed just above the headboard. People often leave that space empty or put in a decorative mirror, but I love the idea of hanging an amazing piece of art instead. Wearstler did the same trick in Cameron Diaz’ amazing NYC apartment that is currently running in Elle Decor, shown below. Definitely a design idea to crib at home.

Virtual Vacation at Aqua Wellness in Nicaragua

I recently interviewed Pierre Gedeon of Nicaragua Adventures for Refinery29 for his take on what to do, see, and where to hang your hat in Nicaragua.  He had amazing things to say about Aqua Wellness on the Southwest coast. The hotel features 33-treehouse rooms, many with killer views of the Pacific. Beyond mellowing out at the beach, the focus is on healthy everything with a small spa, organic food, and yoga on their private beach. Best of all the rooms start at $155 a night in the off season. Sign me up!  Check out the amazing pics below:

Check out this view from one of the treehouse rooms

All photos courtesy Aqua Wellness

Design Ideas from the Austria’s Jagdgut Wachtelh of Hotel

The amazing Italian architect and hotel designer Michele Bonan just revamped an Austrian ski lodge in the mountains of Steinerne Meer in Hinterthal. The very chic  Jagdgut Wachtelhof hotel(nooo idea how to pronounce that!)  is not far from Salzberg and looks like one of the chicest ski lodges ever. The hotel reopens in December after the redesign is complete. From the images, the interiors feature all of the hallmarks of a Bonan designed hotel–a sense of fun (there are way too many antlers and deer heads on the wall to be serious), rich colors (think chocolate browns, deep greens, and red), oversized wing chairs, his signature black lampshades, and art by photographer Massimo Listri. The hotel is the sister property of the glam Heidelberg Suites  in Germany. Bonan has designed some of my favorite design hotels including the JK Place Capri and the Hotel Continentale in Florence. His new JK Place in Rome just opened and I will have new pics for you later this week. In the meantime there are so many design ideas to steal from the  Jagdgut Wachtelhof, enjoy!

PAIR DARK COLORS WITH A BOLD RUG: Rich green walls and a dark chocolate brown corner sofas add depth and cool to this cozy sitting room. But it is the bold striped rug with yellow, purple, and red that brightens up the space and keeps it from feeling too serious. If you have a dark room, a confident and colorful striped rug could be just what it needs.

UPDATE WING CHAIRS IN LINEN: Wing chairs in the wrong fabric can look totally dated. But covered in a cool, crisp fabric like this pale linen with a lot of texture, along with a contrasting seat fabric (here it is in chocolate brown to link to the sofa) gives the classic chairs a fresh, more current, look.

WING CHAIRS AROUND A DINING TABLE:  Speaking of wing chairs...Not the best image, but the table with four wing chairs around provides an interesting, and very cozy idea for seating in a small dining space.

GRAPHIC ART ADDS AN INSTANT UPDATE: Bonan frequently uses images by Massimo Listri in his rooms. The photographers crisp interiors shots or graphic closeups are an example of how bold, graphic art modernizes a room.

STOOLS ROCK: Cute ctools can do triple duty–they can act as tables, foot rests, and of course extra seating. A smart element to have if you live in a small space.

SKI CHIC PALETTE:  Sisal carpets, cream upholstery, wood planed walls, leather stools, and lots of faux fur blends together flawlessly.

LOVING BLACK LAMPSHADES: Bonan often incorporates black lampshades into his rooms and I love how they add a bit of glamour. Bonan also has his own lighting line which is available throughDiscover & Deliver.

ADD ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL WITH PAINT: In a room without a lot of architectural character like this one, painting these green boxes, where molding would be, adds some character to the space.

The spa…

All images courtesy of the Jagdgut Wachtelhof